Spyderco Dragonfly 2 Review: I Finally Saw the Light

The knife I reviewed in July 2024 is the DLT-exclusive Dragonfly 2 with a CPM-20CV blade and red-and-black Zome FRN handle. It had already sold out by the time I checked the link for my review. I remembered paying somewhere around $83–$86, which I thought was a very good deal for this version.

The dimensions I quoted were 5.56 inches overall, a 2.25-inch blade, 0.09-inch blade stock and a 3.31-inch handle. The handle is about 0.34 inch thick. With a full flat grind, back lock, reversible tip-up wire clip and a weight of 1.2 ounces, it packs a lot into a very light package.

There are many Dragonfly 2 versions, so the steel and price depend on the one you choose. At the time, I was seeing roughly $78 to $116 across different models, with VG-10 toward the lower end and some other steels costing more. Those were July 2024 prices, and they shouldn’t be confused with the price of this sold-out 20CV exclusive today.

It is also worth distinguishing the Dragonfly 2 from the original Dragonfly. The changes I particularly appreciate are the reversible wire clip, spine jimping and bidirectional handle texture. Those details make a meaningful difference to this small knife.

The CJRB Mica and CIVIVI Baby Banter are very close in overall length. Both are great little fifth-pocket knives, although the Baby Banter and Mica were a little farther down my personal list at the time.

The more expensive Divo Nip and the Vosteed Raccoon Cub are two more of my favorites. All three have fantastic ergonomics and a very manageable size. The Dragonfly 2 fits comfortably into that company.

The Raccoon Cub still gets my top spot for a fifth-pocket knife when I consider price, value and the whole experience. It and the Dragonfly have generous forward choils and very similar amounts of sharpened edge. The biggest difference for me is the action.

The Cub gives you several deployment options and a lot of fidget appeal, and it was about $50 at the time. The Dragonfly 2 is a back lock with a straightforward thumb roll. It isn’t particularly fidgety, but that opening is smooth, secure and everything I actually need from a folding knife. You don’t have to have fidget factor for a knife to be very good.

What the Dragonfly gives me is a fantastic little blade. Spyderco does a great job with sharp factory edges, and this one is an absolute laser beam. There is a little less than 2 inches of sharpened edge, but the thin full flat grind makes this a very appealing fifth-pocket cutter.

The spine jimping feels just about perfect to me. It gives my thumb a very secure place to sit, and the matching jimping on the choil helps complete the grip. Put this little knife in my hand, and it feels ready to work.

If you have bigger hands or thicker fingers, this is a small knife I think could be worth trying. The handle’s curve and narrow area may let those fingers settle in very nicely. With my thinner fingers, I notice that curve a little more than I would ideally like. Hand fit is personal, so I would want someone to handle it rather than assume it will fit everyone exactly the same way.

I’m much less bothered by the polymer scales on this knife than I expected. The way the back of the handle is filled out, with the lock running through much of it, gives it a reassuring feel. I like the build quality. That is how it feels in my hand, rather than a measured strength or durability result.

I also picked up a set of Flytanium titanium scales because I wanted to see what they would do for this knife. The kit included a backspacer and extra washers, and I was looking forward to the swap. I hadn’t done it yet, so this review is still of the factory FRN knife.

The drawback is cost. Those scales were around $85–$90, roughly as much as the knife itself, turning an $80-something knife into something closer to $160–$170. I also expected extra weight. I was happy to consider that tradeoff, but it is an optional project, not something the Dragonfly needs before I can enjoy it. The kit shown has a right-hand clip arrangement; check the exact kit if you need left-hand carry.

Coming back to the factory knife, the limited fidget factor is really the main thing holding it back for me. If you want a small knife with a sharp, functional blade and very good ergonomics, the Dragonfly 2 makes a compelling case. This one is made in Seki City, Japan, for anyone who considers country of origin part of the decision.

I was wrong to dismiss it for so long. It is sticking around, and I’m officially a fan again. It isn’t automatically my number-one fifth-pocket knife, but it is one I now appreciate a whole lot more. Our small pocket knife guide gives you other compact designs to compare.