The Bailout from Benchmade has been around for a few years. I’ll tell you right up front that I’m not a huge fan of the tanto blade profile for an EDC knife. That goes double for the Americanized tanto profile, as popularized by Cold Steel back in the 1980s. That said, the Bailout has grown on me considerably, and I’ve found it’s a fun knife to carry and use.
Benchmade recently released its new Taiga Green seasonal colorway for the Bailout, and they sent me one for review.
Open, the Bailout runs 8.12 inches from end to end. It has a 3.38-inch tanto blade that’s 0.09-inch thick. Closed, the handle takes up 4.72 inches of pocket real estate. It’s a long handle, but thin at just 0.41-inch thick.
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The Bailout is equipped with Benchmade’s AXIS Lock to keep the blade secure while in use. In my experience, this is one of the best blade locks on the market today. While no lock should be considered infallible, this one comes close. I’ve had several Benchmade knives with the AXIS Lock, and none of them have come anywhere close to failing.
For the new Taiga Green edition, Benchmade used S90V steel with a PVD Battlewash finish for the blade. A Burnt Copper thumb stud provides a bit of visual pop as well as functionality. There’s a matching lanyard loop at the end of the handle.
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The deep carry pocket clip is reversible. The scales are textured 6061-T6 anodized aluminum.
All in all, it’s a very visually appealing ensemble. The Taiga Green is a very deep, rich color that brings to mind a forested landscape.
Benchmade Bailout Performance
I played around a bit with the Taiga Green Bailout, just to see how it handles. I’ve had the Ranger Green iteration for a while now, so this model isn’t entirely new to me.
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Corrugated cardboard is probably the most common material most of us cut with our knives on a regular basis. As such, it’s a common testing medium for me. The Bailout did very well slicing and cutting the cardboard. The corner of the tanto blade, where the edge takes a sharp turn to the tip, works particularly well for slicing thin materials like this.
A length of rope was also no challenge for the Bailout. It didn’t do well with just push cuts, but slicing was easy. I think the problem with push cuts was that the blade doesn’t have much of a curved belly.
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It’s slim, lightweight, and easy to carry. The blade swings open smoothly, and the AXIS lockup is rock solid. The knife feels good in the hand, and I really like the aluminum scales.
Bailout vs. Bugout
The Bugout is one of Benchmade’s most popular knives. It’s lightweight and makes a great EDC knife. How does the Bailout measure up? Let’s run through a few specs.
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To be clear, these are the models we’re comparing. Benchmade Bugout (535GRY-1) in Ranger Green and Benchmade Bailout (537FE-2601) in Taiga Green.
Overall length
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- Bugout: 7.46 inches
- Bailout: 8.12 inches
Blade length
- Bugout: 3.24 inches
- Bailout: 3.38 inches
Weight
- Bugout: 1.85 ounces
- Bailout: 2.70 ounces
Blade profile
- Bugout: Drop point
- Bailout: Tanto
Price
- Bugout: $200
- Bailout: $350
The Benchmade Bailout is a solid candidate for EDC. This is especially true if you’re fond of tanto blade profiles. I’m loving the new Taiga Green aluminum handle scales, both for ergonomics as well as aesthetics. They did a great job with this model, and I’m eager to see the other models that will be getting this treatment.
