Instead of a knife review I have a review of a shop with knives.
Earth Traverse Outfitters (ETO) has been open in Knoxville over 20 years. They focused on folks that waned to be outdoors and stocked pretty serious bikes and boats and backpacking gear. They also carried a reasonable selection of knives focused also on the backpacking community, but the owners were also interested in a broader spectrum of knives for more hostile environments so they carried a few bigger/tougher/heavier knives. Over time their interest shifted towards more backcountry than just backpacking and now they've decided to shift focus more on survival/hunting gear.
A buddy of mine who earned Ranger and Sniper tabs as well as Jump Wings who is a local Search and Rescue team member and a fellow knife nut was looking for a job and the owners of the shop and he met at the right time. He's helping transition them into carrying the type of gear as well as setting up to teach classes.
Since the shop is in transition it still has plenty of high tech hiking/boating clothing and gear, but now it is the only shop in the area carrying MaxPedition and Snugpak along with that gear. It also has a fully stocked "survival" counter with Storm whistles and Adventure Medical kits and SOL rescue bivys/tarps and ...
It also has a growing knife counter and I want to tell the NFW crowd that the ETO guys listened to my recommendations based on the recommendations made here. They now have a selection of ESSE, BKT, SOG, Spyderco, Condor, CRKT, Cold Steel and even Mora in the shop where you can handle them. Having ESSE is something of an investment and getting Moras is something of a challenge. They're picking for models based on their strengths as opposed to full line stock so you'll see a Condor Parang beside an Ontario machete and a Cold Steel Kukri. BKT neck knives beside ESEE 4s. Mora 2000 or Bushcrafts. Little CRKT Ritters or M16s. Nice to see a wide price range selected with the specific focus on how they fit into the Survival/Bushcraft interest. They're even planning on putting in a kydex press and making sheaths and holsters in the shop as well as tying their own lanyards.
The other gear is shifting towards Survival/Bushcraft as well so I'm looking forward to being able to actually handle some of the gear I read about before spending my money on it, but I'm particularly happy to see a store catering to those of us that carry knives and other small gear to help assure our safety.
Now if I can get them to find the ideal poncho/tarp/bivy!
Earth Traverse Outfitters (ETO) has been open in Knoxville over 20 years. They focused on folks that waned to be outdoors and stocked pretty serious bikes and boats and backpacking gear. They also carried a reasonable selection of knives focused also on the backpacking community, but the owners were also interested in a broader spectrum of knives for more hostile environments so they carried a few bigger/tougher/heavier knives. Over time their interest shifted towards more backcountry than just backpacking and now they've decided to shift focus more on survival/hunting gear.
A buddy of mine who earned Ranger and Sniper tabs as well as Jump Wings who is a local Search and Rescue team member and a fellow knife nut was looking for a job and the owners of the shop and he met at the right time. He's helping transition them into carrying the type of gear as well as setting up to teach classes.
Since the shop is in transition it still has plenty of high tech hiking/boating clothing and gear, but now it is the only shop in the area carrying MaxPedition and Snugpak along with that gear. It also has a fully stocked "survival" counter with Storm whistles and Adventure Medical kits and SOL rescue bivys/tarps and ...
It also has a growing knife counter and I want to tell the NFW crowd that the ETO guys listened to my recommendations based on the recommendations made here. They now have a selection of ESSE, BKT, SOG, Spyderco, Condor, CRKT, Cold Steel and even Mora in the shop where you can handle them. Having ESSE is something of an investment and getting Moras is something of a challenge. They're picking for models based on their strengths as opposed to full line stock so you'll see a Condor Parang beside an Ontario machete and a Cold Steel Kukri. BKT neck knives beside ESEE 4s. Mora 2000 or Bushcrafts. Little CRKT Ritters or M16s. Nice to see a wide price range selected with the specific focus on how they fit into the Survival/Bushcraft interest. They're even planning on putting in a kydex press and making sheaths and holsters in the shop as well as tying their own lanyards.
The other gear is shifting towards Survival/Bushcraft as well so I'm looking forward to being able to actually handle some of the gear I read about before spending my money on it, but I'm particularly happy to see a store catering to those of us that carry knives and other small gear to help assure our safety.
Now if I can get them to find the ideal poncho/tarp/bivy!
