77% of 191 verified owners recommend the Spyderco Paramilitary 2.
Affiliate blogs here say 100% recommend, while the owner-based score is 77%. They earn a commission on every sale — so we show them for transparency but never let them move the score.
The headline score reflects owners (Reddit, enthusiast forums), independent lab tests, and blogs with no affiliate links. YouTube and affiliate blogs are shown for perspective but kept out — hover the i for why.
“My paramilitary2 on the other hand has a broken tip”
“It's a really nice blade overall just wish I had gotten one that wasn't coated.”
“Great knife with balanced hardness, ease of sharpening, and corrosion(rust) resistance”
“I like my Spyderco paramilitary 2 with Crumax. But its an expensive knife and kinda big for carrying with a 3 piece suit.”
“I lost a reaallllly damn good knife like it was a pretty expensive knife(spyderco paramilitary2)”
“I really wanted to love it, but... I only like it a little.”
“I've tried the para2 several times, selling it off then giving it another shot because of the vocal fans... Just doesn't feel right in my hand.”
“you may as well just carry a PM2 and have more blade as well as (probably) slightly improved ergos”
“The pm2 carries kinda big but has an amazing blade.”
“Spyderco Paramilitary 2: great knife, there is a reason it is a legend. It is a LOT bigger than a mini bugout. Unless the brown uniforms are made of kevlar, the stock G10 handle will wear out your pocket fast. The compression lock is very fun fidgety, but I personally still prefer an axis lock. Ergos are good for most, but bother some--it has a blocky ha”
“I’ve owned many other models but it’s their most popular model for a reason.”
“The problem I see with the Military, Paramilitary 2 or Para3 is that no matter the blade length, they three are almost as wide (thanks to the leaf shaped blade). When I talk about pocket space I am usually thinking about width”
“My PM2 is the blacked out, DLC variety. The action on it has always been a little tight on it...if I loosen the pivot enough to make it a 'free dropper' I wind up with too much blade play.”
“Have been using a paramilitary2 for 10. They really are great.”
“I haven't carried my Jade m4 pm2 for about a week. Today I pulled it out and sure enough, it had rust spots all over it. I was a little perplexed as I don't remember cutting anything acidic or exposing it to any corrosive material or environment.”
“Spyderco Paramilitary2! Never leave home without it.”
“The Paras have had their chances, but once my first Military arrived they didn't hold a pocket space for long.”
“I have both and they are fine knives, it really just boils down to personal preference, hand size, use, etc. I prefer my Burple Para3 since it is more pocket friendly and suits my need well.”
“Never warmed up to the ParaMilitary2. For something that size from Spyderco I always go with Gayle Bradley.”
“Prefer the size of the Para 3 vs Para 2; I however also prefer the ergos of the Native 5 (as well as the blade shape) vs the Para 3. Bottom line all 3 are great knives.”
“PM2 is a all-time great in terms of pocketknives. The usability and ergonomics of design really cant be beat - coupled with the compression lock makes it a top performer.”
“I love my left handed Spyderco Paramilitary 2 folding pocket knife. It is very fidget friendly and ergonomic.”
“The PM2's extra blade length seems to all be in the tip, which doesn't add much utility for me but is a common point of failure (even for those who aren't prying or otherwise abusing it). That's also the reason I very much prefer the Leaf-shaped blade over the PM2 shape.”
“The tight opening and closing is my only major criticism of the PM2. The PM2 reacts fairly stiffly and possesses a -monster- detent when compared to my 710/950/940/810.”