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Viktos FAQ

How do I clean and care for my Viktos gear?

• APPAREL
  • GENERAL CARE
    For apparel (outerwear, t-shirts, hoodies, pants, and shorts) detailed cleaning instructions can be found on the product label inside most garments. In addition to the instructions we provide, specific instructions by the manufacturer of technical fabrics should also be followed when applicable. In order to maximize the garment’s performance and lifespan, we offer these suggestions:
  • PRE-WASH PREPARATION
    We suggest closing all zippers, emptying all pockets, sealing all openings, and turning garments inside out before washing. As stated above, please follow the washing instructions that come printed on the interior label of your garment.
  • SPECIALTY FABRICS
    Some technical fabrics require specific products capable of cleaning without decreasing the fabrics performance. Unlike ordinary laundry detergents, these specialty products leave little to no residue.
  • LEATHER
    To prevent the natural aging of leather, we recommend treating all leather products with a cream or water based wax treatment. Please note that leather treatments may alter the leather’s original appearance, however, it will not affect the performance properties of the leather.
  • DURABLE WATER REPELLENT (DWR)
    Almost all of our waterproof and water-resistant gear is treated with a Durable Water Repellent (DWR) coating. As you wear and wash your gear, this coating gradually fades and eventually it must be reapplied. If your product no longer beads up when exposed to water, it’s time to treat your garment with a DWR finish.
    There are a variety of good DWR products on the market. Generally speaking, we suggest using a spray-on DWR treatment when applying between washes, and wash-in DWR treatments when laundering your garment. We also urge you to spot clean any necessary areas before applying DWR. Be sure to target seams and high-impact areas when applying. Finally, hang dry your garment for best results.
• GLOVES
  • GENERAL CARE
    For gloves, we recommend hand washing your gloves in cold water with mild laundry detergent or dish soap. Do not use bleach or solvents as they can damage your gloves. After washing, gloves should be air-dried at room temperature without the aid of an external heat source.
  • SPECIALTY FABRICS
    Some technical fabrics require specific products capable of cleaning without decreasing the fabrics performance. Unlike ordinary laundry detergents, these specialty products leave little to no residue.
  • LEATHER
    To prevent the natural aging of leather, we recommend treating all leather products with a cream or water based wax treatment. Please note that leather treatments may alter the leather’s original appearance, however, it will not affect the performance properties of the leather.
  • TEXTILE MATERIALS
    Textiles and fabrics can degrade over time if not properly cleaned or cared for on a regular basis. To extend the life of your gloves, we recommend following the general care instructions above.
• FOOTWEAR
  • GENERAL CARE
    We recommend cleaning your footwear with a soft, wet brush and clean water to remove dirt and mud. Viktos boots, shoes and sandals should then be air-dried at room temperature without the aid of an external heat source. Footwear should never be machine washed in any way.
  • LEATHER
    To prevent the natural aging of leather, we recommend treating all leather products with a cream or water based wax treatment. Please note that leather treatments may alter the leather’s original appearance, however, it will not affect the performance properties of the leather.
  • TEXTILE MATERIALS
    Textiles and fabrics can degrade over time if not properly cleaned or cared for on a regular basis. To extend the life of the products, we recommend following the general care instructions above.
  • INTERIOR
    Interior liners, insoles, and midsoles should be kept clean and free of dirt and mud to prevent bacteria build up and premature aging.
  • LACES
    Laces have the potential to be damaged over the life of the product and should be replaced accordingly.

Where are your products made?
VIKTOS is a USA based company, comprised of a small group of dedicated individuals, many of whom are veterans. Our business operations are based in our Wisconsin headquarters. We manufacture the majority of our products in Asia. While we dream of a day when we can produce more of our product line at home, the lack of domestic technical softgoods manufacturing capabilities, combined with very real economic factors, currently precludes that choice. We believe in our country and continue to explore every manner of expanding our domestic softgoods manufacturing percentage.

