ESEE Izula II: Long-Term Review

By Nick Italiano

• Instagram

Years ago I was searching for a small fixed blade to throw in my pack to ensure I always had a capable knife on me for any daily tasks that may pop up, especially in the great outdoors. While the market for small fixed blades wasn’t nearly as robust as it was today, there were still plenty of knives to choose from, and I was far from a knife expert then. So my search was mainly driven by affordability and positive reviews, so I scoured the web looking for something that suited my needs. I came across a company called ESEE Knives and began looking into their product offerings and background. Being relatively uninitiated into any form of “outdoor community” at the time, I didn’t have many resources to reach out to people to get feedback or test any knives before purchase. Still, the price was right and I pulled the trigger on a brand new ESEE Izula II and waited patiently for it to arrive. While I don’t entirely recall, the package that arrived was pretty basic, with no flashy marketing, just a knife in a basic plastic sheath with some extra hardware that I didn’t really know what to do with. my Izula II had grippy micarta scales and a green powder-coated blade. Despite the relatively small blade, the handle provided a full grip which is something I definitely appreciated at the time and I still do today. I was very pleased with my new knife, but I had no idea at the time that it would remain an essential part of my kit for years to come.

SPECS

As always, let’s dive into the specs first. The Izula-II is 6.75 inches overall with a 2.63-inch blade. The flat ground blade is 0.156 inches thick 1095 high carbon steel that is either powder or black oxide coated. The handles feature grippy canvas micarta and a large round hole to add a lanyard or carabiner. The Izula-II weighs 3.2 ounces without the included sheath, and that sheath is molded with a clip plate for belt carry. The sheath also has a large hole so it can be easily adapted for neck carry. ESEE offers a number of add ons including optional MOLLE backing for the sheath. For those of you wondering this knife is virtually identical to the original Izula but has an additional half inch of handle.

IN USE

The Izula-II is a little beast of a knife, the tough 1095 steel and powder coating makes this knife virtually unstoppable in cutting tasks, wood batoning, and prying tasks. As to be expected with 1095 the edge retention isn’t great, but can easily be brought to a hair-shaving edge in the field with basic sharpening tools or a leather strop. The Flat ground blade lends to slicing-related tasks and still allows for a robust tip The full-sized handle is a great upgrade from the original giving you better control and comfort over long-term use. The Micarta is very grippy brand new, despite that grip wearing down over time through use and grime the scales retain great grip through years of use. The powder coat holds up very well, despite some serious hard use I have no real loss of coating ensuring that the corrosion protection the coating provides is maintained.

My Izula-II has helped me in a wide variety of tasks over the years. Its seen its fair share of household tasks, it is my go-to knife when doing work in the garden or yard, cut through a lot of plant materials while foraging, processed food in the wild, and more. It takes a beating and it keeps on working, and that is exactly what it was designed to do!

FINAL THOUGHTS 

The Izulla-II is a very popular knife and for very good reasons, it is small, tough, and capable. Despite its popularity, there are users who have critiques, mainly stating that it is not well suited for bushcraft. I agree with this sentiment, but must also point out that this knife was not designed to be a bushcraft knife. ESEE is owned by Randall’s Adventure Training, a company that specializes in search and rescue training. As such, a majority of their knives are designed with those tasks in mind; meaning you get an incredibly robust, no-frills tool that is reliable and won’t fail when it really counts. This is the reason why I love the Izula-II, and why no matter what I have in my pocket or on my belt, the Izula-II remains with me in my pack ready to take on some hard use tasks. If you’re not convinced head to Instgram and search the hashtag #beateresee and you will find thousands of pictures and videos of people who really put the Izula-II and many other ESEE knives through the paces. If I had to say anything negative about this package, I would say the sheath is lackluster but functional. While I haven’t felt the need to replace the sheath, there are many aftermarket options available. Most versions are available for around $85, an incredible value for a robust American-made tool. I can confidently say this is a tool that belongs in everyone’s lineup.