The Mini Bugout is the Bugout shrunk to the point where you forget it is in your pocket. Benchmade built it because customers kept asking for a smaller Bugout, and in its lightest configurations it sits at an ounce and a half — one of the lightest serious folders you can carry.
Small enough to disappear in a shirt pocket, but it is a real knife: a 2.82" drop-point blade, ambidextrous AXIS lock, dual thumb studs and a reversible deep-carry clip. It ends up in a lot of wading jackets, hunting packs and glove boxes for exactly that reason.
Choosing your Mini Bugout
Grivory and CF-Elite run CPM-S30V and hit the lightest weight in the range. Grivory is a glass-reinforced nylon — completely indifferent to water, which is why it turns up in boat bags. CF-Elite is Benchmade's carbon-fibre-reinforced polymer: same weight, noticeably more solid in the hand, with a subtle weave texture.
Carbon fiber and Woodland Green aluminum step up to CPM-S90V, which carries roughly three times the vanadium of S30V. It holds a working edge far longer through abrasive material, and it wants diamond stones when it finally goes. Both are still stainless, so the extra performance costs nothing in upkeep.
Compare the versions
| Version | Model | Blade Steel | Handle | Blade Finish | Weight |
| Orange Grivory | 533 | CPM-S30V (58-60 HRC) | Grivory, Orange | Satin | 1.5 oz |
| White Grivory | 533BK-1 | CPM-S30V (58-60 HRC) | Grivory, White | Black Cerakote | 1.5 oz |
| CF-Elite | 533BK-2 | CPM-S30V (58-60 HRC) | CF-Elite, Black | Black Cerakote | 1.5 oz |
| Carbon Fiber | 533-3 | CPM-S90V (59-61 HRC) | Carbon Fiber, Black | Satin | 1.62 oz |
| Woodland Green Aluminum | 533SL-10 | CPM-S90V (59-61 HRC) | Anodized Aluminum, Woodland Green | Crushed Silver Cerakote | 2.0 oz |
Current pricing is on the selector above.
Shared across every Mini Bugout
| Blade Style | Drop-Point, plain edge |
| Blade Length | 2.82" (7.16 cm) |
| Blade Thickness | 0.09" (2.29 mm) |
| Open Length | 6.49" (16.48 cm) |
| Closed Length | Approx. 3.7" |
| Handle Thickness | 0.41-0.43" depending on handle material |
| Lock Mechanism | AXIS Lock, fully ambidextrous |
| Clip | Reversible deep carry, tip-up, right or left hand |
| Made In | Oregon City, Oregon, USA |
Worth knowing before you choose
- The model numbers trip people up. The "BK" in 533BK-1 refers to the black blade coating, not the handle. The 533BK-1 is a white Grivory handle with a black Cerakote blade.
- Weight is not constant across the range. The 1.5 oz figure everyone quotes applies to Grivory and CF-Elite. Carbon fiber runs 1.62 oz and the Woodland Green aluminum is 2.0 oz — still light, but a third heavier than the base model.
- Orange is the one you can find in the grass. A small thing that matters more than it sounds if you carry in the field.
Backed for Life
Every Benchmade carries a limited lifetime warranty and free LifeSharp service — send it in dull and dirty, get it back razor sharp, for as long as you own it. Ed's Fly Shop is a Benchmade Pro Dealer, so your warranty is valid and we can help you get it handled.
Come handle one at 432 E Main St in downtown Montrose, Colorado, or order online. Free shipping on qualifying U.S. orders.
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