Head-to-head · Best EDC Pocket Knives

Benchmade Bugout 535 vs Kershaw Leek 1660

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

The short answer

Benchmade Bugout 535 comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.5 vs 4.3). The gap is mostly about minimalists who want a full-size blade that disappears in the pocket — read the strengths below before deciding.

Higher ratedRanked #3 in Best EDC Pocket Knives

Benchmade Bugout 535

4.5

$181.9as of Jun 7

The Benchmade Bugout 535 is the modern benchmark for an ultralight everyday-carry folder, pairing a 3.24-inch CPM-S30V drop-point with a Grivory handle that brings total weight to just 1.85 oz. KnifeInformer scored it 82% and OutdoorGearLab 78/100, both praising how cleanly the thin blade slices while warning it is not a hard-use tool. Reviewers consistently call out the smooth AXIS lock and near-invisible deep-carry as the reasons it stays in rotation. It is the easiest knife here to forget you are carrying, but the polymer handle and delicate-feeling build mean heavy users should look at the sturdier Para Military 2 or Lander 2.

Strengths

— At 1.85 oz it virtually disappears in the pocket while keeping a full-size 3.24-inch blade
— CPM-S30V blade arrives razor sharp, slices effortlessly and is easy to resharpen
— AXIS lock is ambidextrous, has minimal blade play and disengages with either hand

Watch-outs

— Grivory handle flexes under hard pressure and is not built for chiseling or batoning
— Feels almost too light at first, which makes some users distrust it until broken in
— The small attractive pocket clip is less secure than a full-size clip

$181.9 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Ranked #5 in Best EDC Pocket Knives

Kershaw Leek 1660

4.3

$68.41as of Jun 7

The Kershaw Leek 1660 is a Ken Onion design that has sold in huge numbers for two decades, and it still defines the slim, dressy assisted-flipper category. Its 3-inch Sandvik 14C28N blade rides Kershaw's SpeedSafe assist in a 4-inch closed, 3 oz package that disappears into a pocket. KnifeInformer scored it 79% and CleverHiker rated it 4.9/5, both praising the slicing geometry and value while flagging the one universal weakness: a needle tip fragile enough that owners report snapping it. It is the most elegant and affordable knife here, ideal for light office and EDC tasks, but its delicate point keeps it out of hard-use territory.

Strengths

— SpeedSafe assisted opening flips the slim blade open fast and one-handed
— Sandvik 14C28N blade offers an excellent price-to-performance ratio
— Very thin slicing geometry bites into cardboard and packaging with ease

Watch-outs

— The needle tip is notoriously fragile and can snap off under modest side load
— Edge can roll, so the blade needs care during tougher cutting
— All-steel handle is slipperier than G-10 in wet conditions

$68.41 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

How they stack up

Benchmade Bugout 535

The Bugout 535 is the lightest knife in this group at 1.85 oz, well under the Spyderco Para Military 2's 3.9 oz and the Knafs Lander 2's 2.9 oz. It cuts as cleanly as the Para Military 2 thanks to a similarly thin grind, but its Grivory handle flexes where the Para Military 2's G-10 stays rigid. Buyers who want the same ultralight carry for far less money should look at the CIVIVI Yonder, which trades the AXIS lock for a crossbar lock.

Kershaw Leek 1660

The Kershaw Leek 1660 is the slimmest, dressiest knife in this group and the only one with spring-assisted SpeedSafe deployment. Like the CIVIVI Yonder it uses budget-friendly 14C28N steel, trailing the Benchmade Bugout 535's CPM-S30V and the Knafs Lander 2's S35VN. Its needle tip is far more delicate than the Spyderco Para Military 2's already-thin point, so it is the least suited here to anything beyond light cutting.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	Benchmade Bugout 535	Kershaw Leek 1660
Blade Steel	CPM-S30V	Sandvik 14C28N
Blade Length	3.24 in	3.0 in
Overall Length	7.46 in	—
Weight	1.85 oz	3.0 oz
Lock Type	AXIS lock	Frame lock
Handle Material	Grivory	410 stainless steel
Blade Shape	Drop point	—
Warranty	LifeSharp lifetime service	—
Closed Length	—	4.0 in
Deployment	—	SpeedSafe assisted flipper
Designer	—	Ken Onion

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