Benchmade Mini Taggedout Hunting Knife Review

After a few seasons, any hunter starts to collect a few knives. If there is one piece of gear you can’t get enough of, it’s a good knife. Nowadays, there is a purpose built knife for every task. The guys that like to be as efficient as possible have a knife for gutting, skinning, wood work, general use at camp, you name it. However, most of us also carry a knife that we don’t often think about while we are in the woods, our everyday carry (EDC) pocket knife.

Conversely, your EDC pocket knife is probably the knife you use the most often. It would be awfully convenient if your EDC was also a suitable knife to dress big game in case you needed it. Well, this North Georgia deer season I have been carrying the Benchmade Mini Taggedout. Not only did I tag out on bucks, but so did my dad, I ended up processing eight deer in total, some of which the Taggedout handled with ease. It completely challenged my expectations of what a folding blade can do, earning a definitive spot alongside our field-tested picks for the best hunting and camping knives on the market.

I made sure to gut and skin the first deer I shot this year with the Benchmade Taggedout just so I could see how it held up, and I will talk about that soon because it did an awesome job. Although, to my point, that wasn’t the only deer I ended up using it on. One successful Sunday, I had shot a doe after my dad and I doubled up on a pair of bucks the Saturday before. As I reached into my pack for my go-to gutting knife (the Benchmade Steep Country), I remembered it was sitting on the window seal drying after I cleaned it the day before. Unintentionally, I had lived the ideal scenario for the Mini Taggedout, proving how critical it is to have your backup tools completely integrated into your overall big game hunting gear system. Most of you would be embarrassed at just how much better this pocket companion does than your dedicated, go-to blade in the deer woods.

The Specs

Before we dive too deep, let’s cover the basics first. The Benchmade Mini Taggedout Carbon Fiber is 7.12 inches long when you open it up, with a 3.04 inch blade. The blade is made of CPM-MagnaCut Stainless Steel (60-62 HRC), and the whole thing weighs just 2.33 ounces.

The first thing you will notice is how light this knife is. The carbon fiber really makes a difference. It is not hard to find a pocket knife over 3 ounces, so the Mini Taggedout feels light in the hand. Personally, the length fits my hand fairly well, and I did not mind the shorter 3 inch blade as much as I thought I would.

Performance In The Field

Using the Benchmade Mini Taggedout to clean a doe was a breeze. These knives come from the factory with an extreme edge! It sliced through every part of this deer like it wasn’t even there. Plus, the clip point on this blade made it easy to get under the skin, and to work around the organs. Clip points have been an ideal design for hunting knives for decades, and I am not surprised Benchmade decided to go with it on this everyday carry hunting knife.

Thanks to its size, maneuvering around the inside of the deer was also easy. I never felt limited when I was using this knife. Even though it is a pocket knife, it is built to deconstruct big game just as well as an Amazon package. If you already have a faithful everyday carry knife, the full size Benchmade Taggedout would be an awesome pick for a go-to field dressing knife.

What really sold me on this knife was how easily it got through the deers sternum. Sometimes it can be tough to get through, especially if you have a dull knife. The Mini Taggeout went right through my Georgia deer like butter, and believe me, I know what it is like to sit there struggling to finish field dressing. The best part about it is that I did not baby this knife while I was putting it through two deer, and while I am writing this, I can still shave the hair off the back of my hand with this knife. I haven’t had a Benchmade with this CPM-MagnaCut Stainless Steel before, but I can say for sure that it holds one hell of an edge.

Everyday Carry

One thing I didn’t worry about is how this knife was going to hold up as an everyday carry. If you have ever carried a Benchmade, you know you are getting what you pay for. The worst that most of our everyday carry knives go through is opening a package, cutting some rope or string, or becoming an impromptu bottle opener. This is a much easier job than cleaning a deer, and over the past month in my back pocket, the Benchmade Mini Taggedout hasn’t flenched.

One thing the everyday carrier will notice is the short pocket clip on this knife. Even if you have had Benchamades before, this clip is shorter than what you are used to. Still, the Benchmade Mini Taggedout has a good clip that isn’t so tight that it makes it hard to put on, but it certainly keeps it in place.

Benchmade Mini Taggedout: Pros & Cons

Pros:

1. Exceptional Edge Retention: The CPM-MagnaCut steel blade maintains its sharpness remarkably well, even after extensive use like field dressing multiple deer. This is a significant advantage for both EDC and hunting tasks.

2. Lightweight and Maneuverable: Its lightweight design and compact size make it comfortable for everyday carry and easy to handle during the detailed work of field dressing. The 3-inch blade, while shorter than some hunting knives, proved sufficient for the task.

3. Versatile Functionality: This knife performs admirably as both an EDC knife for everyday tasks and a capable backup knife for field dressing big game.

Cons:

1. Price: At $365, the Benchmade Mini Taggedout is a premium-priced knife, which may be prohibitive for some hunters.

2. Short Pocket Clip: While secure, the shorter-than-usual pocket clip might be a minor inconvenience for some users.

A Knife Up To The Task

If you want a high quality everyday carry knife that is there to back you up in the woods when you need it, get the Benchmade Mini Taggedout ($365.00). This is an awesome lightweight knife that holds an incredible edge. The smaller lightweight design makes it easy to carry, and easy to maneuver around wherever you need it. My experience was with the Carbon Fiber variant, but there are a few other variants of this knife depending on your price range, but I think the overall design of this knife is spot on, so any of them should be a solid knife for the person that wants a minimalistic tool that is ready for any task.

Related Hunting Knives We Have Reviewed

1. Moraknive Hunting Knives Review
2. Gerber Hunting Knives Review
3. Top 10 Hunting Knives for Deer and Elk Review