I have wanted one of the Tops MSK 2.5 Knives for a long while. And I finally had a chance to snag the Battlbox Edition Knife just in time for the upcoming warm weather (thank you Battlbox for supplying this knife for field testing & review).
Right up front, here’s my take on neck knives…
I love them during the warmer months when I don’t need a bigger fixed blade. They work perfectly for when I’m out fishing, especially if I’m wading in a creek. And most of what I do in the warmer months can be accomplished with a 2-3″ blade anyways. So, a knife like the Tops MSK 2.5 works out great for my needs.
Battlbox Neck Knife
Going back to the opening of this article, this is the “Battlbox Neck Knife” that you always seeing Brandon Currin wearing on their Netflix show and Battlbox videos. It features the same specs as all of the other Tops MSK 2.5 neck knives, but it features the Currin1776 logo on the right side of the blade.
At this current moment, this knife is out of stock everywhere that I’ve looked. However, Battlbox.com does have some of these in stock and you can get 10% off with the coupon “anthony” if you’d like to pick one up.
Use coupon “anthony” for 10% off
Tops MSK 2.5 Neck Knife
So, how do I personally use a knife of this size and what does the rest of my kit look like when I’m carrying it?
- Neck knives are all about convenience and simplicity for me. I am often dressed in jeans and a flannel shirt, with the knife under my shirt (I typically keep it concealed unless I’m fishing or doing something outdoors).
- All of my “survival” kit is kept in my pockets: ExoTac nanoSTRIKER XL, a BIC Lighter, a bandana, and a simple first aid kit.
Again, neck knives for me are all about simplicity and keeping things lightweight.
Neck Knife Mods
Whenever I’m decking out a new neck knife for everyday carry I do 3 things, which I’ll outline below along with my reasoning for doing them.
- I swap the neck knife’s lanyard out with Titan Survivorcord.
This cordage is incredible and offers several advantages over typical paracord. It has fire tinder, utility wire, and fishing line inside. It also has 7 inner-strands of nylon cordage (each with a breaking strength of 47lbs) and a total breaking strength of 620lbs. - Next up I add a sail needle to the back of the neck knife sheath with gorilla tape.
This allows me to sew using the 7 inner strands of my Survivorcord. Or I can use the needle as an improvised tool in the field for a variety of things. - Lastly, I add a simple lanyard at the end of the knife handle. This increases the amount of grip length that you have with a small knife like this.
Check out the Tops MSK 2.5 Knife
Ulticlip Slim 2.2
Branching off of the mods that I mentioned above, here’s another fantastic upgrade to the MSK 2.5. The Ulticlip Slim 2.2 bolts onto the stock kydex sheath with minimal hardware and it allows you to carry the Tops MSK inside the waistband with or without a belt. I was pleasantly surprised by how heavy-duty the Ulticlip was when I received it. And I will now consider this a standard for my compact knives that ride in kydex sheaths.
Check out the Ulticlip Slim 2.2
Tops MSK 2.5 Review
Here are some of my answers to common questions about knives that I field test & review.
How have I been using this knife?
I have been using the Tops MSK 2.5 Knife as a general-purpose EDC knife since I received it. Even though I haven’t had it for that long it has quickly been put into service. I have batoned a ton of kindling & fuel for small twig stove fires and I’ve been using it for everything I need to do on a day-to-day basis. So far, this is becoming one of my favorite neck knives that I’ve field-tested so far.
Tops MSK 2.5 Overall Quality?
This knife is a Cadillac (or whatever type of car you think is super nice)! The micarta handles are perfectly sculpted and aren’t too thick when carrying this knife concealed. The sheath has excellent retention. The 1095 steel from Tops is absolutely phenomenal and one of my favorites (look back at my Tops Puukko review).
Tops MSK 2.5 Comfort & Concealability:
This knife is comfortable to wear around your neck. You do notice that it’s there unlike some of the other lighter/smaller neck knives. But that’s the trade-off you make for a larger/more capable knife. As for concealability: This knife disappears under a button-down shirt.
Exotac Waterproof Lighter Sleeve . Tops MSK 2.5 Knife . Native Print Bandana
Keep up with me & the TOPS MSK 2.5 Knife
Follow me on Instagram and Facebook to see more about this knife over the next few months as I continue my field-testing. Also, sign up for my email list down below to get occasional emails about product reviews, deals from brands that I work with, and more!
Battlbox 10% Off Coupon: Get 10% off your entire purchase and/or subscription at Battlbox.com by using coupon code “anthony”.
Neither Battlbox nor Tops Knives have previously proofread or influenced any of the content in this article. All opinions and experience with the Tops MSK 2.5 Knife are my own.
