Today we’ll review the Hidden Canyon Hunter from Benchmade, which is a lightweight, really well-designed, compact hunting knife.
Benchmade is one of the finest knife manufacturers in the U.S.A. Based in Oregon City, Oregon. They have been crafting high-quality knives for over 30 years, working with renowned world-class custom designers. When you pick up a Benchmade knife you immediately feel its excellent build quality.
Benchmade their product is divided into three classes. The gold class, which is the premium in knife manufacturing–the best of the best, the blue class, designed for those who seek high-quality, durable cutting tools, and the black class, which is designed for extreme duty and used by law enforcement officials and military Troops.
The Hidden Canyon hunter we are reviewing today is classified in Benchmade’s Blue Class.
Table of Contents
Benchmade Hidden Canyon Specs
[amazon table=”5598″]
Benchmade offers a “Limited Lifetime Warranty” to the original owner of its product, warranting that the product is free from defects in materials and workmanship.
Benchmark also offers a “LifeSharp Service” which is lifetime factory sharpening on all Benchmade knives to a factory razor-sharp edge.
Pros
- Strong full tang build
- Compact and lightweight
- Highly functional blade with great edge retention
- The perfect knife for skinning and breaking down game
Cons
- Not a genuine leather sheath
Size and Weight
So let’s take a look at the Hidden Canyon Hunter 15016-2. The small hunting knife is 6.32″ long and weighs only 6.4 ounces. It has a full tang build to make it extra tough and durable. Made in the good old U. S. A, the knife comes very sharp out of the box and feels well balanced.
Handle
The Hidden Canyon Hunter 15016-2 has a comfortable handle, the ergonomics of the handle are near perfect. The handle has a bit of texture and finger grooves to help with grip.
The material used for the handle is Dymondwood, which is a brand name of stabilized wood that is composed of thin layers, and impregnated with synthetic resin. This gives the handle the warm appearance of wood, and the strength of plastic. Dymondwood is more resistant to environmental hardships than natural wood. It is a material of the highest quality. It is tough, durable and it is totally waterproof. The only downside is that the handle can get a little slick in wet conditions.
The handle features a lanyard hole molded into the metal at the handle end of the knife.
Blade
The Hidden Canyon Hunter 15016-2 features a drop point shape blade with a big, swooping belly and a satin finish. The blade is 2.67″ long and 0.140″ thick. Its plain edge is razor-sharp and ideal for skinning.
The blade is made of American made CPM S30V stainless steel that reaches a blade hardness of 58-60HRC. It is one of the few steel types developed specifically for knives. It has great edge retention and is corrosion resistant. You won’t have to worry about blood, the knife is easy to clean and it has excellent edge retention.
The blade is incredibly easy to re-sharpen as needed.
note: The steel is not totally rust-proof. If you put it away wet, it may come out next time with a few light spots, but they’re very easy to clean off.
Sheath
The Hidden Canyon Hunter 15016-2 comes with a pressed leather sheath. It is made of pressed leather, which means that they take a bunch of scrap leather shavings which would normally be thrown out, and they press it into a seat and laminate a top to make it look like a solid piece of leather. The sheath has a snap closure and a belt loop, so the sheath can be attached easily to your belt. Because of the lightweight of the knife(including the sheath) it is comfortable to carry as long as you want. This sheath is sensitive to meet the needs of both right-handed and left-handed people, which is really nice, big plus!
Performance
Hidden Canyon Hunter 15016-2 is made for the hunt. Its size and weight make it the perfect knife for skinning and breaking down game. It is easy to hold and maneuver The knifes strong spine and thickness makes it strong enough to cut joints from the biggest animals. I used this blade to break down two entire deer and had no issues with it whatsoever. Easily one of the best skinning knives I’ve ever used. The knife was still razor-sharp afterward. This knife is also very suitable for camping chores and smaller survival tasks.
Verdict
Benchmade delivered some high-quality knives over the years and their Hidden Canyon Hunter model is precisely that, a high-quality build knife with excellent performance. It is a compact hunting knife that is perfect for those who are looking to save space.
Hidden Canyon Hunter 15016-2 is incredibly light yet really strong and the blade keeps an edge for a long time and it is easy to sharpening needed. The knife does not come cheap, but for the quality, you get the price is okay. Overall I am very impressed with the Hidden Canyon Hunter. Benchmark did an amazing job with this hunting knife!
I highly recommend this knife to any hunter out there that is looking for a compact everyday carry hunting knife. This is also a great addition to any knife collection out there.
For some other suggestions of the best hunting knives to buy in 2020, click here.
