Typically, the knife world would kick off the new year at SHOT, the largest annual trade show for the shooting, hunting and firearms industry. It's where knife makers big and small reveal many of the new designs they plan to release over the coming months, and, as with every other trade show, it ain't happening until the pandemic subsides enough for large gatherings to be safe again.
That doesn't mean pocket knife makers have been sitting around twiddling their thumbs, though. Here's a sampling of what they've been working on.
Chris Reeve Knives Mnandi
Courtesy
Each year, knife nerds hotly anticipate whatever comes out of the Chris Reeve Knives shop, be it something new or an update. This year it's the latter. The company revised its folding Mnandi, giving it a thru-hole nail-nick for one- or two-handed opening and updating its steel to CPM S45VN, a newer type with excellent edge retention as well as significant corrosion resistance and toughness.
Regular sharpening is one of the fundamental steps in taking care of your pocket knives. WESN hopes to make the task more accessible with a grindstone small enough to fit in your pocket. One side is an electroplated diamond 400 grit plate, and the other is ceramic for fine-tuning. The little maintenance tool comes with a leather cover and weighs less than two ounces.
Orange is sort of Gear Patrol's thing — it coats the spine of all our print issues, among other things — so it's easy for us to be a fan of Victorinox's 2021 limited-edition Alox collection. The Swiss Army Knife maker added a dash of citrus to three models, the Classic Alox, the Pioneer X and the Hunter Pro.
Fundamental to Terrain 365's Invictus-ATC is its blade steel, which is a type called Terravantium. Terravantium is a super-steel that maxes out corrosion resistance. As in, it's 100 percent rust-proof and won't pit or break down due to elemental factors. As such, Terrain 365 says this knife is perfect for "exploring mysterious ruins deep in a jungle," though it's probably a safe bet for camping weekends too.
CRKT's 2021 lineup is full of oddities, including this super-compact fixed blade. By compact, we mean it's not even two inches long. It comes with a cap instead of a sheath and includes a loop for throwing on a keychain, so it's ready to tackle straightforward yet common tasks, like opening packages.
With a second gate, Nite Ize gave another compartment and an additional layer of security to its EDC carabiners. It reduces the risk that anything falls off when clipping and unclipping and lets you organize things between the two sections.
This is one of our picks for the best reading chairs you can buy thanks to its exceptional mid-century design and comfort. It's a chair you can sink into.
One of the most important things when packing — whether for a month-long vacation or a weekend backpacking trip — is efficiency. These packing cubes from Eagle Creek are one of our picks for the best packing cubes you can buy.
Not only does the PhoneSoap sanitize your phone without liquid or heat, but it charges your phone while it is doing it. This makes it perfect for your bedside, home desk, or kitchen counter.
Adidas Sambas have been gracing the pitch for decades and, as most things do, they've come around and captured the eye of stylish guys everywhere, from Jonah Hill to A$AP Rocky.
Over time, Calvin Klein underwear has become a standard in the style world. These are classics made from pure cotton — a super soft material that keeps you comfortable all day.
The Chill Mattress from Cocoon by Sealy provides excellent support, regardless of your sleeping position and is infused with a proprietary phase change material that absorbs and dissipates heat.
These Bose headphones are some of Gear Patrol's favorite noise-cancelling headphones of the past year, owing to excellent design and top-notch sound quality. Don't like this color? The black and white colorways are both on sale for $330.
An upgrade to the Nano 9, a Gear Patrol favorite, the Nano X doubles down on everything that was good about the previous iteration and makes it even better. This is our pick for the best CrossFit and HIIT workout shoe you can buy. Shop quick — sizing is limited.
Chucks have become a style icon for a reason. They are super affordable and look good with just about anything, making them the perfect shoe to buy in spring — they are your go-to's through fall.
If you want a mask with more protection and versatility than a simple cloth mask, check out this one from Outdoor Research. It has adjustable straps to keep your fit dialed and comes with three replaceable filters that block out 95 percent of particles.
This is an outrageous deal on an excellent Bluetooth speaker. It features eight hours of battery life, has integrated Siri and Google Now and looks good in any room, to boot.
Here you go, the perfect boot for spring. Todd Snyder always brings it when it comes to collaborations and this is no exception; this silhouette comes straight from the Sebago archives.
These water- and sweat-proof earbuds are our pick for the best workout earbuds. They have 6-hour battery life and are MIL-STD 810G certified, which means they have passed repeated shock, vibrations, drop, and crush tests as well as extended exposure to tropical humidity, hurricane-force water and desert sandstorm conditions.
Patagonia's Black Hole Duffel is one of the best packs around, so whenever it is on sale, we jump at the chance to snag one, even if it is purple. The 40L iteration is a versatile size ready for a weekend getaway or an extended trip.
For three years running, we’ve awarded the top slot to Mountain Hardwear’s Super/DS StretchDown jacket, and right now, at arguably the best time to buy a jacket, it’s on sale for 40 percent off. If you don't like the orange, there are other colors on sale at a lesser discount, as well.
Apple's premium AirPods have been hovering around $200 for a while now, which is a great deal. Competition is now fierce in this headphone category, but the quick pairing and native integration with Apple devices still makes the AirPods Pro tough to beat.
Aether makes some of the best technical wear in the biz. This waterproof jacket is packed with features, including a removable hood, numerous pockets, fully-taped seams and a powder skirt.
Flint and Tinder's bestselling jacket almost never goes on sale — usually only once a year, if you're lucky. Immensely warm and tough-as-nails, this is a heritage piece that you'll have forever. Now is the time to pick up this weather-resistant jacket for the cheapest price you'll ever see it.
Filson has been making some of the best gear to come out of the Pacific Northwest, and probably the whole country, for years. This tote is tough-as-hell and water-resistant — perfect for weekend trips to the farmers' market.
Originally a tennis shoe in the 80s, the Killshot 2 has become one of Nike's most coveted kicks. After years of only being available through J.Crew, they are now available in multiple colorways directly from Nike. They sell out almost every time they go on sale, so act fast to get yourself a pair.
Spring is coming and we're thinking hard about our next trips out into the wilderness. When it comes to backpacking gear, a good sleeping pad is one of the more important pieces you can have in your pack, so it is best to opt for quality. This insulated pad keeps you warm and cozy when the ground gets cold.
This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io