What happened to all the ZT sprint runs?

Cosmik001

Cosmik001

Joined
Sep 27, 2019
Messages
200
Now mind you i haven’t been paying too close attention to the knife world in 2021, but in 2019 ZT had a lot of really nice sprint runs imo. Maybe I just missed them but I haven’t seen any new sprint runs from them.

What happened?
 
You may not have noticed but there are massive material shortages worldwide combined with shipping delays and lead times through the roof.

Most companies are concentrating on bread and butter products till the bottleneck gets sorted out.
 
Personally, I don't think material shortages have anything to do with it.

Traditionally, ZT released "sprint run" variations of popular models to promote sales and take advantage of demand for those models.

However, there's not much left in the ZT line that deserves such treatment which hasn't already received such treatment. The only knives left from that generation are the 0350, 0450, 0452, 0462, 0562 and 0770.

I'm sure if any of their "newer" designs were selling well, they'd try to make hay by issuing sprints of them but the only variations that they are currentlly offering are tiger-stripped versions of the 0308/0350 and a CF version of the 0450.

Back in the "day," ZT offered more variations and sprints than you could shake a stick at. I bought and still own many of them.

But those days are long gone and, given ZT's questionable "design" choices in the past couple of years, I think that they're having more than enough trouble selling the models they got than to risk getting stuck w/further variations of models that they can't sell to begin with.
 
sgt1372 said:
Personally, I don't think material shortages have anything to do with it.

Traditionally, ZT released "sprint run" variations of popular models to promote sales and take advantage of demand for those models.

However, there's not much left in the ZT line that deserves such treatment which hasn't already received such treatment. The only knives left from that generation are the 0350, 0450, 0452, 0462, 0562 and 0770.

I'm sure if any of their "newer" designs were selling well, they'd try to make hay by issuing sprints of them but the only variations that they are currentlly offering are tiger-stripped versions of the 0308/0350 and a CF version of the 0450.

Back in the "day," ZT offered more variations and sprints than you could shake a stick at. I bought and still own many of them.

But those days are long gone and, given ZT's questionable "design" choices in the past couple of years, I think that they're having more than enough trouble selling the models they got than to risk getting stuck w/further variations of models that they can't sell to begin with.
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I'd love a good 452 sprint run
 
sgt1372 said:
Personally, I don't think material shortages have anything to do with it.

Traditionally, ZT released "sprint run" variations of popular models to promote sales and take advantage of demand for those models.

However, there's not much left in the ZT line that deserves such treatment which hasn't already received such treatment. The only knives left from that generation are the 0350, 0450, 0452, 0462, 0562 and 0770.

I'm sure if any of their "newer" designs were selling well, they'd try to make hay by issuing sprints of them but the only variations that they are currentlly offering are tiger-stripped versions of the 0308/0350 and a CF version of the 0450.

Back in the "day," ZT offered more variations and sprints than you could shake a stick at. I bought and still own many of them.

But those days are long gone and, given ZT's questionable "design" choices in the past couple of years, I think that they're having more than enough trouble selling the models they got than to risk getting stuck w/further variations of models that they can't sell to begin with.
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They definitely have to hire some new designers as well as bring out some fixed blades including a necker.
 
unwisefool said:
I'd love a good 452 sprint run
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I've got 2 of them that I'll never sell -- the CFM390BLU and the G10M390GOLD.

If they released another like those, I'd definitely be interested. Frankly, they put me off w/the S35VN DLC/Glow in the dark CF Sprint variation -- hated the glow in the dark "gimmick" thing -- BUT I'd buy a plain old S35VN DLC version 0452CF (like the 0450CF) in an instant.

Not sure why they still don't make one like that. All they'd have to do is coat the blade on their regular 0452CF black and call it the 0452CFBLK.

A lack of materials obviously has nothing to do w/the fact that they haven't.
 
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I have a dozen or more ZTs but they are almost all older models. The recent offerings have been hit and miss, mostly misses.

