Spyderco Dragonfly 2 vs Spyderco Paramilitary 2

96 facts in comparison

Based on 235 Reddit opinions. Close race—Dragonfly 2 edges ahead.

235 opinions
Dragonfly 2 leads by 3pts
Reddit's Pick
Spyderco Dragonfly 2
91%
A
Based on
436 Redditors
Winner

Spyderco Dragonfly 2

92 opinions

tldr; Reddit generally recommends the Spyderco Dragonfly 2, praising its design and community recognition, though some received less valuable versions in mystery boxes.

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VS
Spyderco Paramilitary 2
88%
A-
Based on
514 Redditors

Spyderco Paramilitary 2

~$157.63
143 opinions

tldr; King of full-size folders. Compression lock legendary. S45VN steel upgrade worth it. Hand filling ergonomics.

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Steel QualityAction & DeploymentBuild QualityLockErgonomics
🔧STE
ACT
BUI
LOC
ERG
35
Points
34
Points

Score by Category

Steel Quality
28%42%
Action & Deployment
40%30%
Build Quality
50%35%
Lock
36%27%
Ergonomics
30%34%

Why is Spyderco Paramilitary 2 better than Spyderco Dragonfly 2?

  • Better value (36% vs 26%)
  • Better steel (42% vs 28%)
  • S45VN/S30V steel options
  • 3.44" blade full-size
  • Compression lock icon
Based on 950 Reddit opinions
Too Close to Call

Reddit prefers the Dragonfly 2

Winning by 3 points (91% vs 88%)

Better lock
Better action
Better build quality
High confidence (950 mentions)

💬Reddit Sentiment

Based on 950 Reddit mentions

Overall Rating

Dragonfly 2
9.1/10
436 mentions
Paramilitary 2
8.8/10
514 mentions
LOCK
Dragonfly 23.6/10
Paramilitary 22.7/10
VALUE
Dragonfly 22.6/10
Paramilitary 23.6/10
ACTION
Dragonfly 24.0/10
Paramilitary 23.0/10
ERGONOMICS
Dragonfly 23.0/10
Paramilitary 23.4/10
STEEL
Dragonfly 22.8/10
Paramilitary 24.2/10
BUILD QUALITY
Dragonfly 25.0/10
Paramilitary 23.5/10
⚔️

Head to Head

Head to Head

Dragonfly 2: 3|Paramilitary 2: 3
LockDragonfly 2
Dragonfly 236%
Paramilitary 227%
ValueParamilitary 2
Dragonfly 226%
Paramilitary 236%
ActionDragonfly 2
Dragonfly 240%
Paramilitary 230%
ErgonomicsParamilitary 2
Dragonfly 230%
Paramilitary 234%
SteelParamilitary 2
Dragonfly 228%
Paramilitary 242%
Build QualityDragonfly 2
Dragonfly 250%
Paramilitary 235%
Dragonfly 291%
Paramilitary 288%
Close race - Dragonfly 2 edges ahead by 3 points

Key Specs

SpecSpyderco Dragonfly 2Spyderco Paramilitary 2
Brand
Spyderco
Spyderco
Manufacturer
Spyderco
Spyderco
Color
Orange
Black Handle - Stainless Steel Blade
Weight
0.07495716908 pounds
0.29982867632 pounds
Height
1.0 inches
1.0 Inches

Key Highlights

Spyderco Dragonfly 2
✨ Highly recommended in the knife community.
🔪 Wharncliffe blade style is particularly loved.
🌙 Suitable as a first knife for a child.
⚠ ️ users received basic versions in mystery
Spyderco Paramilitary 2Winner
🔪 S45VN/S30V steel options
📏 3.44" blade full-size
🔧 Compression lock icon
✋ Perfect for larger hands