What does the One-Year manufacturing guarantee cover?
VIKTOS LLC stands behinds its products with a one-year workmanship & materials warranty for all VIKTOS products purchased thru VIKTOS or an authorized dealer.

Damage due to wear and tear such as rips, tears, UV degradations, abrasions, neglect, misuse, abuse, or the natural breakdown of materials or adhesives over time will not be covered by the manufacturers guarantee.

The following is a list of “normal wear and tear” damage categories that will not be eligible for repair or replacement: Human error, snags, scrapes, holes cause by owner, fabric caught in zippers, unauthorized repairs, uses outside of intended uses, contact with other fabrics, issues with fit over time, zipper malfunctions, failure to follow care instructions, odor, burns of any kind, fading from sunlight, fabric or zippers stressed beyond their intended use, and damage from pets or animals.

What is the Ultimate Backpack? - Mystery Ranch

By: Zach Lazzari

I’m a gear junkie. That’s a problem because I live on the road full-time. Saving space in my camper is critical, which is why choosing the perfect backpack is so important to me. I can only carry one backpack and prefer something that will handle ultralight overnight trips but also has the capacity for a week-long hunting or fishing trip.

Finding the perfect pack to handle those miles requires a good amount of research and testing. I sat down with MYSTERY RANCH ambassadors Becky Switzer and Lindsey Davis and Director of Sales, Ben Nobel, to better understand what makes the ultimate backpack.

Know Your Load Requirements and Understand the Features

Choosing a pack off the shelf requires an understanding of capacity. You’ll want to start with your longest trip and work backward. You’ll need a pack capable of handling your most extensive trip but also one that’s not overkill for simple overnighters. The load you carry will also influence your pack choice, but all MR packs are designed for hauling weight

.

Capacity varies by model, but the new BRIDGER series and TERRAFRAME are great all-around lines for overnighters to longer-haul trips and everything in between. Nobel says, “For shorter, lightweight trips, the BRIDGER series checks all the boxes, but a Terraframe will be your new best friend if you’re going deep.”

After settling on capacity and narrowing down the pool of contenders, it’s time to examine features. Nearly every pack on the market boasts a list of features, but savvy shoppers will pay special attention to zipper construction, lashing points, access to the main compartment and external pockets. Detachable lids are also excellent for breaking off from basecamp with a lighter load. Peak bagging, fishing and short exploratory trips from camp are all the better with a simple day pack.

Switzer says, “I enjoy packs with useful lids, and if the lid can detach and become a day pack, even better. I also enjoy having a couple outside stuff pockets for things like snacks and my BeFree bottle. Eating and drinking on the go is how I operate, so having those items easily accessible is key.”

For Davis, the ultra vest-style harness on the BRIDGER backpacks allows quick access to gear, which is particularly important when time is of the essence. “Having so many smart, accessible pockets means fewer stops to take my pack on and off to grab necessities. It’s great to have bear spray, sunscreen, snacks, and my camera all stashed in front for easy access.”

Photographers, anglers, hunters and anyone wanting access to gear throughout the day will benefit from MR designs. The external pockets and multiple access points make for a convenient and highly-customizable setup.

Finding the Perfect Fit

In the world of backpacking, fit is everything. Blisters, injuries and stress from a poorly fitted pack quickly sour a trip. Hip straps riding too low will wear on your muscles, and sagging shoulder straps will leave you sore.

Not everyone has the same build, and Switzer recommends fitting your torso first. She explains, “Although I’m an average height for a female, my torso length is quite short. For most unisex pack styles, even if they’re small, many companies use small/medium if they are only making two frame sizes, and they are too long in the torso for me. So my first rule when pack-fitting is to find a pack that fits my torso length.”

This is no simple task with the standardized sizes available on the market – too many backpacks are designed for a limited range of common body types. MR excels with adjustable torso lengths that create an exact fit. I’m also short in the torso and have owned packs that never quite settle the load correctly. The fine-tuning options in the MR pack’s adjustable Futura yoke makes all the difference, especially when I’m hauling a heavier load.