The 0308 is a good mix of modern lines with a classic beefy feel, they need to expand that type of design and then also bring back some updated classics.
 
I wonder if ZT is feeling the pinch of Chinese companies like We/Reate who have been putting out a far great number of designs in essentially the same materials for the same money for the past couple of years, and maybe it has somewhat soured ZT on putting out special editions they'd have to charge more for. The special editions ZT has put out would be up against that same vast range of product from the guys overseas, except those folks are already commonly using ZT's entire bag of dress-up tricks: anno in various colors, and dress-up materials like carbon fiber, zirconium, moku, etc. and special touches like pivot rings, pocket clips in those same dress-up materials, and so on. With so many folks being less concerned about the point of origin of their knives, I am not sure ZT can really stack up in today's market. Chalk me up in the "They need to go back to their roots" column. When they were making Hinderer and Emerson models, those models were better than what those makers were making themselves. Not really sure where they stand today.
 
I certainly think shipping and material concerns are part of it, but I agree with a lot of what's being said about ZT not having much of an identity right now.

My favorite ZT is their version of the GTC Airborne, the 0055. I got the design and the tech of the Airborne, without throwing the >$1000 dollars it would have cost to buy the real thing.

As Quiet pointed out, people liked buying their Hinderer, Emerson, and even Strider models because you could buy the hard to get/expensive thing in a production model.

With WE doing similar things, Isham's Aeterna comes to mind, ZT is going to have court up and coming designers and sell them on why ZT is the better option.
 
JBC6650 said:
I have a dozen or more ZTs but they are almost all older models. The recent offerings have been hit and miss, mostly misses.

The 0308 is a good mix of modern lines with a classic beefy feel, they need to expand that type of design and then also bring back some updated classics.
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Agree on all counts, I would love to see older models updated without to much overkill. If they can do that they'd get more of my money.
 
Quiet said:
I wonder if ZT is feeling the pinch of Chinese companies like We/Reate who have been putting out a far great number of designs in essentially the same materials for the same money for the past couple of years, and maybe it has somewhat soured ZT on putting out special editions they'd have to charge more for. The special editions ZT has put out would be up against that same vast range of product from the guys overseas, except those folks are already commonly using ZT's entire bag of dress-up tricks: anno in various colors, and dress-up materials like carbon fiber, zirconium, moku, etc. and special touches like pivot rings, pocket clips in those same dress-up materials, and so on. With so many folks being less concerned about the point of origin of their knives, I am not sure ZT can really stack up in today's market. Chalk me up in the "They need to go back to their roots" column. When they were making Hinderer and Emerson models, those models were better than what those makers were making themselves. Not really sure where they stand today.
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100% agree. I didn't purchase my first ZT until I could handle it in person. Once I did, I was on board completely. As they started to move away from function to pocket jewelry, I was a little more lukewarm on them. Once I handled my first Chinese "higher end" knife at SMKW, I finally figured out what the fuss was about. The designs of most of these offshore places is a little too out-there for my tastes, but then again, that's how most of what ZT is now offering looks. If I were in the market for a modern looking Ti folder with a good super steel blade, I would be looking at Reate/We. Very close to a CRK in terms of fit and finish but coming in closer to a ZT price. I think the ZT0303 I bought a couple of years ago will be my last purchase of theirs until they release a hard use fixed blade. Hell, I covet my ZT0180, and I only lucked into that because Spark had one of old stock hiding behind his counter. It was at least 2 years out of production before I was able to snag it. One Stop Knife Shop ftw.
 
I’d guess it’s because ZT has fallen pretty far out of the spotlight and is getting snuffed out by the competition. No sense in putting in the money for a sprint run that probably won’t even sell out. In the past two years there are about one or two dozen companies that have grown huge in popularity that are offering more attractive modern designs, at comparable prices to ZT. ZT’s design concepts of outdated futurism and carbon fiber everything, are not in high demand anymore.
 
