Coast Knives Rapid Response 3.0 (Product Review)

Recently the folks at Coast sent us two knives to review for our hiking blog. Coast is an Oregon based supplier of flashlights, lanterns, headlamps, knives, and multipurpose tools. They asked Ashley and I to do a review of their Coast Knives Rapid Response 3.0 knife. Coast sent us the two different models of their rapid response 3.0 knife one that is half serrated (Model: RX312) and one that is a regular knife blade (Model: RX311).

Specs on the Knives From the Manufacture: Each knife states it has: Blade Assist Technology which uses its friction-reducing roller-bearing design to allow the blade to open quickly but smoothly while reducing spring load on all internal blade-assist components. When the spring moves the blade out of the handle, it rides on the roller bearing, allowing the blade to open smoothly and quickly—without requiring tremendous spring force. MAX-LOCK™: The Max-Lock™ is a safety button on the side of the knife’s handle that can lock the blade in both the open and closed positions.

Model: RX312:  Blade length: 3.00 in. Overall length open: 7.00 in.Weight: 3.70 oz.
Stainless steel blade Handle material: Fiberglass-filled textured nylon Black oxide coated

Model: RX311: Blade length: 3.00 in. Overall length open: 7.00 in. Weight: 3.70 oz. Stainless steel blade Handle material: Fiberglass-filled textured nylon.

Each knife states it has: Blade Assist Technology which uses its friction-reducing roller-bearing design to allow the blade to open quickly but smoothly while reducing spring load on all internal blade-assist components. When the spring moves the blade out of the handle, it rides on the roller bearing, allowing the blade to open smoothly and quickly—without requiring tremendous spring force. MAX-LOCK™: The Max-Lock™ is a safety button on the side of the knife’s handle that can lock the blade in both the open and closed positions.

Our Review: When Ashley and I received the knives, we were impressed with the packaging and the look of the two knives. They have a great feel to them and they are ergonomically shaped for easy use. One of the neat things that you will immediately notice is that they have a locking device which allows you to lock the knife in the shut or open position. You will also notice that the knife comes with a pocket clip, but you can remove that if you choose. The knife blade is extremely sharp and cuts well, and is a perfect tool to have on a hike. We tested the blades on a variety of surfaces and this is an all around good knife for backpacking trips or to have on the hiking trail. The blade assist technology works in opening the knife, but it takes some getting used to in opening the knife blade. It has been marketed as allowing the knife to be operated/opened with one hand, however we still used two hands and we are assuming most people will open the knife with two hands for safety reasons. The cost is very reasonable when it comes to knives as the serrated model is $42.00 and the non-serrated model is $40.00. Overall, we were very impressed with type of product of knife that Coast makes and found that it held its own!