I could just as easily spend all my time at SHOT Show looking at and fondling knives as I could guns and related items. But that’s a personal problem.
A good knife is a critical part of your EDC gear. Have you ever seen someone who carries a gun who doesn’t also carry a knife? Such a creature may exist somewhere in the wild, but it’s about as common and easy to find as Bigfoot or Nessie.
While your carry gun is obviously an important EDC item, you’ll get a lot more regular use out of your blade than you ever will from your trusty mohaska. We hope.
That’s why we also look around SHOT for some of the latest everyday carry knives…purely out of professional obligation, of course. It’s a huge sacrifice, but someone has to do it.
So after much research, here are our favorite new EDC knives from SHOT 2020 listed in order of price (and, coincidentally, blade length).
CIVIVI Odium
CIVIVI is the relatively new, more affordable label under the Chinese WE Knife umbrella. WE, along with Kizer, has shown that Chinese knife makers can do much more than just OEM work and do it very well.
Already owning one CIVIVI (as well as a couple of Kizers), I made it a point to stop by their booth and see what’s new.
CIVIVI’s new Ferrum Forge-designed Odium is a standout. With its 2.65″ D2 blade, it’s a reasonably sized, reasonably priced, lightweight everyday carry knife with a deep carry pocket clip that will last you for years and years. It’s got great ergonomics and comes in a range of G10 color options, too. With a modest MSRP of $62 (about $55 retail) it’s a quality knife that you can afford (when it hits stores later this year).
SOG Terminus XR
If you’d rather not buy a Chinese-made blade, SOG (which I found out stands for Studies and Observations Group) has really made a move to up its game recently, something that’s readily seen in its latest products. They’ve dropped the big box models and steels in their lineup (D2 is now the “base” steel in their most affordable knives) and have reoriented more toward increased quality across their product range.
Their latest knives (and tools) feature better steels, excellent finishes and more imaginative designs. I loved a lot of their new blades — especially the (ultra-light) Ultra XR and (beefy) Kiku XR — but the best all-around EDC choice has to be the updated Terminus XR G10.
The new more affordable version of the Terminus has G10 scales in either crimson or olive with a 2.95″ D2 blade, an ambidextrous deep carry clip and SOG’s XR locking system (basically the much-loved, no-longer-patented Benchmade Axis lock).
Best of all, MSRP is $54.95 with retail expected in the $45 to $50 range.
Benchmade 575-1 Mini Presidio II
Benchmade is another knifemaker that released so many great new blades this year that it made picking a favorite difficult. New knives like the truly elegant Tengu and the handy Mini Bugout were eye-catchers, but for a good overall blend of EDC size and use-ability, the 575-1 Mini Presidio II is the choice.
The US-made Mini Presidio II has a longer drop point blade than the others here (3.2 inches) with a higher grade steel (CPM-S30V). It has a reversible, tip-up, deep carry clip and Benchmade’s CF-Elite handle material (a carbon fiber-reinforced nylon polymer that’s lighter and more rigid that previously used materials).
MSRP is $145 with retail at about $125.