The Spyderco Dragonfly 2 Hawkbill dive knife was a ScubaLab Testers Choice during the 2018 dive knife test. Learn what our testers liked about this knife in this video review. See the full ScubaLab knife review here.

I'm Roger Roy, the ScubaLab director. We tested the Spyderco Dragonfly 2 Hawkbill dive knife. With superior cutting capability and a surprising good grip for its small size, it was our Testers Choice for compact knives.

We tested knives for their ability to cut a variety of lines, from monofilament fishing line to heavy rope. We also evaluated how well they held an edge after repeated use. We rated them for the performance of their sheaths, their locks and grips, and how easy they were to handle and operate - with and without gloves. We tested how they held up to extremely heavy use, including prying and cutting metal wires. And we gauged their resistance to corrosion by soaking them for up to 24 hours in salt water.

The Dragonfly 2's price was at the top of its category, but so were its cutting ability and its ergonomics, which both took top scores by a wide margin. The serrated blade cut like crazy and made short work of all our test lines. Where other knives would bounce and skip off hard lines, the Dragonfly’s hawkbill shape drew the line into the cut. As with other compact knives, the short handle doesn’t give you much to grip, but the blade cut so easily that it hardly mattered. The knife can be opened single-handedly, though it’s a little tougher with gloves due to its small size. The Dragonfly’s teeth are just visible when closed, but the grip keeps them safely covered. As for corrosion, the knife's H1 steel emerged spot-free after a 24-hour saltwater soak. The Spyderco Dragonfly 2 was our Testers Choice for compact knives.