Guide · 2 min read
Spyderco Para Military 2 vs Para 3: Which One Should You Carry?
The PM2 and Para 3 share a lock, a blade shape and a reputation. The difference is size. How to choose between them, which steels to look for, and where to handle both in Austin.
Updated September 22, 2026 · Austin Blade Co., 7600 N Lamar Blvd, Austin
"Para 2" is one of the most searched things on our site, and the question that follows at the counter is almost always the same: PM2 or Para 3? They are the same idea at two sizes. Here is how we help people choose.
What they share
Both come from Spyderco's Golden, Colorado line-up and are built around the same three things:
- The Compression Lock. Closes with your fingers behind the spine, away from the edge. It is the lock we recommend most to first-time buyers, because it is fast and hard to get wrong.
- The leaf-shaped blade with a full-flat grind. A slicer first, with enough point for detail work. It opens with the round Spyderco hole, left- or right-handed.
- G-10 handles on the standard models, with a four-way clip. Tip-up or tip-down, either pocket.
If you like one, you will like the other. The decision is almost entirely about size.
The difference: size in the pocket
| Para Military 2 | Para 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Blade | about 3.4 in | about 3 in |
| Feel in hand | Full four-finger grip for most hands | Three to four fingers; snug for large hands |
| Carry | Noticeable in jeans, fine in work pants | Disappears in jeans and slacks |
| Best for | Ranch, shop, outdoors, people who use a knife hard every day | Office, city carry, people who want one knife that never gets left at home |
Specs vary a little by variant, so check each listing for exact measurements.
Our rule of thumb: if you have ever been annoyed that a knife is too big to carry every day, get the Para 3. If you have ever wished your knife had a longer handle, get the PM2.
Steel: where the variants differ
Spyderco releases both knives in a long run of steels and handle colors. That is why our listings have names like "Para Military 2 Salt" or "Cru-Wear, Brown Canvas Micarta".
- S30V / S45VN (standard). Holds an edge through weeks of normal use and is easy for us to resharpen. The safe pick.
- MagnaCut. Excellent edge life and near-stainless. Worth the premium if you sweat on your knife or live near water.
- CPM Cru-Wear. Tough and long-lasting. It will patina if neglected, which some people love.
- S110V. Very high edge retention and a slower sharpen. For people who hate sharpening more than they hate paying for it.
- "Salt" versions. Built around highly rust-resistant steel for wet use. Good for boats, fishing and the Texas coast.
There is also a left-handed PM2, with the clip and lock mirrored. It is a real left-handed knife, not just a reversible clip, and it goes fast when we have one.
Try them side by side
Reading specs gets you most of the way. Ten seconds holding both settles the rest. We keep Spyderco in the case at our North Lamar showroom, and you are welcome to open and close as many as you like.
Common questions
- What is the difference between the Spyderco Para Military 2 and the Para 3?
- Size. The Para 3 is a shortened Para Military 2 with the same Compression Lock, leaf-shaped blade and round opening hole. The PM2 has a blade of roughly 3.4 inches; the Para 3 is closer to 3 inches and carries noticeably smaller in a front pocket.
- Is the Para 3 legal to carry in Texas?
- Yes. Both knives are well under Texas's 5.5-inch blade threshold, so either can be carried almost anywhere in the state.
- Which Para Military 2 steel should I buy?
- Standard S30V or S45VN is the easy choice. MagnaCut is worth it if the knife lives in a sweaty pocket or near water. Cru-Wear and S110V are for people who want maximum edge life and don't mind a harder sharpen.
- Is 'para 2' the same knife as the Para Military 2?
- Yes. People shorten Para Military 2 to 'Para 2' or 'PM2'. Search either on our site and you will get the same knives.