Steely_Gunz said:
Hell, I covet my ZT0180, and I only lucked into that because Spark had one of old stock hiding behind his counter. It was at least 2 years out of production before I was able to snag it. One Stop Knife Shop ftw.
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Dang, that's the only other ZT that I still want to buy!

Need it to complete my collection of ZT fixed blades, except for the bayonet that I don't want/can't afford. It will be my 40th ZT if I can snag one.

Still looking . . .
 
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sgt1372 said:
I've got 2 of them that I'll never sell -- the CFM390BLU and the G10M390GOLD.

If they released another like those, I'd definitely be interested. Frankly, they put me off w/the S35VN DLC/Glow in the dark CF Sprint variation -- hated the glow in the dark "gimmick" thing -- BUT I'd buy a plain old S35VN DLC version 0452CF (like the 0450CF) in an instant.
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I love the 0452 series (have em all except the M390BLU), especially the DLC version but I agree it’d be better if it had “regular” carbon fiber. But it’s still great IMO. I’ll bet they will come out with more sprints of that model eventually (how about an all Ti blackwash version in MagnaCut?!) I can dream :-D
Other than the 0308, I’m not impressed with some of the recent designs, like the slipjoints, the 0762 or the 0022. (The 0357 is great tho.) I would like to see them take a page out of Spydercos playbook and offer some more steel options, but S35VN & 20CV is plenty good as long as I like the design. I’m sure, just like everything else in the world, that COVID messed them up a lot. I’m looking forward to seeing what they will release for 2022.
 
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Quiet said:
With so many folks being less concerned about the point of origin of their knives, I am not sure ZT can really stack up in today's market. Chalk me up in the "They need to go back to their roots" column. When they were making Hinderer and Emerson models, those models were better than what those makers were making themselves. Not really sure where they stand today.
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My EDC is a ZT0620 (M390) and it's one of my favorite knives. The fit and finish is levels above my Emerson brand knives and the steel is a big upgrade. I love being able to have two different angles due to the tanto design. I recently bought a ZT0707 and the quality is still there. The flipping action was perfect out of the box and the fit and finish is still top notch.
 
tokerblue said:
My EDC is a ZT0620 (M390) and it's one of my favorite knives.
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It's one of my favorites too but I don't carry it. As Quiet Quiet mentioned above, it's one of those collaborations that ZT did in the past that was actually better than what Emerson ever actually did on it's own.

Sold off my 0630s (mainly because of the blade shape) in favor the 0620 tantos. I have the CFM390 like yours plus the black Elmax DLC G10 0620BRK as a basis of comparison.
 
I own one ZT Sprint, but it's a good one. It's an 0562 Hinderer design, orange G10 scale with everything else black. CTS-XHP steel. Love that configuration.
 
I agree ZT has become a man-jewelry company. The original "tough, hard use" vibe captured by their earlier models has been lost. I'm not sure it makes sense to pump out sprint runs of man jewelry. Those thirsting for the original ZT vibe can find it elsewhere. Cold Steel Demko-designed knives are the new ZTs.
 
In the beginning of this year I bought a 0308 and that brought back the old toughness ZT was known for in the past. The downside for me was the weight, the extreem deployment power and over sculpted Ti and G10. For the rest it really did remind me of the old ZT's. Yes, I did sell it again. Overbuild knives are no longer on my 'want to buy' list. It is too bad though that ZT seems to be loosing ground with all the new China made knives. I hope the best for ZT in the future.
 
sgt1372 said:
It's one of my favorites too but I don't carry it. As Quiet Quiet mentioned above, it's one of those collaborations that ZT did in the past that was actually better than what Emerson ever actually did on it's own.

Sold off my 0630s (mainly because of the blade shape) in favor the 0620 tantos. I have the CFM390 like yours plus the black Elmax DLC G10 0620BRK as a basis of comparison.
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I got my brother in law a 0630 for Christmas a few years back. I'm kicking myself for not picking up one for myself. Now you can't find 20s or 30s.
 
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