Everyday Carry

Trending: Benchmade 535BK-2 Bugout

Authored by:
Mikey Bautista
Trending: Benchmade 535BK-2 Bugout

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  Benchmade 535BK-2 Bugout

The Benchmade 535BK-2 is an improved Bugout that’s both stronger and lighter at the same time. It brings that low-profile tactical flair with its blacked out styling while keeping its original outdoors-focused, ultralight design and feature set, making it a compelling option for a wide range of EDCs. The most recognizable change to the 535BK-2 is its fully blacked-out design, from the blade itself to the handle and hardware. It’s a welcome addition to the Bugout lineup alongside the outdoorsy, hi-vis blue on the original as well as the more urban-friendly olive drab variant.

Aesthetics aside the new CF-Elite handle on the 535BK-2 offers improvements to both strength and weight, ideal for an ultralight knife. Compared to the original Bugout’s Grivory scales that could flex under high pressure, this model’s carbon fiber-reinforced polymer handle boasts 50% higher rigidity while actually weighing less at 1.8oz compared to the original’s 1.85oz weight. The new Bugout still largely keeps the same great premium features of the original: a 3.24" long, premium CPM-S30V drop point blade (with a black DLC finish this time around), Benchmade's ambidextrous AXIS-lock, dual thumb-studs for quick manual deployment, textured handles for grip, a reversible pocket clip for multiple carry options, and a lanyard attachment point for retrieval and retention. Pick it up while you can at the link below.

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Mikey Bautista

Director of Everyday Carry Operations


About the Author
Mikey Bautista is an everyday carry (EDC) expert who has been working with the EverydayCarry.com team for nearly a decade, starting with an interest in EDC as a hobby and ending up as a writer for the site in 2014. Through the years, he’s led the site in editorial content and writing about products across every category, from knives to bags to flashlights and everything in between, as well as discovering, bringing exposure, and building bridges with many brands in the industry. Today, he is the site's Director of Everyday Carry Operations, leading the editorial team and managing day-to-day operations.

He has lived through many personal and professional lives, spending nearly a decade in the workforce management industry, a minor career in gaming, and has lent a hand with entrepreneurial efforts back home in the Philippines. He has also been an active participant and helped build a number of significant social communities online, both for EDC and his other hobbies.

Mikey has been at the cusp of gaming, technology, and the internet since the ‘90s and continues to lend his experience, expertise, and authority to all his pursuits. When not online, in a game, or watching movies, you'll find him in the gym, speedrunning his next hobby, or talking at length about EDC with anyone willing to listen.

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