cold steel voyager tanto review

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Cold Steel Voyager XL Tanto Combo Edge Knife Review

January 5, 2016 by Thomas Xavier | Updated: March 26, 2020 29 Comments

Very few knives have been requested to be reviewed on this blog quite as much as the Cold Steel XL series of Voyager knives. I was always apprehensive with regards to reviewing them as they can be perceived (whether justly or unjustly, I will leave that up to you) as more of a gimmick or party piece rather than a real bona fide oversized knife that could be wielded as an everyday carry tool.

Whilst I am by no means convinced as to the viability of the Cold Steel Voyager Tanto XL as an everyday tool, I can’t fault Cold Steel when it comes to the quality of the knife or its performance as a folding sword. If nothing else, we should applaud them for bringing something so interesting to the market. Now onward with the review!

The Cold Steel Voyager XL Tanto ain’t your grandpa’s old timer’, but you already knew that taking one look at it. We are talking a serious slab of cutting power here with a total length –  closed  – of  6.75 inches . That’s not only impressive, it’s frankly mind boggling. It’s almost as long closed as the Delica is open!

The real eye opener is when you deploy this bad boy. Hot damn, will you look at that 5.5 inch blade? The craziest thing is that thanks to you (kind) readers who love to torture me, this is not even the largest folding knife I own. I think it’s fair to mention that I do take your suggestions to heart when picking up knives to review, and this folder on me is living proof! Certainly not something I’d opt to buy myself just for myself.

All that being said, I’m not going to lie, the odd thing about this knife is that after carrying the it around, other knives seem to be so much smaller, and I no longer view the Voyager XL as “enormous.” I think I may be suffering from a case of oversized knife Stockholm syndrome!

Before we get into the nitty gritty, I should mention that I purchased my Voyager last year before the new CTS-XHP versions/updates were released. The only difference is the steel, and a justifiable price increase, but other than that it’s the same knife, grind, and everything else – so no need to worry about ending up with a knife completely different from mine. Not gonna happen.

Like almost all folding Cold Steel knives, the Voyager XL features the most excellent TRI-AD lock, by far and large my favourite heavy-duty lock. As extreme testing by Andrew Demko and others have demonstrated time and time again – there is no competition if what you seek is the ultimate in lock up strength and resilience under duress.

It’s one hell of a lock, and with a blade this big that will happily take all your digits (and then some!) you really want the TRI-AD lock on the Voyager XL.

The tanto blade is hollow ground on the primary edge and full flat on the reinforced tanto tip. Beautiful stonewashed with no grind marks or flaws of any kind. Very impressive taking into account how much steel is at play here and the price point it’s offered at.

The cutting performance is… interesting. The Voyager came razor sharp out of the box (like all the Cold Steels I own save the Latin Machete ), and I think the grinds are a good compromise between toughness and slicing performance. At 4 mm thick, the Voyager XL is hardly a folding light saber, but I had no issues with the cutting performance for everyday tasks based on my experiences.

With that said, any problems I’ll have with this knife will not be with how lean the grind is, but rather the style of the blade. Tanto’s are not exactly renown for their utility in the kitchen, and the Voyager is no exception. It’s a brute that is ground aggressively enough at the edge to leave some serious lacerations and bite marks.

Looking at it from the spine down, I think it’s fair to assume that it wasn’t designed to cleanly slice tomatoes.

The tanto tip is, in my opinion, perfectly ground with the right amount of stabbiness whilst retaining the reinforced/super tough aspect that a tanto blade can bring to the table. I don’t like to pry with my folding knives, as lateral stress on pivots is never a great idea, but if I had to dig out some nails from some thick slabs of wood – this would be my folding knife of choice.

I did get the Cold Steel XL Vaquero as well (once again, I do listen!) and the difference between these two knives was drastic enough that I decided to review the Vaquero separately . With that said, look at the grind difference between the two.

The Voyager XL Tanto (on the right in the pictures below) is clearly designed for rougher use. No doubt about it.

I never expected the different to be so drastic. I think the tanto really morphs the knife from a vicious slicer to a tougher, more resilient tactical option.

The quality of the Cold Steel Voyager XL is top notch. No flaws or manufacturing defects and centering is dead center. Good job with this, Cold Steel.

Nested liners, hell yes! With a knife this large, weight is obviously a primary concern. As shocking as it may sound, the Voyager XL Tanto weighs in at only 7.7 ounces, which is freaking amazingly light taking into account that you get a 4 mm thick 5.5 inch blade. Practically unreal.

Deployment is almost humorous. After a few minutes of practice, I could quite happily whip it out like a hound out of hell, but realistically speaking it’s such a humongous knife that I would caution restraint, especially in public.

With that said, if you ever wanted a knife because screw society and their butter knives, then this is it.

In pocket the Voyager XL is…interesting. I expected it to be almost impossible to EDC, and in practice it was surprisingly viable. The reversible (left, right) tip up only pocket clip is nicely designed with obviously a lot of thought going into how this knife was going to be carried and deployed. It’s big, but it works.

Frankly, if you are considering a 5.5 inch folder as an EDC, then you already have the pocket space allocated or some other way of carrying it. This ain’t exactly subtle, but as far as a huge slab of steel in your pocket goes, I think Cold Steel did very well.

To touch on the TRI-AD lock again, if it fails (it won’t) your fingers are probably gone. Like, all of them.

I mean… look at the damn thing.

I made note in the title, though I’ll make note again here – I did pick up the combo version of this knife. I have nothing to add about the combo edge besides the fact that it’s sharp (although it is very difficult to sharpen yourself if it gets dull), and the only thing it does better than a plain edge is cutting rope and other fibrous materials.

I’ve said it many a time before, but I don’t personally like combo edges. You guys keep asking why I don’t give them a try so I gave in to peer pressure fully with this knife and thought, hell why not. Just keep this moment in mind – I gave the suckers a try and I still don’t like them! Not many more combo edge knives for me in the future. Of course I 100% get that some love ’em and live by ’em, and that’s a-ok with me. What knife to carry is a personal choice after all, and the best pocket knife for you will depend greatly on the tasks you use your knife for regularly, your environment, as well as a slew of other preferences. But guys. I’m really not a combo edge kind of guy. Just not gonna be able to convert me.

