Benchmade Bugout Vapyr Review: Is it just a $375 reskin?

In This Review:

• The Bugout Vapyr vs the Original Bugout
  • Does the Bugout Vapyr Fix the Flex Issue?
  • What’s Special about the Torsion Spring AXIS Lock?
  • Is the Bugout Vapyr Lighter than the Original?
  • Is the Bugout Vapyr Thinner than the Original?
• Time to Address the Elephant in the Room: the Price
  • The Competition
  • A Unique Value Proposition for a Unique Knife
• No Corners Cut
• Is the Bugout Vapyr Worth the Price?
• Where can I get the Benchmade Bugout Vapyr?

Is the Benchmade Bugout Vapyr just another reskin?

No.

But hold on—there’s more to it.

The Bugout Vapyr is still a Bugout, but it has more going for it than a shiny new coat of paint (though it does have that). It’s been rebuilt to be lighter, thinner, tougher, and more user-friendly.

What are the changes? Are they enough to justify the higher price? Are they enough to elevate it above the competition?

Yes.

And no.

There’s a lot to talk about. Let’s get into it.

The Bugout Vapyr vs the Original Bugout

What changed on the Bugout 534BK Vapyr compared to the OG Bugout 535?

Here’s a comprehensive breakdown:

Why do these Changes Matter?

Some of the differences are small, but each is a meaningful improvement over the original. Add them all up, and we’re looking at a very significant upgrade.

Yes, we’ve seen premium blade steels and handle materials on Bugouts before. You might be asking, "What makes the Bugout Vapyr any different?"

The answer is subtle but significant: the Vapyr isn’t a Bugout with better pieces.

It’s a better Bugout.

You might have some questions.

Does the Bugout Vapyr Fix the Flex Issue?

Yes. I squeezed, and the aluminum didn’t flex. The Bugout Vapyr is a rigid folder.

What’s Special about the Torsion Spring AXIS Lock?

The Bugout Vapyr uses the same AXIS Lock as the Benchmade Narrows, down to the stepped grip pads on the crossbar.

Compared to the conventional AXIS Lock, this version employs a torsion spring (as in "torque") rather than a pair of omega springs (shaped like the Greek letter).

Why does that matter?

A torsion spring has a much longer lifespan. I’ve had omega springs fail on me before, but I’ve never seen a torsion spring snap.

How does MagnaCut compare to S30V?

From my experience, MagnaCut is significantly superior to S30V; that sentiment is shared by many blade steel junkies.

Both steels share some traits but have a few key differences that tip the scales in MagnaCut’s favor.

Both are stainless and hold an edge quite well. But MagnaCut is more stainless and holds an edge better. It is also far tougher (less prone to chipping or snapping), which is really what you want for a blade as thin as the Bugout’s.

Note that this is a nuanced topic. For more details, check out our Knife Steel Guide.

Is the Bugout Vapyr Lighter than the Original?

You might have missed it in the table above (numbers are easy to miss next to exciting words like "MagnaCut"), but the answer is there, and the numbers don’t lie.

The Bugout Vapyr 534BK is both thinner and lighter than the Bugout 535. At 1.85 oz., the original is an exceptionally light knife, but it feels (dare I say it?) cheap.

Conversely, the Bugout Vapyr is even lighter at 1.72 oz., and by George, it feels premium!

Is the Bugout Vapyr Thinner than the Original?

As shown in the table, yes again!

7.16mm is very thin, yet the Bugout Vapyr remains comfortable in-hand—noticeably more comfortable than the comparably thin Benchmade Narrows and Vosteed Parallel.

With the Narrows and Parallel, I felt forced into a single grip, which often still had hot spots.

By contrast, with the Bugout Vapyr, I found many comfortable ways to hold the knife, which I consider a feat given its extreme thinness.

Time to Address the Elephant in the Room: The Price

Hey Carl.

What? Didn’t you see Carl the elephant?

Jokes aside, the "elephant" is the price.

