HEST review

RYP said:
Over at the Black Flag Café we call the look "tactisexual". That black side look of cordura, velcro, zippers, cammo, pockets, sunglasses and "stuff" that turns any mundane object or person into a multi thousand dollar dudebro ;)))
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"tactisexual"... now thats funny, I don't care who you are...
 
I guess they would rather have a log cabin than a simple debris shelter
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Well, I am not a tactical guy, but I would rather have a log cabin too. I made a lot of different shelters as a kid, and as an adult I have made some different things here and there (I should point out now that I am morbidly obese, severely out of shape, and in no way representing myself as a survival expert of any sort on any topic), but if it breaks down to preferences, I would rather have the log cabin.
 
yep and its pronounced "tak tuh sex y'all" just like "Git r dun"
 
Gotta admit, a hot woman wearing nothing but a tactical belt with 4 handcuff cases, a nightstick, and maybe a stun baton really is tak tuh sex y'all.

:cool:
 
Ya know, I usually just read these and don't spout off. As a "tactical guy", since that is what I do for a living, I have to disagree with a lot of this. Tactical objectives are obviously different than survival objectives. Y'all are comparing apples and oranges here. I have a different mindset when I am at work than when I am in the woods. There are two totally different sets of skills needed, but there is no reason why both can't be developed for use depending on the situation. Just my 2 cents.
 
I used to dress like an airborne ranger when I went camping or hunting. Habit I guess. Now I'm too fat for that look! Cabelas has most of what I wear everyday. :eek: I look like a game warden.

I like the HEST. It's a neat little knife. It was the first small knife I ever got that I really liked. But today I got to play around with the RC-3. It's a pretty useful knife, too. Maybe I need to compare them sometime.
 
I thought the review was pretty good. I see what you mean by tactical vs survival. I agree that they can go hand in hand yet often times don't. I think the tactical mind tells you to use the tool as a weapon, and that is why he used it as a spear. Survival mind would carve a wooden spear, harden the tip in the hot sand around the fire, and throw that. All the while keeping your tool safe. :D In times of extreme stress, people often resort to what they know best.
 
It was a fair review for what it was. I have to say it was rather shallow and the same kind of review you get with the 'Gee whiz, I just bought a new knife here are my thoughts 10 minutes after opening up the package' kind of blade forum reviews.

I notice there is a lot of description about how the knife looks. There was a very good and detailed description of the functional attributes of the knife, but most of this was culled off the ratcutlery website. This is actually very common for photojournalists. In the end, the try and grab as much existing material as they can to avoid having to actually right things on their own. I'm not really knocking the author specifically here, it is just something I noticed in many reporters I have dealt with when I'm part of the story.

There was very little description of the actual performance of the HEST during testing and very little description of the author's opinion of how the knife would work under a set of intended or bounded applications. This is where I think the review was lacking.

What I did get from the review is that the author really likes hidden survival kits and PSK kind of stuff which I don't take to be tactical, but rather more survival orientated. He has a fascination with using his knife as a spear head which I think is kind of dumb either for tactical or survival, but it is something he likes and he can like whatever he likes. He likes to beat up and shred buckets which I can't quite understand, but hey its his review. He started fire with the HEST which was good.

Somebody should send him the link to the thread where the clever RatPacker fixed an appropriate sized washer onto his HEST lanyard to serve as the screwdriver. Apparently the author never used a dime to unscrew something. His musing of duct taping a slotted screw driver to the HEST seems a bit extreme.

I can understand Midget's comments about the survival teasing. We all like to make fun of tactical as much as we like to make fun of bushcraft. Hell bushcraft has sexual right in its name, just couples the word with skill <-- not so bad ;) I'm going off to do my bowdrill coal now :D
 
he says it himself. its size is the kye to being able to carry it with you. and then this guy gives it and 8.5 for its smaller blade. thats bs. o well. we all know a good knife when we see one
 
OK, I'm about to have a moment of mental clarity and an equality-minded thought, it doesn't happen often, so wait for it.. .. ..