Nobel understands the importance of designing backpacks for as many people as possible. “Every suspension frame on the market is curved, which is fine if your spine is the perfect fit for that curve, but it’s challenging if you’re slightly off.”

Instead, MYSTERY RANCH designs the straight frames where the shaping is done in the harness. “For 40 years, we’ve done load carriage and fit studies, and what we found is every spine is a bit different. By fitting the person through the harness, we can get a perfect fit for a much larger spectrum of people. This way, you don’t have to be a perfect fit for that pack for it to fit perfectly.”

Davis appreciates the speed and simplicity of pack fitting that the BRIDGER series offers. “The Endurance Yoke on the BRIDGER packs takes the guessing game out of pack fitting. This system is so quick and easy to use that nothing is there to keep you from finding the perfect pack fit.”

Nobel confirms the MR approach to pack-fitting. He says, “Our focus is, and always has been, to build the best load-bearing packs on the market. So for anyone who has ever suffered through a trip with a pack that didn’t carry its weight well, switching to MR will change your life.”

Airflow

Airflow is a final consideration when deciding what makes up the ultimate backpack. A backpack can meet your load requirements, have an excellent feature set, fit correctly, but if it’s a hot, sweaty mess, you’re likely to grab a different bag. One thing to know about airflow is that it often works inversely with load capacity; the more load capacity, the less airflow. At least that’s the case with most packs on the market.

Nobel says, “Most packs out there feel fine until about the 30-pound range, which is when they start to buckle. So it was a big deal for us to get to the 40-50 pound range with a ventilated body panel. We’ve come a long way with body panels to become more breathable in terms of ventilation and breathability. Our packs feature both vertical and horizontal channels airways.”

Davis enjoys the bi-directional airflow in the BRIDGER packs. “MR has rethought and streamlined this harness to cut the bulk and create space in the lumbar for open airflow, which is comfortable on long, sweaty trail days!”

Testing Off the Shelf

Backpackers struggle to find the right pack off the shelf because everything looks good, and there are no options for field testing. Other than testing a friend’s pack with a full load, ordering online or shopping in the store limits your ability to really feel load distribution. Pay extra close attention to the fit in the store and choose a backpack designed for your body.

When Switzer fits a pack, she pays close attention to positioning. “The waist belt will be appropriately situated at your hips versus your waist or lower down your butt. The lumbar support should be hitting your lower back, and the shoulder harness should be wrapping your shoulders and meeting the pack body for appropriate load distribution and manipulation.”

This simple system for store fitting is essential. MR takes things a step further by providing detailed sizing based on the adjustable

yoke design. It still helps to see and feel the backpack in person, but you can get the sizing right sight unseen.

Nobel is confident in the unique sizing system designed by the team. He says, “Fortunately, MYSTERY RANCH has taken all the guesswork out of pack-fitting. Simply match the pack to your jacket size, adjust the yoke, and you’re done. We build the easiest packs to fit on the market.”

Finding the right fit is flat-out easy with MR, and the features are designed and implemented based on feedback from the most adventurous backcountry experts around. The durability, comfort, and performance create the ultimate backpack for your next adventure.

Good Luck Bucks - Mystery Ranch

By: Paul Kemper

Traditions take many forms. For some, it’s opening day deer camp at the family cabin. For others, it’s meeting at the end of the year to catch up on the season’s hunts. For Montana natives Doug Krings and Dan McMaster, it’s been chasing critters with a stick and string. This year, Doug, Dan, and I started a new tradition.

I met Doug five years ago at a Montana Backcountry Hunters and Anglers state chapter campout. We had many mutual friends but never met each other in person; when we did, we immediately bonded over our shared love of shooting single-string bows. We’ve hunted deer, bears, and turkeys together, and Doug was the person I stopped to see after I killed my first elk with my recurve. We’ve been through the wringer in the backcountry, and I consider Doug one of my closest friends. I met Dan one night over a few beers while sharing hunting stories in Doug’s living room before heading to elk camp, where we hit it off immediately.

