The third iteration of the Trident AT from Studies and Observations Group is a great pocket knife for first responders or to keep in the car for emergency situations. It comes in a few different blade profiles and colors. I happened to get my hands on the updated Red and Black Tanto blade before it released this month. So if you’re liking what I have to say about this knife, there’s a good chance you can grab one very soon on the SOG website.
First, let’s get into a little history of SOG knives and where their philosophy comes from. SOG stands for Studies and Observations Group. There have been a few instances of SOG over the years but the most famous is the MACV-SOG. This was a CIA lead initiative during the Vietnam war to conduct special reconnaissance on enemy supply and troop movements in countries we were never officially operating in during the conflict. Basically, this brand draws its name from a small group of operators completing daring missions far from the support of a main body. If they got into trouble, self-rescue was often their best option for survival and the Trident AT does a good job of representing that mentality. This knife is simply built to help you get yourself (or others) out of danger.
Trident AT Features and Specs:
- SERIES: Mark 3
- WEIGHT: 5.15oz/145g
- CLOSED LENGTH: 5.33in/135mm
- STEEL: Cryo D2
- HANDLE: GRN
- FINISH: Titanium Nitride
- OVERALL LENGTH: 9.03in/229mm
- BLADE Length: 3.7in/94mm
- MSRP: $105.95
How it achieves its status as a rescue knife is through a few key features. First off, there is a glass breaker that is accessible when the knife is closed. There are a thousand reasons why you might need to punch out some glass to make an exit from whatever vehicle or building you are in so I really like that this feature is readily available as soon as you pull the knife out. Second, it has a line/seatbelt cutter built-in. With the glass breaker and seatbelt cutter being available as soon as you pull the knife, it makes a very quick tool for pulling unconscious people out of a vehicle when time is of the essence.
Authors note on the seatbelt cutter:
This knife has a safety and you’re gonna want to keep it on if you plan on using the seatbelt cutter. It’s an assisted open knife, so there is a chance that the pressure of that blade against a line is going to cause the blade to spring open. Not necessarily a big deal since you can just use the blade to cut the seatbelt at that point. But you’ll have to take precaution not to cut yourself or the person you’re trying to rescue with that blade. Last, it has a Tanto blade profile. Tanto profile blades have long been used because their penetration and tip retention abilities are outstanding.
“Optimized for critical response, Trident AT balances purposeful designwith heavy duty performance and reliability. Featuring an ambidextrousrapid open AT-XR Lock, CRYO D2 steel blade, line cutter AT’s versatilityis matched only by its aptitude to enhance each user’s capabilities inany critical situation.” – sogknives.com
Other Features Worth Mentioning
The clip is reversible for left or right-handed carry, it has a lanyard loop for retention if needed, and the grip texture is astounding. The texture might be a little hard on your clothes, but you will not lose grip on this knife in case your hands become wet, bloody, or covered in medical lube. The blade is well centered, opens easily with the thumb stud and is big enough to do some serious survival or self-defense work with. It’s also coated with titanium nitride for corrosion resistance and the steel is cryogenically hardened.
As I said earlier, this knife should be available soon. Weighing in at just over 5 ounces with almost a 4-inch blade make the Trident AT an impressive option. Every version of the Trident will only set you back $105.95 MSRP. Which I think is a steal. They’re much more expensive knives out there that do not come with as many features useful in responding to an emergency than this. Like the brand name implies, if you need to self-rescue or get others out of a bad situation because support is a ways away… the Trident AT will DEFINITELY increase your capabilities to do that.
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