In a traditional saber grip, this knife is very comfortable. The Grivory (basically a glass reinforced nylon) scales are grippy; full of choils and ergonomic curves designed to lock your hand into place. This is one hell of an option for tactical applications by virtue of its in-hand retention. It’s really  not going anywhere!

Choking up isn’t ideal as there is no choil to speak of. However, the Cold Steel Voyager XL is definitely not uncomfortable as you might assume simply by looking at it. You will look ridiculous, though, doing detail work with a blade that unwieldy. Not that I’d expect you’d care about social perception if you’re carrying this anyway.

Now this is interesting – having such a humongous handle means you can choke back quite nicely. In practice, Cold Steel makes allowances for this by adding two finger choils near the butt of the knife (as you can see in the photograph above), which gives you a great grip. Couple that with a lanyard and I do believe you have the best (secure) reach of any folding knife for chopping or tactical applications. Very cool.

Reverse grip is also comfortable. Penetrating power is extremely high thanks to that mean tanto point and the TRI-AD lock’s legendary safety means you can stab away (into wood, recreationally of course) to your heart’s content.

And for the sake of review consistency – here’s the Cold Steel Voyger XL in the pinch grip. It’s silly, don’t do it. Far better options around for these sorts of cutting tasks.

Balance is (as you would expect) pretty perfect. With the nested liners and choice of lightweight scale material, it’s clear that the Cold Steel Voyager XL is purpose driven. It handles like a knife half it’s size with no issues what so ever.

At the end of the day, the sorts of people that would consider this knife already know what to expect. Its huge. Its tough. It’s an oversized Cold Steel. If this is what you want then you will go with this, the Rajah II or Vaquero . You simply don’t have a choice with regards to brand, as Cold Steel basically dominates this niche market which is something you knew already if you’re even remotely interested in these types of knives.

It’s a damn shame, in my honest opinion, as I find myself applauding Cold Steel over and over again for taking risks that other knife companies simply won’t. They won’t dare to risk suffering the scorn of the forumites (not  our forum ; we are awesome, totally open minded people!) who dismiss what is an extremely capable knife (taking into account it’s size) as being a glorified toy or mall ninja accessory whilst promoting over-priced slabs of titanium that don’t offer close to the performance of the cheapest Cold Steel TRI-AD lock option. I could go on for a while, but I will leave my rant at that, and I’m sure pick back up another day, for brevity’s sake.

In a brutish sort of manner, the Cold Steel Voyager XL is quite appealing. I don’t think it will ever win any beauty awards, but it’s definitely not as unrefined as one might assume a 5.5 inch folding tanto would be. Colour me impressed.

I try hard to give every knife a shot when it comes to scribbling down my reviews and for the most part (as I think you will agree) I have done that. Handling as much steel as I do puts me in a privileged position, as I can get a good glimpse of the full breadth of what the industry has to offer. So when Cold Steel (or anyone else for that matter) introduces something so outlandish as the Voyager XL Tanto – I can’t help but be curious! Even if it is completely out of my realm of normal and “ideal” for an EDC.

Yes, it’s a pretty ridiculous knife, and if you are budgeting for only owning one EDC – this would not even come close to being my first choice. I’ve said it time and time again , but if you’ve got the bank, the best chance you’re going to have at the perfect EDC knife is the  Paramilitary 2 (I know you are groaning, but I recommend it so often for a reason). Even if you haven’t got that kind of money, there are plenty of better EDC knives when it comes to pure bang-for-buck that would fit your price point or desired application better than this one.

If, however, what you want is an enormous blade that will terrify pretty much everyone as you deploy it, and yet can handle it’s business when it comes to cutting and slicing – then you’re gonna want either this sucker, the Vaquero XL , or the Rajah II . Not many options for oversized folder fanatics, but at least Cold Steel’s got your back – they took the plunge and risked the scorn just for you folks!

About Thomas Xavier

Knife aficionado and lifelong tinkerer. Into bushcraft, hiking, and gear.

Browse MTJS posts by me here & other blogs of mine here .

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December 20, 2021 at 12:29 pm

I have a 4max scout by coldsteel…one of many excellent knives by this brand. When you say other knives feel small after carrying, the 4max scout gave me that effect. My Kershaw knockout feels like a toy next to it but that is another fine knife from a different genre.

January 4, 2024 at 9:40 am

Yeah, its a strange sensation. For Christmas I had a Case Swayback gent and it was so pocketable I almost found it jarring compared to my regular “full-size” edc’s.

December 20, 2021 at 12:21 pm

November 2, 2020 at 12:57 am

Your review helped me in an unanticipated way. Recently I placed an order on a Cold Steel Voyager XL Tanto Plain folding knife. My order came and I noticed that the logos on the blade looked a little different from the pictures on the order website (amazon) and the blade wasn’t actually a plain edge, it was combo blade (which wasn’t an option on the website). I suspected it was a knock off, but after doing a little digging, I found your review and the Voyager is identical to the one you show in this review, including the logos (“Cold Steel” and “Voyager. I’m trying to decide whether to send it back and get an exchange, but at least I know that I’m dealing with a discontinued but genuine product (it might be worth keeping as a collector’s item).

January 26, 2021 at 9:36 am

As far as a collectors item goes, value is limited as they were made in huge numbers. That said, if you like it, you like it. ;)

March 30, 2016 at 7:04 am

That was a terrifying review. I think I will go buy a spyderco squeak…

April 9, 2016 at 3:38 pm

Hah, use the squeak as a lanyard bead for the Voyager! ;)

January 14, 2016 at 12:27 pm

“It’s silly, don’t do it” how big are your hands? I won’t debate “It’s silly”. I’m silly. 5.5″ of blade length fits very neatly in my hands… But that nearly (looking) 6″ of handle sticking out the back would probably ruin my comfort in holding out for this use.

January 21, 2016 at 1:50 am

My hands are a western glove L, the handle is remarkably light and well balanced- the sillyness is whipping it out in public and seeing the horror in everyones eyes as you use it to neatly open a bag of candy. Seeing as I am not a savage, I refuse to use my teeth to tear packages open!

Thanks for dropping by!

January 9, 2016 at 12:53 am

“I’ve said it many a time before, but I don’t personally like combo edges. You guys keep asking why I don’t give them a try so I gave in to peer pressure fully with this knife and thought, hell why not. Just keep this moment in mind – I gave the suckers a try and I still don’t like them! ”

I’m really glad to see that you reviewed a combo edged knife! I still don’t grok why you don’t like them. I really haven’t met ******anyone who really uses their knives who doesn’t love a combo blade. You can’t survive in the ****real world without one.

