TALON KNIFE

The utility of carrying a knife every day is something that really can't be overstated. Even in the tasks associated with the relatively mundane routine of publishing a magazine brings with it numerous situations made easier with a blade close-at-hand. Be it for simply opening the mail, cutting open packages, or fine work basic enough not to require speciality tools, having a blade on hand can save everywhere from the few seconds it would take to grab a letter opener, to your life. And while we thankfully haven't yet found ourselves in a situation in which we had to use a knife to escape mortal peril, we can definitely think of a few instances ranging from roadside repairs to nearly-ruined range days in which a knife or multi-tool has saved us from untold heartache.

But if there's one knock we've got with carrying such a device, it's that they're usually either too small to be useful, or too big to be comfortable... especially in these overly warm dog days of summer. But the Talon knife handily skirts this issue by being both tiny, and yet still incredibly useful. With a blade that measures 1.75" long and nearly 0.75" across at its widest point, the entire package weighs just 2.5 ounces when placed inside its Kydex sheath, and measures roughly 5" long, sheathed.

So how does the Talon manage to balance that meaty little blade on the end of a knife that measure just over 4" long? By sticking the blade on the end of what amounts to handle loop. Held by sticking your middle and forefinger through the loop, the Talon is hooked securely onto your hand and requires very little effort to grip, while also placing less strain on your wrist. Interestingly, this also means you can essentially have the Talon firmly grasped while gripping another object in the same hand; making it an absolutely wonderful emergency knife. In a way, it allows you to have a knife in one hand, while still keeping both hands free, should you need them.

But it's not a one-trick pony. Sure, its tiny and innovative design make it a great emergency and tactical knife, but if we're honest it's been the Talon's more "knifey" properties that have had us carrying it with a high degree of frequency. As real fans of truly razor-sharp knives, the Talon rewarded our efforts with the sharpening stones with a stellar edge, and thanks to its hardness rating of 58-60RC, it's held that edge extremely well. And while we've yet to use it to cut our way out of a capsized kayak or slash a constricting seatbelt, we have gained quite an appreciation for its abilities while handling the aforementioned boring tasks like opening the mail. You never quite realize how annoying it is to juggle a letter opener and a handful or mail until you don't need to.

While it does ship with an impressive complement of accessories (the sheath, a necklace to hang it from, additional paracord wraps in various tactical tones, and a clip to secure said sheath to all manner of clothing) that certainly do make it quite the versatile package, the Talon isn't for everyone... literally. Due to the unique grip style, each knife actually needs to be sized correctly for its owner's fingers, lest you end up with a knife that can't be gripped properly. So, Outdoor Pursuits has sizing instructions on their website, and various sizes to fit all sorts of fingers. Also, those additional paracord wraps included in the box can be used to snug up a slightly loose fit, if need be.

In fact, after quite a bit of use, we've only managed to come up with one issue with the Talon, and it's not even much of one: although designed in the United States, and distributed in Canada by an authorized distributor (always a boon for post-purchase services), the Talon remains made in China. But to its credit, if it didn't have "China" laser-etched on an exposed portion of the handle, we never would have known. The packaging was excellent and even includes a velvet bag to contain any unneeded accessories, the Kydex sheath has the perfect amount of retention, and the knife itself seems to be extremely well made. Even the included documentation is top-notch. Also, each knife carries a full lifetime warranty, which certainly gives us faith that our initial impressions weren't mistaken.

Overall, while it might look like a movie prop taken from the set of Ridley Scott's latest movie, the Talon is the real deal... if you give it a chance. Undoubtedly, there's a learning curve when going from grasping a standard folding knife to the Talon, but it doesn't take long to get used to and the benefits easily outweigh any negatives. Its tiny but still useful, so light that you'll forget it's there, and most impressively is the only knife we've come across that allows you to have a knife in your hand without sacrificing your ability to grasp things. Oh, and did we mention that it looks cool, too?