.. .. ..wait for it.. .. ..





.. .. ..Ok, assholes are like opinions.




.. .. ..er, ok, wait.



What I'm saying is, unless you do a real test of the knife, the article is just opinion. That being said, it's valid because it's one guy's look at the knife.


Now, someone's going to ask "What do you call a real test?"
A "real test" is to use the knife for what it's designed for. In the case of the HEST, the author would have to go into a hostile environment, need to use the knife to survive, and then actually survive. Anything else is opinion.

If we held magazine writer to those criteria, then mags would be 4 pages long with 3 of those pages being ad copy.
 
I just think youre taking it too hard, youre taking about a "Hostile Environment Survival Tool", what does that mean? Survival in a hostile environment says to me you might have to use it as a weapon, like a kabar? According to alot of your advertising you are most certainly catering towards that "tacticool" crowd. The dummy you have all dressed up in tactical gear plus what it says about RC on the first page you see.

Since 1997, Randall's Adventure & Training® (RAT™) has designed no-nonsense, affordable field knives specifically targeted to military, law enforcement, and the special operations community. Many RAT™ knives now serve in the combat zones of Iraq, Afghanistan and other remote locales. RAT Cutlery™ is also setting the standard for many local, state and federal law enforcement officers when it comes to high performance, compact sheath knives with multiple carry options.

"Survival", "Tactical" "Hostile", all sound great when selling in this industry.
 
I designed the RAT DPx H&#8226;E&#8226;S&#8226;T for non military situations in which you can't have a weapon and for emergency or survival uses. What does that mean? First the knife must be with you so it needs to be legal carry, small, light and keep a wicked edge. Second it must perform other functions to make it more than just a "knife".

Thirdly IT MUST NOT FAIL. Whether you have to open the roof of a car, pry open an aluminum panel, build a fire, defend yourself or make an improvised trap or boobytrap. And that philosophy goes over the life of the knife so even the no questions asked warranty is important.

What reviewes miss is that the H&#8226;E&#8226;S&#8226;T is small but has a large handle, it is massively thick but lighter than comparably sized knifes or folders. You really don't need to baby this knife or make excuses for it.

To be fair most reviewers don't actually use the knife in its intended environment. I do.

As for military, police, tactical or other terms. I am fine if those terms are used to describe the knife but its about what the knife does, not who owns it. I am not a cop or soldier but I have been in 36 wars and been through 120 countries. THe last ones being Somalia, Afghanistan and Yemen and the H&#8226;E&#8226;S&#8226;T is my constant companion and does exactly what it was designed for. It is an fine looking piece of crafstmanship too thanks to Shon Rowen and his team.

As I have said before think of this knife as in the league of a Zippo, Harley or other solid American made product that has a wide audience.
 
FWIW the Hest I bought because it was the biggest fixed blade I could legally EDC and it looked cools :). The Hest and Izula is my EDC everywhere.
 
Don't get me wrong, I was not saying his review was bad. I appreciate objective opinion. All I'm saying is tactical thinkers cant be survival thinkers for the most part.
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I second that. Some people embody both disciplines quite well but for the most part, there is a dissonance between the two different philosophies.
 
midget1 said:
Ya know, I usually just read these and don't spout off. As a "tactical guy", since that is what I do for a living, I have to disagree with a lot of this. Tactical objectives are obviously different than survival objectives. Y'all are comparing apples and oranges here. I have a different mindset when I am at work than when I am in the woods. There are two totally different sets of skills needed, but there is no reason why both can't be developed for use depending on the situation. Just my 2 cents.
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Very close to my feelings on it. As a survivalist I need solutions to problems. Shelter, water, conflict avoidance or engagement, I need to have a plan for them all. Getting though a storm or a street fight are both survival skills. Both that are better weathered with a knife I might add.
 
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