In order of frequency: Victorinox Compact, Doug Ritter Griptillian, Victorinox Outlander, Buck Vantage Pro Sm & Lg, Gerber EAB, Kershaw Blur.
The State building I'm at 2-3 days per week has a no weapons policy, so for the last two years I've been using the Compact Swiss Army (Outlander is too big for some pants) in the hope that it won't raise too many red flags if I have to empty my pockets for whatever reason. I had been carrying the Vantages for about 5 years on a daily basis, but decided not to push my luck, especially after the increased security that came with the San Bernardino shooting. The Griptillian has been carried on nightly dog walking duty for a dozen years now, I've got gate keys and remotes on its lanyard so nothing gets misplaced or forgotten when rounding up the dogs.
I've switched up my lineup a bit since trying out the
Benchmade Bugout 535 recently. Best to think of the Bugout as a slimmed-down Benchmade Griptillian with a full-size S30V blade that's aimed more at the gram-counting backpacker types than the post-apocalypse BOB crowd.
Here's the weight comparisons I measured, starting from the top knife in the pictures:
Doug Ritter Griptilian - 108g
SAK Outlander - 133g
Buck Vantage Pro Lg - 125g
Benchmade Bugout - 53g SAK Compact - 66g
Buck Vantage Pro Sm - 73g
Gerber EAB - 66g
Kershaw Leek - 87g (not pictured above, couldn't find my Blur)
With the Bugout's super-light weight, AXIS locking mechanism, deep-carry clip and huge lanyard hole I can't really see a practical advantage to carrying either of the Bucks, my Kershaw Blur, or the Doug Ritter Griptilian going forward. They all have my favorite S30V steel but the thinner blade on the Bugout actually makes for a better slicer than the others. And after you factor in the hollow grind of the Buck Vantage, the actual amount of steel near the cutting edge isn't significantly better than the flat-ground Bugout. The Bugout carries almost as deep as the Vantages, yet still allows for a huge opening for lanyard attachment, something the Vantages lack altogether. Yes, the plastic grip on the Bugout flexes more than the more robust Griptilian and the blade is significantly thinner (same thickness of the Leek), but if I want to pry stuff with a knife I would be better served with a fixed blade, anyway. The biggest thing I hold hold against the Bugout is its 3-digit price range. Besides the specialty Ritter Griptilian, all the other S30V blades described above can be had for less than $100.
So, I think I'm going to move the Ritter and Vantage folders from EDC rotation and start using the Bugout instead. It melts into nothingness in the pocket, yet still feels like a real knife in use. However, despite the Butgout's lighter weight and super-steel, the SAKs will still probably get most of my EDC time (tough to beat in terms of usefulness, value, and gray-man practicalities) and the Gerber EAB will continue to handle the bulk of my cardboard boxes.
