Coast offers a variety of knives and multi-tools, as well as LED flashlights, Emergency area lights, and headlamps. We don’t have the space to cover all of them, but here are two knives that we think many dads would appreciate.
First up is their 3-in-1 Tool. With an open length of just four inches (a hair under three when closed), and weighing only 1.2 ounces, this instrument of suburban survival has three of the most important tools dad might need in a typical day. The 1.12 inch blade is ideal for all those situations where a small but sharp knife is needed, and won’t draw any questioning looks outside of a TSA search. A bright LED comes in handy for finding things in the dark, or just annoying coworkers. And at the end of the day, the bottle opener will be most appreciated.
Being the clever person that I am, I tested the knife before testing the bottle opener. After slitting open a few envelopes, cutting into a couple of boxes, and slicing a piece of paracord, I was satisfied with the blade’s performance. By the way, it’s actually just right for opening letters. From there, I tried the bottle opener out on multiple local micro brews. While my productivity for the evening suffered, I feel like it was an effective use of my testing time. It also gave me an excuse to try the flashlight while carrying my empties out to the recycle bin. Bright enough to light your path, or find your way around a small room, the pressure sensitive momentary switch is easy to use, and you can’t accidentally leave the light on. It’s available with a black or red nylon handle, and carries a suggested retail of under $20.
If dad needs a bit more robust knife, why not get him one with extra safety features? The DX330 from Coast was designed for rescue personnel, so there’s glass breaker on the end of the handle, and a seatbelt cutter built into the handle itself. For making quick work of cutting chores (either leisure or emergencies), the blade is a combination tanto upper with a serrated lower. Although it doesn’t have any sort of spring-assist for opening, thumb studs on either side allow one-hand operation. Once open, there’s an extra lock that can be activated with your thumb, in addition to the liner lock.
Beside the wallet friendly $32.99 MSRP, there’s a lot to like about this knife. The deep-carry clip lets it ride low in your pocket, minimizing any chance of loss while remaining unobtrusive. Coast’s Double-Lock safety feature is actually simple to use, and adds another layer of safety to the liner lock. By using aluminum instead of plastic for the grips, you get a nice texture, but in a thinner grip that’s still very durable. I like the all black finish, but I’m certain it will wear over time, and that’s ok. Coast has priced this knife low enough that the owner shouldn’t be too upset if they lose it (sentimental value aside) or it starts to show wear prematurely. But they’ve also built in enough quality that you’ll feel like you got your money’s worth by the time something wears out. And like all of Coast’s products, it’s backed by their lifetime guarantee against defects in materials or workmanship. While I didn’t get to break any windows or cut someone out of a burning car, the design itself has already been proven by first-responders.
You’ll find plenty of other cool knives, as well as a huge range of flashlights, on the Coastportland.com website. And check back a little later this month for our review of their awe-inspiring HP314 that offers a 2,240 beam distance from a single 1,132 lumen LED.
– Brian