I’m a knife guy and I use mine 12 to 50 times per day. The serrated blade keeps me sane. I don’t even carry non-serrated blades anymore because they don’t have the cutting power. It’s just a fact.

January 9, 2016 at 9:19 am

Hi Chris, If you wouldn’t mind, maybe you can answer some questions for me about these “combo” edges. When they first came to my notice, the pitch was you could slash through nylon straps and rope much faster than with a normal blade. (what I think of as normal) As I didn’t have any straps or rope that I wanted to cut up, I just accepted the claim on faith. But that still leaves me wondering who are these folks who need to be able to cut through straps or rope in some kind of hurry? Maybe a load-master on a C-130 under mortar fire? How about a sailor tangled in the anchor line and fallen overboard? As exciting as these examples are I can’t honestly say that this kind of thing has ever applied to me. As a matter of fact, my goal when out in the woods is to plan ahead enough to where derring-do isn’t required, humdrum being more appreciated. The one opportunity I’ve had to use a serrated edge left me unimpressed with the rough and imprecise edge left as the blade cut, sort of a rabid beaver effect. Plus there is the problem of trying to sharpen the thing in the field. Now, maybe you were being just a tad dramatic, but I’ve been “surviving in the real world” without a combo edge for quite a while and in fact expect to be around for a good bit more!

January 21, 2016 at 1:49 am

I keep my knives sharp enough (compulsive stropping much to Elises annoyance) that I have yet to feel the need for a combo edge.

Glad to hear they are working out for you though, they make them so clearly they have their place in the world!

January 8, 2016 at 11:49 am

I have a Remington locking, single blade, about 3″ long. After two or three years the blade began having a slight side-to-side wobble. I really didn’t think I’d abused it all that much but you couldn’t argue that the wobble wasn’t there. I drilled the pivot pin out and replaced it with an iron rod that has rivet “mushrooms” taped into each end. Gently working the mushrooms down tighter got the wobble out and now it’s nice and snug. My point is that any large folding knife that’s used for much of anything is going to be stressed at the pivot. I’d expect a knife as large as this Voyager with a blade of 5.5″ to put a awful lot of stress on the hinge. ……wobble, wobble! my buddy, who is a fisherman, has a tackle box full of the most outrageous molded soft plastic lures, silly looking things really, you have to wonder what self respecting fish would ever consider eating one. Kinda like somebody buying this knife. However if you did rash off and buy it, well, then you’ve got a knife to loan to your worthless brother-in-law!

January 21, 2016 at 1:47 am

Great story! I will say that the Voyager is shockingly tough and after applying (considerable) lateral stress on the blade, all it took was for me to tighten the pivot for the blade to be rock solid. I have yet to have ANY issues with any TRIAD folders from Cold Steel!

January 6, 2016 at 3:49 pm

Looking forward to the Vaquero review.

January 21, 2016 at 1:46 am

Its a mean one to be sure!

January 6, 2016 at 3:34 pm

One thing I gotta say is that the only kitchen work I’ve done with this knife is making a tomato salad and it sliced those tomatoes super clean, leaving all the little seed sacks completely intact; I felt like I was making Japanese tomato sashimi at a fancy sushi joint using a katana.

January 6, 2016 at 6:12 pm

Please tell me you were wearing your rising sun head band and screamed out “irrashaimase” whenever anyone walked into the kitchen!

January 7, 2016 at 3:37 am

Haha.. How’d you know?

January 7, 2016 at 6:07 pm

I think deep down, all of us here on Thomas and Elise’s site, are a bit similar.

Seriously…if you didn’t do this I’d think you were too normal!

hahaha…glad you had fun though!

Gotta love these folding sushi knives aye? I think Cold Steel missed out on a marketing opportunity!

January 6, 2016 at 11:15 am

That is a hell of a knife!! I’m more of a triditional knife person but I definetly see the attraction! What was the steel featured on you knife? I don’t think you mentioned it Great review! Keep it up!!

January 21, 2016 at 1:45 am

Howdy Seth! The steel on my knife is AUS-8A, a decent stainless steel- the newer models feature CTS-XHP which is a marked improvement, not that I would notice the difference in real world use.

January 6, 2016 at 12:42 am

The juxtaposition of Vaquero and Tanto in the photo was impressive! Thanks for the review.

January 21, 2016 at 1:44 am

Its certainly an interesting comparison, one that is seldom mentioned in other reviews.

Thanks for dropping by Egi, always appreciate it!

January 5, 2016 at 9:22 pm

Same as Jackie. I never saw the need for a big folder.

I really want one of these now. It shall be my birthday present to myself!

Great review Thomas! All things considered this is not an expensive knife. I bought a Kershaw Shuffle II 2 months ago and have been in love with that knife. out of the box it was sharp enough to just slide through newspaper and tough enough that the edge hasn’t diminished and the handle steel is hardened against enduring scratches. The big thing for me with that knife was the finish on the blade having that blackwash/mottled look.

I couldn’t find that with the Coldsteel, but if you happen to have inside info and they come out with one, would love to know. I’ll keep my ear to the ground too.

Thanks again. And Happy New Year to you and Elise as well mate. I hope you had a great one!

January 21, 2016 at 1:43 am

As far as I know, Cold Steel is not planning on producing “Blackwash” style knives. I could be wrong though so don’t hold me to it!

Let me know what you think of the Voyager once you receive it & happy New Year to you too my friend!

January 5, 2016 at 4:43 pm

I clicked on this from my email expecting a good laugh because I would never even consider this knife. But, then after reading it, I find myself wanting to pick one up. Maybe it’s this quote that got me: “With that said, if you ever wanted a knife because screw society and their butter knives, then this is it.” Anyway, great review.

January 21, 2016 at 1:42 am

When I received it in the mail, I didn’t think I would be quite so smitten. I guess there is a lil’ bit of contrarian in all of us.

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Knife Reviews

Cold Steel Voyager Review

by Dan Jackson 34 Comments

This post contains affiliate links. We may get paid an affiliate commission if you buy something or take an action after clicking one of the links on this web page.

