Benchmade Taggedout Review: A Thin Blade That Won Me Over

The Taggedout measures 8.13 inches overall with a 3.5-inch clip-point blade. The blade is about 1.05 inches wide, and the stock is just 0.09 inch thick. That last number really got my attention, especially once I looked at the edge.

The steel is CPM-154. It isn’t my favorite steel in the world, but it is a very good one, and I was happy to see it here. The orange Grivory handle is 4.63 inches long, about an inch wide and 0.40 inch thick, with an AXIS lock and reversible tip-up deep-carry clip.

At 2.1 ounces, this is impressively light for this much knife. My September 2022 review price was $171. Before handling it, I wasn’t sure what to think of that price. After spending time with it, I could confidently say I would pay it.

The Spyderco Para Military 2 is almost a dead-on comparison for overall length. The Hogue K320 Nitron is close as well and gives another reference with polymer handles. In hand, the Taggedout reminds me a little of both: some of the thinness and material feel of the K320, with something of the PM2’s outline and a little more belly to the handle.

It is difficult to appreciate this blade fully without having it in hand or using it. Of all the Benchmade knives I had handled at that point, this was by far the sliciest blade I had experienced. Quite possibly my favorite Benchmade blade, period. That is how much I liked it.

The 0.09-inch stock is only part of the story. I measured about 0.012 inch behind the edge in one spot and about 0.013 inch closer to the belly. With that high flat grind, this thing is a laser beam. I really enjoyed cutting with it.

I also love the plunge-grind clearance. The thin geometry and room around the sharpening area look very good to me for future sharpening. The little clip point, swedge and spine jimping all work nicely, and the blade cutout is something I’ll come back to with the action.

The stonewashed-looking finish should help disguise ordinary scratches. There is a faint line on my sample that only catches the light at certain angles. I couldn’t tell what part of the manufacturing process caused it, and I’m not going to guess. It barely shows most of the time and didn’t bother me much.

This is where I expected things to fall apart for me, but they stayed pretty good. My complaint with the Grivory Bugout was the amount of flex. The standoff through the Taggedout’s handle changes the feel considerably. There is still a little flex if I push on the scales, but it is nothing like that Bugout to me.

Squeezing it in a normal grip, I can feel perhaps a hair of movement. It feels surprisingly sturdy, though, and plenty firm enough for what I want from it. I’m not calling it a tank. I just think Benchmade did a really good job of making these Grivory scales feel more supported.

The Taggedout belongs to Benchmade’s Hunt series, and the texture near the front makes sense for that purpose. It gives me a good close-up pinch grip for precise cuts. The handle offers several comfortable positions for manipulating the blade. Our field-dressing knife guide covers other designs for that task, too.

There is one little corner I don’t love. Right at the front, where the molded texture meets the curve, it can feel pokey if I press against it at a certain angle. I wouldn’t call it a major hot spot, and the handle is long enough that my fingers aren’t crowded into it. Someone with wider hands, or more sensitivity to little pressure points, may notice it more.

I’m also not the biggest fan of orange. At the time, I really wanted Benchmade to keep this hunting version and offer other versions for everyday carry: different Grivory colors, perhaps carbon fiber with contrasting accents, and maybe less of that molded texture at the front. I liked the underlying knife enough to want more options.

The blade cutout works excellently for me. The blade flies out, the action is smooth, and closing it feels very good for such a light blade. It is a great knife to fidget with and a great knife to slice with. The little deep-carry clip looks good, carries deep and doesn’t create a hot spot in my hand.

Put the action, thin edge, low weight and surprisingly good handle together, and this is just a winner for me. I was honestly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. At the $171 price of my review, I considered it a very fairly priced American-made slicer and an easy recommendation for someone looking for a new Benchmade.

I hoped this would lead to more variants, especially carbon fiber and similarly thin blades in other steels. Even in this original form, though, the Taggedout made a strong impression. I was happy to see Benchmade bring it out, and I wanted to keep finding things to cut with it.