For years, Dan fought fires for the BLM. He traveled to many states before finally settling on a small island in Southeast Alaska. Dan has a network of friends who hunt blacktails in Southeast Alaska, but all are rifle hunters. Dan is a bowhunter through and through, so this year, Dan pitched the idea of an early-season alpine traditional bow hunt for velvet blacktails. Dan didn’t have to twist our arms–we were in.

Doug has been to Alaska for quite a few hunts, but I’ve only been once in a completely different part of the state. We spent the summer preparing for the trip, not knowing what a Southeast Alaska hunt would demand from us. We shot multiple 3D archery courses, ran, and hiked with weighted packs through the smoke of an awful fire season under the Big Sky.

We arrived in Southeast Alaska in a stretch of uncharacteristically beautiful weather. With a three-day window before a big front rolled in, we dumped our bags, repacked, and put boots-to-dirt four hours after touching down. Our packs were heavy, and our spirits were high.

We passed a group of cruise ship tourists on a stopover hike on the trail. They took photos as we clipped by.

“Are you guys hunting?” one tourist asked.
“Not yet, but we’re en route,” I replied.
“What are you hunting?” the tourist followed up.
“Deer and grouse if all goes as planned,” I said.
“Wow! With bows? Good luck!” the tourist finished, and we parted ways.

I thought about that interaction as we climbed the mountain. Such a funny juxtaposition: a ragtag bunch of camo-clad, stick bow-toting guys on a full-fledged do-it-yourself adventure in the Alaskan wilderness; and groomed tourists on an ultra-pasteurized, hyper-curated cruise “adventure.”

Onward we marched.

As we climbed, the trail changed from dirt to boardwalk. I’m still unsure how I feel about those planks. Being elevated above the soggy ground made for easier walking, but pounding out 2,600 feet of elevation gain with a 60-pound pack and jarring contact on every step made you wonder if the squishy ground wouldn’t give our hips and knees some reprieve. After stopping for water at 1,500 feet, we donned our packs once more and made the final push to the top.

Soon, the dense rainforest thinned as we crested into the alpine. Miles of muskeg interspersed with patchy timber sprawled as we left the ferns and devil’s club behind us. We slipped off our packs, set up camp, and began glassing.

Off the west end of our perch, we glassed our first deer. A lone doe bedded on the edge of the trees overlooking an interlocked chain of muskeg. We saw another lone deer–a buck–bedded below a rimrock and alder bank off the east side. We took notes as the sunset and built a fire to get dinner rolling.

Dan packed in a bag of spot prawns he caught not far off the island and surprised Doug and me with the delicacy around the fire. After a whirlwind day of travel, packing, hiking, and glassing, this unexpected treat was what campfire dreams are made of.

Another juxtaposition flooded my mind. I started my morning in an airport with hundreds of people and processed food; I ended my day on top of a mountain, eating spot prawns over a campfire overlooking a saltwater bay. I’ve never described protein as sweet, but those prawns were the sweetest and most delicious protein I’ve ever had. Soon after, three satiated, sore, and happy hunters drifted off to sleep.

The following day we were up with the sun and put our glass to work. Hunkered in at camp, we scoured the lush green, salad-covered hillsides for carrot-colored bucks with velvet headgear. Almost immediately, we started picking up deer moving across the hillsides. The number of deer excited us, but we knew finding success was an entirely different challenge with only bucks being legal.

Blacktails are funny creatures. They prance like a caribou across the muskeg, moving effortlessly and silently where two-legged creatures get swallowed by the bog. They have whitetail antlers with mule deer faces and a gorgeous double throat patch. In the summer, they are orangish with short, stubby legs and bodies that look like a sausage about to burst through its casing.