Last Updated: February 25, 2018

New in 2011, the updated Cold Steel Voyagers took the knife world by storm. There was a lot to like about the original CS Voyagers, but as technologies advance old classics need updating. And I gotta say, the new version really packs some nice improvements. Lighter, faster, with better locks and beautiful details – there is a lot to love about these knives. With 3 sizes, 3 blade shapes and the option of fully or partially serrated edges there is something for everyone.

Buy on Amazon

I have one of each size for your consideration here (the Medium Voyager , Large Voyager , and the XL Voyager ). After testing them all I can safely recommend any one of these knives. Take the “voyage” with me and learn why I like them so much.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

Since I’m reviewing 3 knives here I figured it would be easiest to throw the dimensions into a table instead of listing them out.

All the knives feel light for their size. Especially the Large and XL.

The 2011 Voyagers come in 3 major blade shapes. You have the classic clip point shown here, you also have a nice tanto version, and a version known as the “Vaquero.” The Vaquero is a modified clip point with a serious recurve. The knife you decide on comes down to your personal preferences. I think they are all pretty good, but the Vaquero will the hardest to sharpen due to the extreme recurve. I probably should have bought one of each blade style, but what can I say, I’m a sucker for a nice clip point.

And this clip point is really well done. Cold Steel started things off with a full flat grind. You also have a small swedge that forms a nice tip. There is plenty of belly and the edge is beautifully ground. Topping things off is an excellent stone wash. This blade finish really sets this knife apart. I greatly prefer the stonewash over Cold Steel’s teflon coating or blasted finish blades. All said and done the blade is really nice, especially when you consider the modest price tag.

Steel on the 2011 Voyagers is AUS 8. This changed to BD1 in 2015-2016. Both are softer steels. Cold Steel got a lot of feedback from customers wanting something with better edge retention than AUS-8, so they upgraded their premium line of knives to CTS-XHP (and then S35Vn in 2018), and their more budget oriented knives they upgraded to BD1. I don’t have a lot of experience with BD1, but it’s a softer steel. Easy to sharpen, and presumably holds a better edge than AUS-8. I think it was a good option for the Voyager series as the price is still reasonable.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handle on the Voyager is a combination of grivory (Cold Steel’s proprietary high density plastic) over aluminum liners. Aluminum strikes me as a great choice for liner material here. It’s been hardened so we have good strength, and it’s nice and light. Grivory on its own is pretty tough stuff too, so we are left with a very robust handle design.

In addition to the materials, I’m a big fan of the way these handles have been put together. Everything is screwed together for easy take down. The aluminum liners are neatly nested into the grivory. Everything lines up well and has been well finished. This is a high quality handle and it really shows.

The ergonomics on the entire Voyager line are also very nice. Naturally you would expect the XL to work in your hand (and it does, in a variety of positions). The Large also functions quite well. The Medium had me most concerned as it was the smallest and was a knife I wanted to EDC. Poor ergos would have kept me from doing that. Thankfully, I was pleasantly surprised with how well the Medium fit in my hand. I wear a large glove and the Medium rested comfortably, with my pinky taking residence on the shelf making up the back part of the handle. I was even able to choke up a little (which I only recommend for light tasks). All the knives have deep finger choils and light jimping on the spine which give you a nice grip.

Speaking of grip, all of the knives feature a kind of “iron cross” pattern on the grivory. This pattern is nice and grippy, but is not so abrasive that it tears up my pockets (although some people have had some issues with this – which sanding lightly under the clip would fix). All the corners have been rounded and all the knives fill the hand really well. All in all I am very satisfied with the ergonomics on these knives.

The pocket clip on the Voyager generally great, but comes kind of stiff. It worked well with the thin shorts I wear down here in Florida, but I found the stiff clip a bit of a pain with thicker materials. However, it will naturally bend out with use, and if you want to you could always bend the clip out slightly yourself. You can only carry this knife in the tip up position, but I like how Cold Steel included 2 clips (for left or right side carry). I also like how CS gave these clips a black coating. The coating held up well in my 2 months of carry, although it finally started to wear off when I scraped it on some concrete.

As far as actual carry goes, the Voyagers are pretty good considering their size. They are thicker knives, and the Large and XL are quite big, but they are very light so they are more manageable than they appear. I know several people who regularly carry an XL around and I gotta admit the knife slips into my jeans really well. Between the three sizes the Medium Voyager was my personal favorite for every day carry. The stiff clip kept the knife in place in my pocket. All in all these knives carry well.

Deployment and Lockup

The Voyagers all use ambidextrous thumbstuds for deployment. They are good size thumbstuds, and it doesn’t take much effort to get any of the knives open (even the XL). I had my concerns that the backspring on the tri-ad lock would be too strong for easy deployment, but it really isn’t the case. I can even shake these knives open (with a good amount of force). CS put some high quality phosphor bronze washers in these knives and they feel very smooth. All in all I’m quite pleased with deployment.

All of the Voyagers feature the now legendary Tri-Ad lock. I’ve spoken at length about these locks. They are basically an improved backlock. They actually feature a stop pin, so any force applied to the blade goes to the stop pin instead of the rest of the lock. This feature, combined with a very beefy lockback, make the strongest lock on the market. Performance is excellent – to the point where these knives will almost act like a fixed blade.

But perhaps the biggest positive to these particular Tri-Ad locks is how Cold Steel adjusted the back spring. The Tri-Ad locks on both my Spartan and Hold Out II were very stiff. It took a lot of effort to disengage these locks, even after breaking them in. I was really concerned this would be the case for the Voyager. Again, I was absolutely wrong (man, sometimes it’s great to be wrong). The locks were very easy to disengage with one hand. Of course, they are still safe and stay locked when you want it locked, but when the time comes to put the knife back in your pocket, it won’t take a ton of pressure to disengage the lock bar. This is a huge win for the Voyagers.

Cold Steel Voyager Review – Final Thoughts

Cold Steel has really raised the bar here. The entire Voyager line is extremely well done. These are Taiwanese knives and I’ll tell you the fit and finish is fantastic. The various Voyagers sell in the $40-65 range depending on the size. At that price I think it’s a great value. Especially the Large Voyager. It’s hard to find a full size utility knife built this well at this ~$50 price point.

