Thanks, jhillas, for the loan of the Impala!
First Impressions:
The version of the Impala provided to me includes the 'gut hook'.
- Seems a lot like a dedicated-hunter/skinner Ed Scott variant of the Spyderco Military design.
- Great user-ergonomics for cutting control with a variety of gripping methods.
- This is a pass-around knife, so NIB sharpness can't be judged.
- Good carry-comfort properties.
- Sturdy clipped blade-tip.
Rigidity and Build Quality:
Frame and lock structure is VERY much like the Spyderco Military:
- G-10 slabs are thick at .169" - thicker than the Military (.130").
- Single nested locking liner.
- Liner measured .041" thickness.
- Liner and clip are brightly polished.
- No back spacer is used.
- Blade thickness measured .120".
- Clip-side G-10 handle slab has a 'nesting' area for the clip.
- Handle/frame edges are very comfortably chamfered.
- No blade 'play' or 'wobble' in any dimension.
Rigidity seems superior to my Military 440V - which I suspect is due to the thicker G-10 handle slabs used on the Impala. If you like the Military, you'll feel right at home with the Impala.
Pocket-Carry Considerations:
Handle-width and weight measurement comparisons with the Spyderco Military 440V:
- Military: Width = .420"; Weight = 3.975 ounces.
- Impala: Width = .420"; Weight = 3.825 ounces.
Very nicely-chamfered frame/handle edges. Closed overall length is 5". 1/8" diameter lanyard hole. When clipped in the pocket, about 1" is exposed above the pocket.
Clip-carry is tip-down for right-handers only.
Pocket carry comfort is outstanding:
- Very comfortably-chamfered frame/handle edges.
- Light weight.
- Slim.
The Grip:
The G-10 handle slabs are profiled at the rear to house the gut-hook. I expected some grip-security problems due to that necessity - but it's just not a problem. Grip-security is good.
Gripping-Methods and Ergonomics:
The grip-ergonomics of the Impala are the best I've encountered, deserving special attention.
Finger-and-thumb serrations:
- Under the choil cut-out for either forefinger or middle-finger.
- At the rear of the spine/hood for thumb placement.
- Forward of the hood for thumb placement.
- Over the gut-hook for really fine tip-control with the tip of your forefinger.
Ignoring additional reverse-grip variations, this provides non-slip grip security with the following grip variations:
- Basic hammer grip.
- Forefinger under choil and thumb at rear of the hood (Best combined security and control grip in my opinion).
- Forefinger under choil and thumb forward of the hood.
- Middle finger under choil and tip of forefinger over the gut-hook for outstanding fine tip-cutting control.
Opening, Closing and Locking:
I really don't understand why the smaller 7/16" diameter thumb-hole is used in the Impala. The larger Spyderco 9/16" diameter hole isn't required (blade-opening effort is easy on the Impala) - but hunting season is cold-weather gloves-wearing time here in North America, and the larger thumb-hole would be convenient.
Opening the Impala is quick, with little effort required. There is some initial resistance to opening for about the first 10 degrees, after which the blade is easily flicked to full lock. I was able to 'Brownie-pop' the Impala, but initial opening effort is greater than for my Military.
The locking-liner forcefully snaps about 1/3 of the way over onto the radiused rear of the blade - securely locked with plenty of room for future locking-surface wear.
One-handed closing of the blade is easy.
Inadvertent unlocking of the Impala is a potential problem. Too much of the locking-lever is exposed. The clip-side handle slab of the Impala exposes about 1/16" of the lock release. By comparison, the clip-side handle slab of the Military shields the lock-release profile completely. I suggest either the Impala clip-side slab profile should be changed to correct this potential problem - or the lock-release lever profile should simply be ground lower.
The Blade:
Clipping of the hollow-ground blade tip provides fairly rugged blade tip-strength. Piercing efficiency is moderate - a good property to reduce likelihood of hide-piercing.
The belly radius curve continues right to the tip - which I think is a fine attribute in a skinner.
My experience with Spyderco VG-10 blade of Temperance and Persian has convinced me that VG-10 edge-retention is excellent, so I didn't bother confirming a known property.
Comfort in the web of my hand under strong cutting pressure was quite good.
I'm not fond of hollow-ground blades for slicing dense materials, but slicing shouldn't be a problem with animal flesh.
The gut-hook is sharpened only in the cutting groove - 'accidental' peripheral cuts are very unlikely.
Summary:
The Impala combines:
- Outstanding ergonomic design - really outstanding derivation of a dedicated hunting/skinning folder.
- Comfortable in the hand under strong cutting effort.
- Very comfortable clipped in the pocket.
- Excellent VG-10 edge-retention.
- Excellent build quality.
- Excellent fit and finish.
- Strong point design.
For non-hunters, the Impala without gut-hook should be an excellent general-purpose folder - the grip-ergonomics are simply unmatched by any folder I'm aware of.
While similar to the Military in design, the Impala is more rigid, has a stronger point and is actually a bit lighter.
I have only two problems the Impala:
- It's a field knife, likely to be carried by glove-wearers - why doesn't it have the larger Spyderco 9/16" thumb-hole?
- The grip/lock-release relationship should copy the Military design, for reduced chance of inadvertent unlocking.
The Impala with gut-hook is available in either Plain Edge or Combo Edge versions for about $110 online. The Impala without gut-hook is available in Plain Edge only for about $100 online.
