10 Best Spyderco Knives (Review) In 2021

The Spyderco Tenacious is a very popular knife. It sits at the cheaper end of Spyderco’s impressive range, which is probably why it sells in such high numbers. But don’t think you’re getting a ‘budget’ knife here – we reckon this is actually one of Spyderco’s best all-rounders.

At 7.77-inches when it’s fully stretched out, this is very much an EDC knife. You can comfortably carry it around in your pocket for tasks like opening boxes, cutting ropes, sharpening sticks, and more. The 3.39” leaf-shaped blade comes fully sharpened and will stay that way for a long time. It also features the famous Spyderco Round Hole, which allows for easy opening of the knife and better grip when you’re using it. Of course, the biggest draw of the Spyderco Tenacious is the price. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a folding knife of this quality, and from such a reputable brand, for anything close to $50.

The Delica has been an important part of Spyderco’s product range since 1990. Thanks to its long ergonomic handle and short, sharp blade, it’s ideal for tasks that require more accuracy and less power. This knife, the Delica 4, is the most modern version and has a bunch of new features. The most notable feature is the handle. For a solid grip on your knife, there’s nothing better than Spyderco’s Bi-Directional Texturing pattern. It sticks to your hand like it’s glued on, even when it’s wet or your hands are sweaty.

At 2.9”, the VG-10 Steel blade is tiny compared to the handle. Ask a bunch of knifemakers what the perfect handle-to-blade ratio is, and you’ll get a ton of different answers. This knife sacrifices cutting-edge length for superior grip. It’s up to you what matters more from your knife – cutting ability or grip. On the plus side, the shorter blade makes this knife really lightweight. For more amazing blades like this, check out our guide to the best keychain knives.

The Spyderco Endura is one of the best-selling folding knives of all time. When it was released in 1990, alongside its little brother the Delica, this knife changed the game. Combining revolutionary blade materials with a super lightweight design, this quickly became one of the most popular everyday carry knives in the world. The 4.98” handle is made from fiberglass-reinforced nylon (FRN), which makes it both high-strength and feather-light. You get a similar grip to the Delica’s handle, which provides a non-slip grip even in wet conditions.

But the most impressive feature is the blade – At 3.8”, it’s longer than the Delica and has space for what Spyderco has called a Double-Duty Blade. It combines a PlainEdge grind with a SpyderEdge grind, making this blade twice as useful. It can cut through fibrous materials like a sharp saw and handle precision cutting jobs with ease. This knife is one of the most versatile folding knives on the market. Sure, it’s more expensive than the Delica, but you effectively get two knives for the price of one. You may also like some of the best Benchmade pocket knives from our list, so take a moment to check them out.

The Spyderco Civilian was designed in the early 1990s for undercover agents working for specialized branches of U.S. law enforcement. The agents in question often found themselves in situations where they couldn’t carry a gun, so this knife was designed to be used as a ‘last-resort’ option. Because of that, it’s not really suitable for anything other than self-defense. It has a 4.09” blade that makes it nearly 10” when it’s unfolded.

The reverse ‘S’ shaped blade is designed to work like a claw. Spyderco is careful not to describe exactly how it should be used, but let’s just say it’s pretty lethal. It’s pretty much useless as a utility knife because the tip is so thin. Plus, it’s not covered under warranty for utility purposes. If we’re being honest, the Civilian is the kind of knife you’ll buy and (hopefully) never use. Just looking at it should be a deterrent for would-be attackers. Still, it’s an awesome thing to own and they barely depreciate in value if you keep it in perfect condition. Plus, we reckon this is the best Spyderco knife for self-defense. Our guide to the best diving knives features some amazing blades for those of you who like underwater adventures, so check them out.

The Native 5 is one of Spyderco’s smallest and lightest folding knives. With an overall length of 6.95 inches and a total weight of 2.72 ounces, you’ll barely notice this knife in your pocket. That’s the point of course – this knife is very much designed as an EDC (everyday carry) knife. The full-flat grind CPM S35VN stainless steel blade measures 2.95 inches, which is ample cutting-edge length for most tasks.

The reason it’s so light is the FRN (Fiberglass Reinforced Nylon) handle. It weighs next-to-nothing and is still super strong. The only problem is the length – it’s way too short unless you place your index finger in the finger choil. Made in the USA, this pocket knife is precision manufactured. It might cost more than the other small Spyderco knives on this list, but you are paying for the quality of the materials. This knife is guaranteed to last you for many years, without the need for regular sharpening.