Topic Battles

Dragonfly 2: 3|Tied: 0|Paramilitary 2: 2
🔧Steel Quality
Paramilitary 2 wins
Dragonfly 2
28%
Paramilitary 2
42%
Action & Deployment
Dragonfly 2 wins
Dragonfly 2
40%
Paramilitary 2
30%
Build Quality
Dragonfly 2 wins
Dragonfly 2
50%
Paramilitary 2
35%
Lock
Dragonfly 2 wins
Dragonfly 2
36%
Paramilitary 2
27%
Ergonomics
Paramilitary 2 wins
Dragonfly 2
30%
Paramilitary 2
34%

Based on Reddit sentiment across 5 categories

📈Where They Rank

💬What Redditors Actually Say

What Redditors Say

Best praise vs top criticism for Spyderco Dragonfly 2

Best Praise
+14 pts
I held onto my ZT 0450, benchmade 940, and a dragonfly 2 in orange FRN. A classy going out knife, a perfect EDC, and something small and lightweight.
r/knifeclub
View
No negative quotes found
3 more quotes available below

What Redditors Say

Best praise vs top criticism for Spyderco Paramilitary 2

Best Praise
+16 pts
The PM2 is great option for sure. I love all my Spyderco knives.
r/knifeclub
View
No negative quotes found
3 more quotes available below

📈Historical Price Data

Spyderco Dragonfly 2
Spyderco Paramilitary 2
$80$120$160Mar '25Apr '25May '25Jul '25Aug '25Sep '25Oct '25Dec '25Jan '26Feb '26Low: $62.59Low: $139.97Current: $72.74Current: $157.63
Spyderco Dragonfly 2
All-time low: $15.8(2017-05)
Spyderco Paramilitary 2
All-time low: $79.99(2014-02)
$4 below 90-day avg

Which is Better?

Spyderco Dragonfly 2 Wins
91%
2
vs
88%
2

Close race, but Spyderco Dragonfly 2 edges ahead by 3 points based on 950 Reddit opinions.

Why Dragonfly 2Winner
  • ✨ Highly recommended in the knife community.
  • 🔪 Wharncliffe blade style is particularly loved.
  • 🌙 Suitable as a first knife for a child.
Why Paramilitary 2
  • Better Value for Money (36% vs 26%)

❤️The Love/Hate Breakdown

Sentiment Breakdown

20%Positive
Positive
20%
Neutral
79%
Negative
1%
Based on 435 Reddit opinions

Sentiment Breakdown

25%Positive
Positive
25%
Neutral
72%
Negative
3%
Based on 511 Reddit opinions

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, Spyderco Dragonfly 2 or Spyderco Paramilitary 2?
Based on 950 Reddit comments, Spyderco Dragonfly 2 has a slight edge with 91% positive sentiment vs Spyderco Paramilitary 2's 88%. The difference is small, so both are solid choices.
Should I buy Spyderco Dragonfly 2 or Spyderco Paramilitary 2?
Both have similar approval ratings (91% vs 88%), so focus on specific features, pricing, and what matters most to you.
What do Redditors love about Spyderco Dragonfly 2?
Reddit users highlight: Highly recommended in the knife community.. Wharncliffe blade style is particularly loved.. Suitable as a first knife for a child.. With 436 mentions and 91% approval, it's a well-regarded choice in the community.
What do Redditors say about Spyderco Paramilitary 2?
Reddit users highlight: S45VN/S30V steel options. 3.44" blade full-size. Compression lock icon. With 514 mentions and 88% approval, it remains a popular alternative.
How many Reddit reviews were analyzed?
This comparison analyzed 950 Reddit comments: 436 about Spyderco Dragonfly 2 and 514 about Spyderco Paramilitary 2. Data was sourced from Pocket Knives community discussions.
How accurate are these ratings?
Our sentiment analysis is approximately 80-85% accurate compared to manual review. Well-discussed products with many mentions tend to have more reliable scores than niche items with fewer data points.
Why trust Reddit over professional reviews?
Reddit users bought products with their own money and have no incentive to mislead. You're seeing hundreds of real opinions across different use cases, not just one reviewer's take. This crowdsourced approach surfaces both common praise and recurring complaints.

235 Reddit opinions analyzed · Last updated 3/8/2026