$375 Isn’t Cheap

With that kind of money, you could buy a Bharucha + Williams Small Krypton, with its rad Kickstop flipper and perfectly machined titanium handle.

Or a Tactile Knife Co. Maverick. It has a MagnaCut steel blade, a titanium handle, and it’s even made in the USA!

Meet the Kershaw Bel-Air. You can buy one for less than half the price of the Bugout Vapyr. Just like the Vapyr, it’s got a MagnaCut steel blade, an aluminum handle, and is made in the USA.

So why the [insert choice expletive] are you buying the Bugout Vapyr?

Let me tell you why I want to buy one.

Who is the Bugout Vapyr For?

The Vapyr isn’t for everyone—I’ve got to be real about that. But it might be for you, because at the end of the day, I think the Bugout Vapyr is an outstanding knife, worth picking over the fierce competition.

The Competition

At the time of writing, there’s the original 535 Bugout at $200 and the Benchmade 940 Osbourne at $250. Then there’s the Kershaw Bel-Air rolling in down at $160, with the Hogue Deka even lower at $150.

And don’t forget about the Spyderco Para 3, coming in at $200, which is kind of its own thing but a worthy alternative.

All of those are excellent knives. You can’t go wrong with any of them. If your goal is to get a really good knife for a decent price, you should choose a Para 3, a Bell-Air, a Deka, etc. The Bugout Vapyr isn’t for you.

Don’t get me wrong: the Vapyr is a really good knife. But if all you need/want is a "really good knife," you can get that much cheaper.

A Unique Value Proposition for a Unique Knife

Until I held the Benchmade Bugout Vapyr, I’d never held anything like it.

Yes, the Benchmade Narrows and Vosteed Parallel are "like" it, but those knives aren’t that light and don’t feel that good in the hand.

Yes, all those Hogues and Kershaws and the original Bugout are "like" it, but those knives aren’t that…I don’t know, awesome? That premium?

Honestly, folks, this is where it gets more subjective. Bear with me for a second.

The Benchmade Station Knife (I promise this is relevant)

I own a Benchmade Station Knife. I also own other kitchen knives with arguably better materials, and I bought them for less money.

But the Station Knife is my favorite, no question about it.

Who’s the Station Knife for?

Me.

Because I didn’t just want a kitchen knife, I wanted a Station Knife. It wasn’t the cheapest, maybe it wasn’t the best, but I love it because what it uniquely offers appeals to me; it scratches an itch other kitchen cutlery simply doesn’t.

And that’s why I’m buying a Bugout Vapyr.

I think it’s really neat. I like how light it is, how thin it is, and how it somehow still feels solid despite that. I like how it "fixes" the issue that the original bugout has, and how it (to me, anyway) eats the Narrows’ lunch!

Yeah, it’s pricy. There’s no getting around that. But it fits a niche in my brain that makes it worth it.

And it might fit a niche in yours, too.

(Or you just need a lightweight hiking knife, money isn’t an object, you like Benchmade, and you don’t like Grivory. That’s also a great reason to buy this knife, no brain niche required.)

No Corners Cut

You might think the Bugout Vapyr does cut one rather obvious corner: Where’s the titanium?

For the price, many will feel that it deserves titanium scales and that using aluminum instead was Benchmade being cheap.

Let me tell you why I don’t think so.

Aluminum keeps the weight down in a way titanium can’t. This knife is trying to be the lightweight, hyper-thin knife, and aluminum gets it closer to that than titanium ever could.

Is the Bugout Vapyr Worth the Price?

For many of us, yes.

The Bugout Vapyr is for Bugout fans who want to see that iconic knife perfected. It’s for fans of the Narrows who want something more versatile. It’s for fans of the Parallel who want a more ergonomic grip.

It’s for you if you have the same niche in your brain that I do.

And who isn’t it for?

You know who you are. And there’s no shame in your position.

Where can I get the Benchmade Bugout Vapyr?

Why, here at Blade HQ, of course! Just click/tap the button bellow and it will take you right there. Happy shopping!