We watched these Vienna sausages feed, bed, and disappear into the thick cover across the tops of the island. Once they were out of sight, we moved to get the wind right and still-hunt our way through the sparse timber, hoping to catch the flick of an ear or a head turn before getting spotted. The plan was bulletproof from a distance, but moving quietly and slowly through the new terrain was a learning experience of its own.

The ground was mysterious and left me with no obvious way to plan an approach. What looked solid would swallow my leg to my crotch. What looked soft would support two people sneaking in a line–until it wouldn’t. We operated in a maze of guessing our next steps as we attempted to get close to the deer. In Montana, I’m used to trying to avoid pinecones, branches, and cactus in the final moments of a stalk. In Alaska, I was just hoping to stay above ground.

Doug and I set out after the deer we spotted that morning while Dan picked his way through patches of cover off the backside of our camp. Stalk after stalk, and we’d freeze in our tracks as a doe would step out within bow range. Only bucks are legal, so we took the time to enjoy the encounter. Upon arrival, the bedding area looked completely different from our morning perch.

Still-hunting our way through the alders led us to the ledge where we watched a buck bed the night before. An almost sheer face covered in wet vegetation was our only path down. After a hellacious approach on a soaked cliff face, we decided to take our chances with vegetation. After a few hours of cursing, slipping, and sliding down the mountain, we made it to the open muskeg. Looking back up the grade, Doug and I both questioned our sanity.

Over and over for the next three days, we repeated unsuccessful stalks through an uncharted country. On the fourth day, the clouds rolled in, so we decided to pack camp and try our luck on old logging roads where we hoped to glass for deer at lower elevations between the shifting clouds. But first, we recharged with a shower, a hot meal, and some coastal fishing off the island.

We spent a day stocking up on salmon, halibut, prawns, and crab in the pouring rain. Dan’s dad, Dick, was in town with his childhood friend Olie, so we took the time to share stories, secure some food for the trip back, and plan the last leg of the hunt.

Most of the island is public land. We scoured our maps and located a few areas with considerable road access that allowed us to cover the mountain from bottom to top and back down again. We chose mobility over how remote a place was to be fluid and move with visibility. We glassed muskegs during peak hours and still-hunted through swaths of cut timber, trying to make the most of our time.

We pulled out all stops on the last night, still-hunting muskegs on some public ground close to town. There was nowhere for the water to drain down the mountain at the lower elevation, so it sat and pooled and waited under the muskeg for an unsuspecting hunter to step and swallow him whole. Does crossed in the distance between timber patches in the center of the muskeg. Doug and I flanked the thick forest that formed the fringe of the muskeg in a push reminiscent of the two-person deer drives I did as a kid during the Pennsylvania flintlock season. Staggered, we carefully stepped along the edges, trying to stay above ground.

From across the fog, I saw Doug freeze as a doe slipped towards me. I sank up to my knees as the doe trotted by, and a buck approached from behind her. He stepped out at 60 yards, well out of my effective distance, and we locked eyes. We examined each other, him moving effortlessly across the soggy ground–me buried and stuck. He floated away silently as I wiggled my way out of the earth and walked back to the truck with Doug under the cover of darkness.

We ate halibut, spot prawns, and crab back at the house. We shared stories from the trip, from hunts gone by, and plotted what we’d do differently the next time we chased blacktails in Southeast Alaska. The night disappeared, as did the food and a few beers, and I thought about crossing paths with the tourist at the trailhead.

‘Good luck!’ rang in my head. So many close calls and almosts; we couldn’t get close enough to close the deal, and we were leaving tired and battered. But looking around, I couldn’t help but be grateful for how lucky I was–for these people, for this place, for these experiences and lessons learned, and for this new tradition. Because the best part about building a tradition is knowing there is always next year.

Meet Green Beret Veteran Sam Alexander - Mystery Ranch

Sam Alexander is a veteran of the U.S. Army who served as a Green Beret (Special Forces).