I continue to be impressed with how perfectly everything lines up, how wonderfully everything has been finished, and how smooth the deployment, lockup and disengagement is. From a design standpoint there is a lot to like. The great choice of blade shapes, the comfortable lightweight handles, the excellent lock, the awesome pocket clip, the great materials – I could go on and on.

So in conclusion, I like the Voyager series lot. It was one of the best releases in 2011, and when the upgraded the steel in 2016 they made the knives even better. In 2018 I still have my Medium Voyager. I find it a little thick for EDC, but it’s a hell of a work knife. If you are looking for a large utility knife then pick up a Large Voyager. Tough to beat. And if you are looking for a folding sword then snag the XL. The XL is a fun knife, but it’s not a gimmick.

• Blade Length: 3-Inch
• Blade Thickness: 3 mm
• Overall Length: 7 1/4-Inch
• Weight: 3.5 oz (approx.)

• CLIP POINT BLADE - Lightweight, comfortable, and super sharp, the Cold Steel Voyager Large Clip Point folding knife is rugged, dependable and perfect for hunting and camping as well as general utility and daily cutting chores
• AUS10A STEEL BLADE - The Cold Steel Voyager Large folding knife's blade is crafted from premium Japanese AUS10A steel, renowned for its outstanding corrosion resistance and remarkable ability to maintain a sharp and durable edge over time
• ERGONOMIC HANDLE - The ergonomic Griv-Ex handle is reinforced with heat-treated 6061 aluminum liners to ensure ultimate durability; This handle provides great comfort and a secure grip even under extended use in tough conditions
• TRI-AD LOCK - Equipped with Cold Steel's renowned Tri-Ad locking mechanism, the Voyager Large folding knife offers unparalleled strength and shock resistance; This locking mechanism enhances the knife's reliability and safety during heavy-duty tasks
• SPECS - Weight: 5 oz (141.7 g); Blade Thickness: 3.5 mm; Blade Length: 4"; Blade Steel: AUS10A; Handle Length/Material: 5.25" Griv-Ex; Overall Length: 9.25"; Knife Type: Folder; Blade Shape: Clip Point; Locking Mechanism: Tri-Ad Lock

• Blade thickness: 4 mm, Blade Length :- 5.5 Inches
• Handle: 6.75 Inches long. Griv-ex
• Blade style: Clip point
• Steel: carpenters cts Bd1 alloy with stone wash finish
• Pocket Clip: ambidextrous pocket/belt Clip

I recommend purchasing the Cold Steel Voyager at Amazon or Buy the Cold Steel Voyager at BladeHQ . Please consider that buying anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

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About Dan Jackson

Dan is the creator of BladeReviews.com. He founded the site in 2010, and for the first 5 years Dan wrote all of the reviews and recorded all of the video reviews. He grew up using pocket knives, and the decision to start the website stemmed from his fascination of all things sharp combined with a deep passion for writing. He has personally reviewed almost 300 knives of all shapes, sizes, and price points. He is recognized as an authority on daily carry knives and has consulted with knife companies on product design.

Reader Interactions

December 27, 2011 at 8:58 am

You are really cranking the reviews out over the holidays!!! Keep up the good work!

December 27, 2011 at 9:01 am

Thanks Rob! Yes I have finally had the time to work on stuff I enjoy, like this website. I appreciate the support brother, all the best.

December 28, 2011 at 1:36 pm

Great review Dan.These voyagers catched my eye long time ago.Now its time to handle them at shop:D Btw here is a experience with my tri-ad lock Recon 1; it didnt cut anything except piece of papers , nylon cords and some stabbing to the notebook.It has up and down play now!My endura4 have less play.When i got it it was rock solid.Im gonna make a thread about this at bladeforums.Lets see whats going on:D Take Care Zakk

December 28, 2011 at 2:42 pm

Thanks Zakk! Yes definitely give this a handle if you have them available to you. I think you will like the knife a lot.

I am really surprised to hear about your Recon 1! I have handled a lot of tri-ad lock knives and have yet to experience any blade play. Have you tried adjusting the pivot? Might need some lock tite once you get it fully tweaked. Either way I’d be curious to hear what the story is.

Thanks for reading and taking the time to write the nice comment.

February 8, 2012 at 8:03 am

Sorry to hear about your Recon 1. Possibly it would be better to send it to CS for repairs, because it obviously has some defect. The Tri-Ad lock is self-adjusting by design, and I have never seen a knife with that particular type of lock that has an up-down blade play. More to say, once I managed to pierce through a 1″ wooden table top with my Spartan (like they do in CS videos!), and the knife showed no blade play afterwards (though it’s definitely not a good way to test knives at home! 🙂 )

December 28, 2011 at 5:25 pm

Yet another great review Dan!

I have been raving about the Cold Steel 2011 Voyagers since I got mine a few months ago. They are a definite improvement over the older versions.

The handle ergonomics are wonderful — weather laying them into a cut or sharpening or stropping them — it works so well for me!

My only question is if they were able to relax the Triad-Ad lock on the XL Tanto-Point versions?

I had two of the older XL Tanto-Point models and opening them via thumbtstud was rough.

December 28, 2011 at 5:52 pm

Thank you Greg! I really appreciate the kind words. I agree, this is an extremely comfortable knife. I haven’t been this excited about “value” knives in a while.

You know I have not got my hand on the XL Tanto, but my XL Clip point came very smooth and relaxed. I think maybe some of the earlier version of the knife were a little stiffer, but I haven’t had any issues with the two XL Clip Point Voyagers I have used. Thanks for reading man, take care.

December 30, 2011 at 12:23 pm

I’ll have to take the Cold Steel plunge sooner or later…. Great review, as always.

December 30, 2011 at 1:11 pm

Thanks man. This is a solid knife that makes for a great beater. It’s a little thick in the pocket but I carry the medium and large with no problem at all.

January 12, 2012 at 5:27 pm

I have been a CS fan for many years and have many of their knives. Presently, I do not have this particular iteration of the Voyager series. They are one tough knife and I like your label of “value” knife–true. Just found this site and like it.

January 12, 2012 at 5:43 pm

Hey Waykno, Thanks for stopping by man. I think you will really like the new Voyagers – especially if you are already a fan of Cold Steel’s products. They made some very nice upgrades to this version. And yes, I think these are an excellent value. I’m glad you have been enjoying the site – I’ve got a lot of new stuff planned for 2012. Mainly better reviews of cooler knives, but I’m also going to be upgrading this mega slow server and doing some other stuff. Thanks again for dropping in!

