Review: Benchmade Taggedout Knife

The best pocketknives are the ones you forget about—until needed. The Taggedout from Benchmade checks that box. The knife is the lightest and most compact folding blade I’ve ever held. That’s thanks to what the company called it’s “Grivory” handle, which is a light, yet incredibly durable synthetic material. As such, the knife feels a little front heavy, at least compared to the average blade, but it didn’t take long to get used to. The blade itself is made from super-hard stainless steel, and the shape is suited to daily use—opening magazine boxes or cutting veggies at a friend’s house (there’s nothing worse than a dull knife)—but I have no doubt it’ll be equally at home skinning and field-dressing animals. My only hesitancy is how tight the pocket clip is. I suspect the metal will soften over time, but as-is, clipping it onto a thick pair of Carhartt jeans takes some finger strength. It’s nice to know that there’s no chance of the knife falling out, but on the flip side, it would be challenging to pry the clip apart with cold, numb hands. But no matter, the knife makes an excellent everyday folder around town, or a good backup blade when hunting. In the woods, I keep the knife tucked away in my bino harness. It’s so light and compact that I can hardly tell it’s there. After all, one is none, two is one; and for nothing does that ring truer than with pocketknives. Available at benchmade.com; $200.