The eagle-eyed readers amongst you might recognize this knife from earlier in this list. That’s because it’s identical to the knife we featured as our Best Choice product – except that it has a black blade. It’s still made from the 8Cr13MoV stainless blade that makes the Spyderco Tenacious both extremely strong and relatively inexpensive. That’s because this steel is made in China and designed to have similar properties to the more expensive AUS-8 steel. It has the same handle and blade as the ‘steel’ version, the only difference is in the way it looks. Even the 4-position pocket clip and the bolts are black.

The black finish comes from a non-reflective black coating. It gives this knife a distinctly meaner look than the standard Spyderco Tenacious, which is presumably why it costs a few dollars more. Even still, this is one of the cheapest Spyderco knives going, so it’s a big seller. If you’re looking for a mean-looking, surprisingly affordable, and an amazing-quality folding knife, you’ll be hard-pressed to find one better than this. You may also like some of the best boot knives, so be sure to check them out.

On paper, the Manix 2 Lightweight should be one of the best folding knives in the game. It’s full-sized, extremely lightweight, and has an amazingly sharp blade. But can it compete with Spyderco’s more established knives like the Endura? The simple answer is yes, but let us explain why.

Firstly, the blade has an impressive cutting edge. It’s bigger than it looks in the product pictures (3.37” to be exact) and much bigger than it feels in your hand. It’s also broad so it has amazing cutting power. The second reason we were so impressed by the Manix 2 is its Fiberglass Reinforced Co-Polymer (FRCP) handle. FRCP is super tough, resistant to heat and chemicals, and barely weighs anything. The handle on Manix 2 has been molded into an ergonomic design with a finger choil for the middle finger. Then, your index finger can fit into the finger choil on the blade, giving you perfect control over the knife. Other features include an ambidextrous reversible wire clip and a patented ball-bearing lock. Our guide to the best machetes features more amazing blades like this, so check them out.

What’s cooler than a folding knife designed for the police in the 1980s? The Spyderco Police model has a low-profile design that makes it ideal for attaching to a utility belt, waistband, or pocket. The amazing thing about this model is that the design is virtually unchanged since it was first commissioned. The only thing that has changed is the steel used in the blade. That shouldn’t put you off though because they’ve chosen one of the best knife-making steels on the planet – VG10. This is cutlery-grade stainless steel produced in Japan and used in some of the most expensive kitchen knives on the market.

The 4.15-inch blade is made purely for utility. It has a CombinationEdge™ (part PlainEdge & part SpyderEdge) meaning it can cut through porous materials just as easily as it can make precision cuts. This makes it one of the most versatile knives on this list. The only thing we don’t really like is the stainless-steel handle. It feels okay in your hand but it doesn’t give you anywhere near as good grip as the plastic handles and it gets scratched pretty easily. To keep your blades perfectly sharp, be sure to pick some of the best knife sharpeners from our list.

Byrd is a brand created by Spyderco to sell cheaper knives. You can pick up a Byrd knife for half the price of a Spyderco, mainly because the materials are cheaper. But don’t be fooled, these are still amazing knives. The Byrd Cara Cara 2 is pretty similar to the Spyderco Police knife we featured before. The stainless-steel knife is well designed but gets scratched easily and is slippier than a plastic handle.

Every knife in the Byrd range has the following features – refined handle ergonomics, forefinger choil, sturdy back lock mechanism, and four-position pocket clip. The blade on this knife is 3.75 inches long and is made from 8Cr13MoV steel, like the Spyderco Tenacious. It comes super sharp but it won’t stay sharp for as long as a more expensive model. For more amazing cutting tools, check out our selection of the best wood axes.

Frank Centofante was one of the world’s best-loved knifemakers. His knives can go for thousands of dollars, so they’re reserved for rich people and serious knife collectors. But, you can get a Centofante knife without paying the big bucks. The Spyderco Centofante 3 Prestige Folding Knife was designed in collaboration with Frank Centofante, but it’s mass-produced so it’s much cheaper.

It has a 3.14” VG-10 stainless-steel blade that can cut through almost anything you put in front of it. Add this to the lightweight FRN handle and you get a thin-profiled, beautifully-weighted knife. It also has the Spyderco bug inlayed into the design using Palladium silver. This lets everyone know you’ve got a Spyderco knife. For more iconic options like this, check out our selection of the best Swiss Army knives.