ESEE Izula-II Knife
$72
Features
- Field tested to ensure reliability
- Made using high quality materials
- Made in the USA
Now I don’t review too many ESEE knives here but I really thought that this one definitely deserved a review. The ESEE Izula II is named after the meanest, nastiest and most terrifying ant in the dense Peru jungle. To locals, it is called the Isula (spelt with an ‘S’) but to us westerners we know it simply as the “bullet ant”. This ant is renowned for being fast, agile and aggressive – and all this has been replicated in the ESEE Izula. Just check out the photo of this ant – it is definitely not something you want to wake up covered in!
| Overall Length | 6.75″ |
| Blade Length | 2.88″ |
| Blade Steel | 1095 |
| Best for | Survival |
| Score | 8/10 |
This knife is designed to be a lightweight carry knife/kit or concealed knife but due to its size will also work great for field dressing and skinning. It is a top quality knife and is extremely comfortable and worth every penny you will spend on this (which is only around $70). I recommend that you get this bad boy for any knife enthusiast for this Christmas holiday before it is too late!
Blade
As this is a survival knife, you would expect it to have some tough steel that can withstand the full effects of the elements. Luckily the Esee Izula has just that. Featuring 1095 quality steel, the blade can take a good sharpening and has a surprisingly high level of edge retention meaning that you do not have to sharpen it that often. Whilst the steel is strong, it is also flexible allowing you to use it in a variety of situations.
Another bonus is that if you are using it for skinning or carving, the coating provides you with extra traction. The benefits of this are that it allows you to perform more precise and accurate cuts due to the increased traction without making mistakes making this a top quality knife.
Handle
The handle material on the ESEE Izula II is not as great as I would have wanted, being Canvas Micarta, however, the shape of the handle compensates for this. The handle molds perfectly to the shape of your hand allowing you to get a really tight and solid grip. What’s better about this is the fact that it lets you have more control and precision over you cutting and slicing making it perfect for those delicate jobs.
However, although I am not a fan of the material, it did survive the water test. This is where I test how grippy it is when wet/raining and I must say that the Izula II did very well in my opinion and I found that my hand was not slipping at all, even when placed under pressure or stress.
Verdict
Overall, the ESEE Izula II is one brilliant survival knife. The lightweight and small length make it perfect for carrying and really good for the smaller delicate tasks. However, the strong blade allows it to still be good enough to use on the more heavy duty tasks making it also extremely useful in this regard. I would definitely recommend this blade to someone who wants an extremely light yet robust fixed blade knife whether they use it for survival or hunting.