April 13, 2012 at 3:45 am

I kind of took a break for a while so I am way behind on your reviews. I enjoyed this one. I have still be struggling over whether or not to get a voyager since I already have the Recon1. After reading I think I will go ahead and get a Voyager. Now to decide which one…nice review!

April 13, 2012 at 4:43 pm

Hey Richard! Great to see you back man, I was wondering where you went. I would definitely still suggest getting the Voyager, there are still plenty of interesting differences between the two. I look forward hearing what model you decided on and eventually reading your review.

May 15, 2012 at 9:33 am

I picked the small Voyager and love the knive. However, it takes quite a bit of effort to disengage the lock. You mentioned in your review that this was not an issue for you. Any recommendations? As always, great review!

May 16, 2012 at 7:27 am

Hmmm, I am not really sure. It’s possible there are differences in tolerances between manufacturing runs, but my Voyagers were all reasonable (whereas the Spartan took 2 hands for me to disengage the lock). Unfortunately my only real suggestion is to just keep working the lock – hopefully it will break in quickly. If it is really bad Cold Steel may be willing to replace it. Thanks for reading!

February 6, 2014 at 5:23 pm

I personally have and carry the XL version. No play, very sharp, love it!

February 7, 2014 at 1:33 pm

Glad you like yours, Cordel. I had a buddy who carried the XL version. Pretty impressive piece of hardware!

February 22, 2014 at 7:51 pm

I just purchased a Voyager medium. I EDC this knife more than I do my Spyderco Delica.The lockup is tight and AUS-8 is very easy to sharpen.I got mine for 35.00 on Amazon

February 22, 2014 at 9:19 pm

You know what, I ended up giving all of my Voyagers away after doing this review, but very recently bought another Medium Voyager for my own personal use. I love it. Fantastic knife for the reasons you have described. I am considering writing an article just on the medium Voyager.

September 7, 2014 at 5:54 am

Hi there, I just ordered the xl clip point, it is my first ever folding knife lol

September 7, 2014 at 6:00 am

Congrats, Patrick! The XL Voyager is a great starter blade – way to dip your toe into the world of pocket knives. 😉 Let me know what you think…

November 28, 2014 at 6:14 am

Went through most of your reviews and been contemplating between the Voyager (Medium) and Kershaw Leek (Black) for EDC. Which one would you recommend?

The previous folder that I got as a gift is falling apart (missing screws) and I need cost effective replacement. While the Spyderco PM2 and ZT 0350 are often recommended, they are in a different league and price point.

Regards, Chester

November 28, 2014 at 11:11 am

Hey Chester,

Thanks for stopping by and for the great question. The Voyager is thick and overbuilt. It’s a fun and satisfying knife to play around with and EDC, but I think you will find the Leek to be much more practical if you are looking for a streamlined urban / suburban EDC. A good friend of mine has EDC’d a Leek for several years and he still likes it. Both are very nice for the money.

November 28, 2014 at 12:26 pm

Hi Dan! Wow that was a quick reply.

I think I’ll go with the black Leek 1660ckt over the regular stainless just because it might be sturdier with the extra DLC coating and it’s less “flashy”.

For your reviews on tactical or self-defense knives, is it possible for you to note on the grip/feel when you hold the knife blade up? I believe nobody does that. I leaned towards the Leek over the Voyager (medium) because it might be awkward to hold the knife that way among others.

November 29, 2014 at 7:11 am

Hi Chester,

My pleasure. Do you mean the “icepick” grip? I can try to do that. I must confess that I know very little about self defense, so I am always hesitant to offer advice in that arena. I might suggest checking out WeAllJuggleKnives on you tube for more “tactical” commentary.

November 29, 2014 at 11:19 am

Yes. Icepick grip and in some cases if the grip or blade has a pronounced shape just your normal grip but the blade upwards. Not a biggie 🙂

Thanks for the WeAllJuggleKnives recommendation. Will check it out.

November 29, 2014 at 4:35 pm

I’ll keep that in mind, Chester. Thanks and enjoy WAJK’s channel. He has some interesting stuff on there.

November 30, 2014 at 2:58 pm

Dan, this remains one of the most useful reviews of this excellent series of knives. The Large Voyager clip point is perhaps my #1 favorite “edc/tactical crossover” folder under $100. The combination of impressive size, light weight, tough build, excellent slicing performance, and comfortable ethos with well above average ergonomics is very hard to find together in one blade and gives the L Voyager a certain charisma all its own. Fit & finish is also way above expectations. Right now there are some online deals that have the M and L Voyagers for crazy prices like $35 to $40. At that price point, if you don’t mind a somewhat weaponized looking, but good carrying and very functional tool , it is hard to see why anyone would pass up the chance to grab these. Peace!

November 30, 2014 at 3:02 pm

LOL @ “comfortable ethos “; thanks smartphone. Heh — actually the only good reason I could think of why someone would not appreciate this well made tool is that CS knives arguably do NOT have a totally “comfortable ethos” associated with them — in the minds of some. 🙂

November 30, 2014 at 5:44 pm

Hey Anon, Thanks for dropping by. Glad you are still enthused about the Voyager series. I agree that the large Voyager is really tough to beat for a larger work knife. They really did a good job with it.

November 30, 2014 at 3:08 pm

Just one more observation: the XL Voyagers are equally well made and are very legit for what they are, but for an actual EDC choice (“car knife” or tool box use is another matter), I ‘d say the target market starts around 6’2″ 225 lbs and goes up from there. Which excludes me! Still fun to own. The Large size is really the sweet spot in my view.

August 30, 2019 at 8:28 pm

After seeing Grivory advertised on some Benchmades I Google it (how dumb not to do it before) and it’s apparently not proprietary – like you I thought it was a bit of Cold Steels puffery, but it isn’t. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyphthalamide & https://www.emsgrivory.com/en/products-markets/products/grivory/grivory-ht/

Basically in the Zytel family.

September 22, 2020 at 9:11 pm

I bought a Tatnto blade XL and it’s a great knife open but it won’t close.