After returning home from the Army, he got a business degree to benefit his native tribe, the Gwich’in. The Gwich’in are the northernmost Indian Nation living in fifteen small villages scattered across a vast area extending from northeast Alaska in the U.S. to the northern Yukon and Northwest Territories in Canada.

Sam started an adventure travel company, Latitude Six-Six, that would immerse travelers in “the full Alaska experience––seeing the land and the local native culture through native guides as well as through visiting local communities.” After starting the company and being so-called “successful,” he noticed that his fellow veterans were really struggling with not only finding their own way to serve but finding their passion for life post-service.

The mental challenges that veterans face are unimaginable, and the mental toll is unbearable for many on their own, so having access to proper healthcare is essential. Unfortunately, not everyone has easy access to the services they are promised post-service–especially those who live in remote areas, like Native Alaskan veterans. Many of these folks have to travel hours for a simple doctor’s visit. With such profound limitations, the result is veterans who do not prioritize their mental care and may be more prone to suicide.

Sam believes that suicide prevention requires two things, the first being mental healthcare. He put’s the second thing like this, “Find your service after service.” Finding your obligation to and role within your community is critical. You must become a functional member of your society, whether that’s your job, family, kid’s sports team, neighborhood, or anything else in between. It doesn’t need to be grand and elaborate like Sam’s story, but it does need to allow you to serve others. Service combined with actively taking care of your mental health drastically decreases the chances of suicide and suicidal thoughts.

After service, many veterans experience feeling as if they are forgotten. These veterans have sacrificed for our country and stood on the front lines only to come home and not be able to access their well-deserved benefits. It’s time to step up to the plate and help our veteran’s voices be heard. Who are we as citizens and as a country if we don’t help those who have helped us?

We partnered with our friends at Mission Roll Call, an organization dedicated to providing veterans with a powerful, unified voice that our Nation’s leaders heard, to create a short film called Niveh T’ah’in (Warrior). This short film is centered around Sam’s transition from the U.S. Army to a life of taking care of Alaska by taking care of her native people. A story of service, humility, and loyalty. Coming November 30th.

If you have a story, message, or insight, please get in touch with us so that we can help make your voice heard.

We’ll leave with this proverb, “The tongue can paint what the eyes can’t see.” Thank you, or as Gwich’ins would say, “mahsi.”

Lightening the Load - Mystery Ranch

Fixed to Folding: Our Evolution Continues - Toor Knives

An Inside Look at the 2021 Krypteia - Toor Knives

Hello from San Diego!

I’m happy to say that it’s THAT TIME, once again, here at Toor Knives…time for another epic blade to drop, that is!

After about 5 months of R&D and production, the team is extremely happy to see the Krypteia starting to get packaged, to ship. We have already received a large number of questions about the shape, design, and material changes, so I wanted to take a moment and go into detail about the updated version of this blade.

In early 2018 we launched the original Krypteia on the premise of creating a strong, concealable, smaller knife. It was an instant hit and immediately became a Toor best-seller. This knife allowed us to really dive into the “clandestine” style of blade, creating knives that could be carried on your kit in combat operations or inside the waistband on a night out with the family. We were able to use materials like cpm154 steel and charcoal dymalux, while creating an ergonomic shape that fit well in the hand but was also small enough to conceal.

In late 2020, we decided to refine the Krypteia even more. At this time, our team noticed an extreme demand for the utilitarian side of using the blade, while also having a tactical shape for self-defense or combative applications. In order to meet this demand, we took aspects of another one of our best-selling heritage blades, The Raider, and tied it into this new version of the Krypteia. Our goal was to create a midsize fighting knife with enough blade mass for utility work but still have key aspects of a tactical knife, such as a false edge and narrow tip for stabbing. We hit the drawing board and made it through 4 other profile shapes before we finally nailed the design on the 5th try, and the 2021 Krypteia was born.