First Impressions:
The version of the Impala provided to me includes the 'gut hook'.
- Seems a lot like a dedicated-hunter/skinner Ed Scott variant of the Spyderco Military design.
- Great user-ergonomics for cutting control with a variety of gripping methods.
- This is a pass-around knife, so NIB sharpness can't be judged.
- Good carry-comfort properties.
- Sturdy clipped blade-tip.
Rigidity and Build Quality:
Frame and lock structure is VERY much like the Spyderco Military:
- G-10 slabs are thick at .169" - thicker than the Military (.130").
- Single nested locking liner.
- Liner measured .041" thickness.
- Liner and clip are brightly polished.
- No back spacer is used.
- Blade thickness measured .120".
- Clip-side G-10 handle slab has a 'nesting' area for the clip.
- Handle/frame edges are very comfortably chamfered.
- No blade 'play' or 'wobble' in any dimension.
Rigidity seems superior to my Military 440V - which I suspect is due to the thicker G-10 handle slabs used on the Impala. If you like the Military, you'll feel right at home with the Impala.
Pocket-Carry Considerations:
Handle-width and weight measurement comparisons with the Spyderco Military 440V:
- Military: Width = .420"; Weight = 3.975 ounces.
- Impala: Width = .420"; Weight = 3.825 ounces.
Very nicely-chamfered frame/handle edges. Closed overall length is 5". 1/8" diameter lanyard hole. When clipped in the pocket, about 1" is exposed above the pocket.
Clip-carry is tip-down for right-handers only.
Pocket carry comfort is outstanding:
- Very comfortably-chamfered frame/handle edges.
- Light weight.
- Slim.
The Grip:
The G-10 handle slabs are profiled at the rear to house the gut-hook. I expected some grip-security problems due to that necessity - but it's just not a problem. Grip-security is good.
Gripping-Methods and Ergonomics:
The grip-ergonomics of the Impala are the best I've encountered, deserving special attention.
Finger-and-thumb serrations:
- Under the choil cut-out for either forefinger or middle-finger.
- At the rear of the spine/hood for thumb placement.
- Forward of the hood for thumb placement.
- Over the gut-hook for really fine tip-control with the tip of your forefinger.
Ignoring additional reverse-grip variations, this provides non-slip grip security with the following grip variations:
- Basic hammer grip.
- Forefinger under choil and thumb at rear of the hood (Best combined security and control grip in my opinion).
- Forefinger under choil and thumb forward of the hood.
- Middle finger under choil and tip of forefinger over the gut-hook for outstanding fine tip-cutting control.
Opening, Closing and Locking:
I really don't understand why the smaller 7/16" diameter thumb-hole is used in the Impala. The larger Spyderco 9/16" diameter hole isn't required (blade-opening effort is easy on the Impala) - but hunting season is cold-weather gloves-wearing time here in North America, and the larger thumb-hole would be convenient.
Opening the Impala is quick, with little effort required. There is some initial resistance to opening for about the first 10 degrees, after which the blade is easily flicked to full lock. I was able to 'Brownie-pop' the Impala, but initial opening effort is greater than for my Military.
The locking-liner forcefully snaps about 1/3 of the way over onto the radiused rear of the blade - securely locked with plenty of room for future locking-surface wear.
One-handed closing of the blade is easy.
Inadvertent unlocking of the Impala is a potential problem. Too much of the locking-lever is exposed. The clip-side handle slab of the Impala exposes about 1/16" of the lock release. By comparison, the clip-side handle slab of the Military shields the lock-release profile completely. I suggest either the Impala clip-side slab profile should be changed to correct this potential problem - or the lock-release lever profile should simply be ground lower.
The Blade:
Clipping of the hollow-ground blade tip provides fairly rugged blade tip-strength. Piercing efficiency is moderate - a good property to reduce likelihood of hide-piercing.
The belly radius curve continues right to the tip - which I think is a fine attribute in a skinner.
My experience with Spyderco VG-10 blade of Temperance and Persian has convinced me that VG-10 edge-retention is excellent, so I didn't bother confirming a known property.
Comfort in the web of my hand under strong cutting pressure was quite good.
I'm not fond of hollow-ground blades for slicing dense materials, but slicing shouldn't be a problem with animal flesh.
The gut-hook is sharpened only in the cutting groove - 'accidental' peripheral cuts are very unlikely.
Summary:
The Impala combines:
- Outstanding ergonomic design - really outstanding derivation of a dedicated hunting/skinning folder.
- Comfortable in the hand under strong cutting effort.
- Very comfortable clipped in the pocket.
- Excellent VG-10 edge-retention.
- Excellent build quality.
- Excellent fit and finish.
- Strong point design.
For non-hunters, the Impala without gut-hook should be an excellent general-purpose folder - the grip-ergonomics are simply unmatched by any folder I'm aware of.
While similar to the Military in design, the Impala is more rigid, has a stronger point and is actually a bit lighter.
I have only two problems the Impala:
- It's a field knife, likely to be carried by glove-wearers - why doesn't it have the larger Spyderco 9/16" thumb-hole?
- The grip/lock-release relationship should copy the Military design, for reduced chance of inadvertent unlocking.
The Impala with gut-hook is available in either Plain Edge or Combo Edge versions for about $110 online. The Impala without gut-hook is available in Plain Edge only for about $100 online.