October 23, 2021 at 12:18 pm

I own several VOYAGER knives and really appreciate this line of products. I have given countless of them away to friends for birthday presents b/c of their affordability, and b/c I trust the strength and quality. VOYAGER knives come in 4 blade styles, with or without serration, in two different sizes, basically 16 different knives for $50-$75. The handles are grippy to the point of being a bit sharp, and they are very lightweight, but I absolutely trust the strength of the blade and the Tri-Ad lock. I know for certain that the knife will not slip out of my hand, and that the blade will break before the lock fails. These points, along with its light-weight build, make it a very good EDC for self-protection.

I feel like the VOYAGER’s are Cold Steel’s way of offering really good folders at affordable “workingman’s” pricing. Not every buyer can afford a RECON 1 at $100+, but still want a real folding knife- not just a pocket-knife with a liner-lock.

Personally, I view the VOYAGER series as “fighting knives”, or “combat knives”, and not as much as outdoor/woodsman’s knives. I them specifically for self-defense, and prefer the TANTO blade profile for its thrusting and penetration capabilities.

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Cold Steel Voyager review

Post by vivi » Fri Jun 01, 2018 2:37 am

Re: Cold Steel Voyager review

Post by Bloke » Fri Jun 01, 2018 4:01 am

Post by anagarika » Fri Jun 01, 2018 6:09 am

Post by vivi » Fri Jun 01, 2018 7:15 am

anagarika wrote: ↑ Fri Jun 01, 2018 6:09 am Nice review. OMG, you make the 4” Voyager looks like 3” :eek: !! :D We both seems to prefer lockbacks

Post by anagarika » Fri Jun 01, 2018 12:16 pm

Vivi wrote: ↑ Fri Jun 01, 2018 7:15 am anagarika wrote: ↑ Fri Jun 01, 2018 6:09 am Nice review. OMG, you make the 4” Voyager looks like 3” :eek: !! :D We both seems to prefer lockbacks

Post by ThePeacent » Fri Jun 01, 2018 1:13 pm

Post by Doc Dan » Fri Jun 01, 2018 3:31 pm

Post by J D Wijbenga » Fri Jun 01, 2018 4:25 pm

Post by Evil D » Fri Jun 01, 2018 4:52 pm

Post by ThePeacent » Sat Jun 02, 2018 2:14 pm

Doc Dan wrote: ↑ Fri Jun 01, 2018 3:31 pm Vivi, thanks for the review and also the pictures of the knife in hand. Since my hands are a bit on the large and thick side, that is helpful. I had a couple of Voyagers years ago. I had a medium and an XL. I got rid of them for some reason and I was looking at the newer Voyagers and wondered about the handle being too small because of the hooked pommel.

Post by SpyderEdgeForever » Sat Jun 02, 2018 5:43 pm

Post by Jazz » Sun Jun 03, 2018 1:40 pm

Post by ThePeacent » Sun Jun 03, 2018 5:48 pm

SpyderEdgeForever wrote: ↑ Sat Jun 02, 2018 5:43 pm Peacent my friend, how did you scrub off that gross stonewash finish Cold Steel puts on the new Voyagers? I saw the pic you posted here of one where you brought back the great shiny satin finish. Also, the new grip pattern of the CS Voyager is not comfortable to me. I prefer the original on the older Zytel handles.

Post by SpyderEdgeForever » Mon Jun 04, 2018 3:54 pm

Post by vivi » Tue Jun 05, 2018 1:16 am

Evil D wrote: ↑ Fri Jun 01, 2018 4:52 pm I'm a huge fan of the Filipino grip, but the Manix doesn't bother me that much, though I would prefer the spine were totally flat like the Shaman. The less pronounced hump was one reason I ultimately chose to stick with the Manix 2 over the Para 2. It's also part of why I love the Sliverax design.

Post by vivi » Tue Jun 05, 2018 1:18 am

Jazz wrote: ↑ Sun Jun 03, 2018 1:40 pm They are very well made knives. The ergos on my small one don't fit the hand the best, but overall, I like it. If it didn't have liners that go right to the edge, I'd have carved it to fit me perfectly. Love the Triad lock. The clip, I had to take off and bend the lip up a bit and sand underneath on the scales. Works great now. Mine is actually easy to open for a thumbstud.

Post by ThePeacent » Wed Jun 06, 2018 6:57 pm

SpyderEdgeForever wrote: ↑ Mon Jun 04, 2018 3:54 pm Peacent, it was a tanto Voyager pic you posted and it looked very shiny and satiny as opposed to the stone wash.

Post by SpyderEdgeForever » Sat Jun 09, 2018 12:58 am

Post by ThePeacent » Sat Jun 09, 2018 2:20 pm

SpyderEdgeForever wrote: ↑ Sat Jun 09, 2018 12:58 am That may have been the one Peacent. Yes. Why do you think Cold Steel changed the format of the handle scales and also the blade from the original tried and true design, if you were to speculate on that?

Post by me2 » Mon Jun 11, 2018 11:12 pm

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Cold Steel Voyager XL Clip Point Knife Review

By Ben North

Updated on August 9, 2021

Sometimes Size Matters

The Cold Steel Voyager XL is a big folding knife. So big in fact that when it was first announced many years ago I just sort of ignored it as a gimmick, because I thought it was too big to be a practical EDC pocket folder.

Turns out I was an idiot. While it certainly takes up more space in your pants or shorts pocket than an average folding knife it is surprisingly comfortable in the pocket of the type of clothing worn by the sort of person who would carry this knife.

Obviously it would be a bit cramped in the blood flow-restricting skinny jeans that seem to be popular with the weirdly bearded hipster class that infests America’s more densely populated regions, but I don’t think they are the target demographic Cold Steel had in mind when they designed this knife.

The Voyager XL has been my primary EDC for over six months now, and I am surprised at how many times the bigger than average size has been advantageous. In fact it has me wondering if my wife has been lying to me all these years, but that is a subject for a different post.

Knife Specifications

Blade construction and design.

The Voyager XL comes in three different blade styles: Drop Point, Tanto and Vaquero. I am partial to drop point, so that’s the focus for this review. I considered getting the Vaquero for a minute, because I thought it would be funny for my friends to ask, “Is that a Vaquero in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?”, but I am a clip point addict, and my friends are not that witty.