The Krypteia now comes standard with ¼” cpm s35vn steel, which provides much more blade mass and allows for extremely tough work. We added a 120-degree false edge down to the tip, with 45-degree chamfers all the way around the blade to remove any sharp corners for extra comfort when concealing. Additionally, we thinned out the G10 handle, so the overall thickness is just over .6” thick and also gave it a smooth texture for extra grip and comfort, when carrying.

Our blades are always purpose-built and the Krypteia is an extremely versatile knife that should meet any need you require. Each one is made here in East County San Diego, by our talented team, and includes a Toor Knives KYDEX® sheath compatible with all our mounts.

For those of you looking for a blade that you can count on in any situation, here it is. Who knows, maybe you will see it one day as standard issue military gear. We can be hopeful, right?

The Krypteia will be available exclusively on www.toorknives.com, beginning on January 29th at 5pm PST. If you haven't already done so, sign up now on the site for an email notification that will let you know the moment inventory goes live - DON'T MISS OUT!

As always, the entire Toor Team is grateful for your continued support!

Connor

2021 Serpent - Toor Knives

Here at Toor, we first introduced what we called “The Serpent” back in 2017. It was a fixed blade ringed knife with a hand ground bevel, acid etch finish, and a glue-on handle in 6 color variations. We used steel pins to secure the handle and hand pressed a KYDEX® sheath around the blade.

We were learning.

Although “The Serpent” was an amazing knife, our desire was to make it even better. So, for the last three years we have really invested quite a bit of time to develop our internal process to refine that blade even more.

In 2018 we offered our new Serpent with a handle material called Dymalux, which is a poly-laminate wood material similar to a skateboard deck. With Connor’s experience in the skate industry, and basically growing up in a skateboard manufacturing facility, he knew that this material was incredibly strong. With this knowledge, we were now able to machine in a zig-zag texture pattern for better grip and fasten the handle to the blade using stainless steel screws.

Again, the result was another incredible blade, but we still wanted to improve it.

At this point, our biggest setback were the screws. Everything we found out in the marketplace for handle screws were shit, in our opinion. We were looking for a small diameter button head screw, with a Torx driver, and thread strength of an 8-32 so there would be more steel engaging the screw post to ensure they would never strip. After quite a bit of frustration, we stopped searching and decided to develop our own Toor screw.

For about 2 years now, we have been custom machining all our handle screws and it has vastly improved the overall strength of our 2018 Serpent, but we just weren’t done improving this blade yet.

As 2019 came to a close, we made it our goal to dedicate the next 6 months to refining the blade bevel and re-address the shape and material of the handle, once again. We went back to the drawing board, re-shaped the handle and added a belly for a little bit more mass. From there, we refined the finish of the blade with key features like the thumb jimping on the spine, chamfered corners all around the ring and handle, and added a 120-degree false edge along the front spine.

Additionally, we re-addressed a corrosion resistance issue from our 2018 model. We decided to stick with the incredibly tough cpm3v steel. Its toughness is due to the higher carbon level and lower alloys in the steel, so it is more susceptible to rust. It’s a bit of a give and take situation and we’ve decided to use KG Gunkote to offset the negative in the steel and seal all the blades. This results in you getting the toughest steel out there with 100% corrosion resistance.

We also focused on the water resistance in the handle and decided to go with a G10 handle, as the multiple layers of laminated fiberglass, sealed by an epoxy resin, make it virtually indestructible. After using all these materials, and correcting a few design flaws, we felt we now had the best (and strongest) blade on the market. As an extra bonus, we custom-designed a diamondback handle texture pattern that suited the “Serpent” and added incredible grip to the knife, when wet. Finally, we finished it with one of our brand-new 2021 Flex-Tech KYDEX® sheaths with retention adjustability and friction offsets to reduce blade rattle.

We did it, folks - our best blade is now EVEN BETTER!

Everyone here at Toor Knives genuinely appreciates your patience and all the overwhelming support in getting us to this point – THANK YOU!

How to properly fit and adjust your backpack - Eberlestock