{"id":141930,"date":"2025-04-02T13:21:51","date_gmt":"2025-04-02T13:21:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/skin.club\/community?p=141930"},"modified":"2025-11-05T12:28:01","modified_gmt":"2025-11-05T12:28:01","slug":"top-5-favorite-skins-by-banks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/community.skin.club\/en\/news\/top-5-favorite-skins-by-banks","title":{"rendered":"Banks Reveals His Top 5 Favorite CS Skins"},"content":{"rendered":"

I get asked by a lot of people what my<\/span> top 5 Counter-Strike skins <\/b>are and why, so I thought rather than just replying on stream or on social media, I would write an article about it, list them all out, and explain why.<\/span><\/p>\n

To start with, I should say that I\u2019m more of a personal Counter-Strike skin collector. I don\u2019t try to go for the lowest float or the rarest patterns\u2014I choose all my skins and loadout based on what I personally like. Some of them I haven\u2019t been able to purchase yet, and others I\u2019ve been lucky enough to get over time.<\/span><\/p>\n

For me, collecting Counter-Strike skins is about enjoyment, not investment. I like to have the skins I enjoy the most, which is probably why one of them is saved for last\u2014even though I don\u2019t use the weapon much in-game, I love the skin.<\/span><\/p>\n

5 \u2013 Talon Knife | Doppler (Ruby)\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"Talon<\/p>\n

For a long time, I was a huge fan of the<\/span> Karambit<\/b>\u2014it was my go-to knife\u2014but once I saw the <\/span>Talon Knife<\/b> that came out in the<\/span> August 2018 update<\/b>, that changed. I feel like this comes down to personal preference, because I meet a lot of people who<\/span> ONLY<\/b> like Karambits, and others who only like Talons. I like both, but the Talon has become <\/span>my personal favorite<\/b>.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>I really enjoy the lighter bone-colored handle, especially on my <\/span>Ruby,<\/b> which makes it pop more when you\u2019re looking at it. I don\u2019t like it when it\u2019s too dark. The animation perk of a constant loop is also a big win for me\u2014just holding it down as I run, spinning it freely in the air.<\/span><\/p>\n

4 \u2013 AK-47 | Wild Lotus<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"AK-47<\/p>\n

This might be a more obvious choice for many, but it\u2019s actually one I don\u2019t currently have. Right now, I\u2019m using the <\/span>AK-47 | Vulcan<\/span><\/a>, which is one of the classics.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>The <\/span>Wild Lotus<\/span><\/a>, for me, is the perfect AK skin. If you\u2019ve seen me at events, you\u2019ll know I have a traditional Japanese tattoo sleeve on my left arm, and my chest features lotus flowers. The lotus is a very prominent flower in Japanese culture, also known as \u201chasu\u201d. This design is so clean, stands out beautifully, and on some maps like <\/span>Mirage<\/b>, <\/span>Dust2<\/b>, and <\/span>Anubis<\/b>, I think it looks its absolute best. One day I\u2019ll get my hands on this beauty!<\/span><\/p>\n

3 \u2013 Skeleton Knife | Case Hardened (Blue Gem)\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"Skeleton<\/p>\n

Honestly, this is the only Case Hardened I really like. I don\u2019t own it, but I\u2019ve been borrowing it for quite some time from a friend. The dream would be to get the <\/span>#403 pattern<\/b>, but I don\u2019t think I could ever justify getting that skin for myself\u2014unless I become a millionaire. There are just other things I\u2019d spend money on. The 96% blue on the play side with that pattern is just perfect.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Paired with some really nice gloves, this is actually the <\/span>best knife in the game for me<\/b>. It just can\u2019t be beaten. It\u2019s also one of the weapons that gets commented on the most when I\u2019m playing. As with my Talon Knife, I love the spinning animation, which is another reason I love it so much!<\/span><\/p>\n

2 \u2013 M4A4 | Howl\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"M4A4<\/p>\n

The craziest situation we\u2019ve had in Counter-Strike\u2014the gun was added to the<\/span> Huntsman Collection<\/b> but then removed on<\/span> June 11, 2014<\/b>, over 11 years ago now, due to copyright issues. For those who don\u2019t know, this is the <\/span>ONLY contraband skin in the game<\/b>. The only other contraband is a sticker. This happened because the original artwork belonged to an artist who did not give permission for it to be used in the game, so Valve had to take action. However, those who already had the skin got to keep it.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>This is one of the skins most players dream of. I often drop it for teammates so they can play a few rounds with it. It\u2019s highly valued. The story of how I got this skin goes back to the <\/span>Stockholm Major<\/b> in <\/span>2021<\/b>, where I bought it for myself as a present. It was to commemorate the <\/span>first Major I worked as a stage host<\/b>\u2014a huge turning point in my career\u2014and I wanted to have something to remember that milestone forever. I\u2019ve used it nonstop ever since and don\u2019t think I\u2019ll ever sell it. It\u2019s the most beautiful and <\/span>unique M4A4 skin<\/span><\/a>\u2014truly special because of how limited it is.<\/span><\/p>\n

1 \u2013 AWP | Dragon Lore\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"AWP<\/span><\/p>\n

Over the years, as more AWP skins have been released, we\u2019ve seen players gravitate toward some of the more modern options like the <\/span>Desert Hydra<\/span><\/a> or <\/span>Medusa<\/span><\/a>. But for me, the AWP <\/span>Dragon Lore<\/span><\/a> still stands as the best original design we\u2019ve ever had\u2014and <\/span>one of the rarest<\/b>. It\u2019s still used by many top players and carries a lot of <\/span>legacy<\/b>.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>The Dragon Lore was released as part of the <\/span>Cobblestone Collection<\/b> and, for me, hits all the nostalgia that watching Counter-Strike during that era brings. It even makes me wish for Cobblestone to return. The Dragon Lore became a symbol of the elite at the time and still holds its place today, with many of the best players equipping one of the most valuable skins in the game\u2014even before you apply any stickers.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Everything about this skin was carefully thought out, down to the smallest detail. It isn\u2019t a simple design, but it\u2019s aesthetically pleasing. The green and black scope contrasts perfectly with the rest of the skin, and the dragon breathing fire\u2014<\/span>it\u2019s just EPIC<\/b>. No detail was missed.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>This is another one I don\u2019t currently own, mainly because I don\u2019t AWP much, but it\u2019s a dream skin of mine and definitely one I hope to purchase one day.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>While I don\u2019t currently own the skin, I did upgrade to a<\/span> Battle-Scarred <\/b>version on<\/span> Skin.Club <\/b>while I was live on stream\u2014check out the video below:<\/span><\/p>\n