Cold Steel has recently begun moving many of their knives from AUS-8 steel to Carpenter CTS BD1 stee l, and the Voyager is one of those knives. You can still find AUS8 steel versions out there, and they are usually around $25 cheaper than the new versions with the CTS BD1 steel. Due to my propensity for losing knives or dropping them in the water I picked up an AUS8 version as well as the CTS BD1 steel version.

AUS8 steel certainly has a few detractors, but I have always found it to be a more than serviceable option for any job I needed it to do, and I am pretty tough on knives. It does lose it’s edge quicker than higher end steels like CTS BD1 and S30V, but I find sharpening to be fun and relaxing.

The fact that knives made with AUS8 are usually quite a bit cheaper is important to those of us who lose knives on regular basis or have bank accounts can’t that support the shiny blade addictions of the gainfully employed steel nerds. In spite of my poor man’s affinity for AUS8 steel, I have to admit that the Carpenter CTS BD1 steel is superior to AUS8 in almost every way including edge retention and corrosion resistance.

The blade of the Voyager XL was crazy sharp on delivery, and it was centered well with no vertical or horizontal play which is really impressive for a folder this big at this price point. The blade is a  serrated/plain edge combo which I have mixed feelings about. Sometimes a bit of serration is nice, but it is more difficult to sharpen. If you are anti serration there is a 100% plain edge version, and if you love serrated blades there is a version that is almost 100% serrated.

The blade has a full flat grind and a nice thin edge. The Voyager XL has a very aggressive clip point which is good from a tactical standpoint, but not ideal for a work knife. The blade has ambidextrous thumb studs that are well placed, but it takes a little practice to open the knife smoothly due to it’s above average size.

I personally ignore the thumb studs and just flip it open. The Voyager XL has a really smooth action, but it doesn’t feel like it wants to jump out of your hand when you flip it open quickly like some other large folders do.

Handle Construction and Ergonomics

The Voyager handle is made of Cold Steel’s Grivory which is a glass reinforced polymer resin that I have always found to be tough and durable. The handle is heavily textured from one end to the other, and this texture is especially nice when using the Voyager XL in wet weather. I have used it often in the rain without any problems.

I have read a few complaints about the texture being too rough and a little uncomfortable, but I haven’t noticed that even though my hands are are soft and sissy from spending a lot of time writing, taking pictures, and caressing my reflection in the mirror instead of doing actual real man work. So I don’t think the rough texture will be an issue for most people.

One of the features of the Voyager XL that make it practical and fairly easy to use for everyday tasks is its large handle.

At 6.8 inches the handle is one of the largest of any pocket folder, and Cold Steel utilizes this space well to make the Voyager fairly versatile and easy to grip. There is a large finger groove on the front of the handle that helps make the handle more grippable, and there are two finger grooves on the back of the handle right where it forms a semi hook shape.

The rear finger grooves and the semi hook shape combine to provide an extremely secure grip when chopping or reaching to cut something. There have been several times I have found myself using this grip to slice through weeds, blackberry bushes or hard to reach fishing line caught in tree branches, which is a great testament to the knife handle’s utility. Less so my casting technique.

The area between the two sets of finger grooves is contoured, which helps make the handle more comfortable regardless of where you hold it.

While I personally like the shape and placement of the finger grooves on the Voyager XL handle, there are those who have complained that this handle limits the user’s grip options, and I have to concede that there is some truth to that. While the conventional saber grip is easy, the reverse grip is limited somewhat by the inability to put your thumb over the butt of the handle unless you have huge hands.

This doesn’t bother me much, because the unique chopping ability and added reach the long hooked handle give me are worth the few grip limitations they create. However, if I were looking for a large folding EDC primarily for tactical reasons the grip constraints may be an issue.

My limited tactical knife training consist mostly of getting my ass kicked in training knife sparring matches by a few friends who have been well trained in knife Eskrima. That probably makes me more of an expert than your average person, but I am not gonna pretend I am qualified to recommend the best tactical knife for you or your dog.

There are a few other cool details in the handle, like the fact that this knife has Cold Steel’s awesome tri-ad lock which may be the best back lock in the folding knife world.

This is especially important with a knife that has a blade long enough to take off four of your fingers if it were to fail at the wrong time. It also has 6061 heat treated aluminum liners which help make this knife more durable, and are partially responsible for it’s impressive weight of 7.4 ounces.

One of the most common complaints of this knife is how tight the clip is when the Voyager is new. It is definitely the tightest clip of any knife I have ever owned, and it will mark your pocket up pretty bad until it is broken in. If you’re that concerned about your pants, it can be ground down or you can put a nickel or two in the clip for a few days to loosen it up a bit.

Obviously I am not capable of doing a subjective review of this knife, because it is my favorite EDC, and I own a lot of knives. That being said, I love this knife, because it helps me do my job. I spend a lot of time in the wilderness taking photos, and having a knife that is basically a mini machete that also works well for camp food prep is great.

While I realize that my situation is unique, there is something to be said for the fact that this knife has been in production for over 15 years, because Cold Steel would not have kept selling and upgrading this knife if it were not popular. I’m guessing I’m not the only person out there who thinks it’s the handiest knife they own.

Considering the fact that this knife usually sells for around $50 I think it is steal for any knife enthusiast, but like I said before, I am not capable of objectivity when it comes to this knife. It’s great for pretty much everything I do outdoors.

I haven’t spent a lot of time talking about the tactical benefits of this knife, because I don’t feel qualified, but I think the sheer size of the Cold Steel Voyager XL might get you out of a potentially violent situation. It is pretty scary when it is opened and mildly scary when it is closed.

If you are wondering about the Tanto or Vaquero models of the Cold Steel XL check out the reviews on More Than Just Surviving . Their reviews are very thorough, and I think they usually write sober. Sobriety and thoroughness are two things you will rarely find on Nothing But Knives , because we still think incoherent enthusiasm somehow makes up for drunken laziness.

About Ben North

Ben started a twenty year commercial photography career after a blurry stint in the navy. He spent a lot of time losing and breaking knives and other EDC gear on location shoots before starting Nothing But Knives. He has reviewed and tested hundreds of both outdoor and kitchen knives over the course of the last six years, and he was mostly sober while testing and reviewing.

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Cold Steel Voyager Series Folding Knife with Tri-Ad Lock and Pocket... › Customer reviews

Customer reviews.

Cold Steel Voyager Series Folding Knife with Tri-Ad Lock and Pocket Clip, Tanto Serrated, Large

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