Clay Hensley remembers the first time he posted a picture of his new SOG knife on social media. It didn't go so well.
Things have certainly changed.
"It must have been 2015 or so and I got belittled for having a bunch of SOG equipment," said Hensley, 36, who lives near Wichita, KS. People chimed in on his post, telling him it was low-quality, big box stuff.
On Feb. 19, 2021, Hensley posted a picture of his new Surrept CS 24 Daypack on "SOG Army," a private Facebook group made up of 784 self-professed SOGheads. The first comment was "Really nice set up!"
Hensley decided to spend the $222 for a new Surrept bag partly because in recent years he's seen a new SOG, one that's pushed the envelope on design, one that uses higher quality materials, one that's making knives and multi-tools he's proud to own.
"There's just a night and day difference with the new stuff," Hensley said. "People are swinging back to SOG."
IMPROVEMENTS ABOUND
Hensley represents thousands of knife buyers who SOG hoped would notice the new product and brand direction launched in 2020.
“We went through a process to identify what it is that the brand stands for, what our unique position could be in the market,” Jonathan Wegner, SOG's VP of Brand said in an interview with SGB Media last year. “And through that process of studying and observing ourselves, we found that the one thing that people appreciate and trust SOG for is to enhance their capabilities. That was the trigger for us—to think about what our core focus should be.”
To that end, the Surrept CS line of packs and bags is designed specifically for SOG's core user group: Everyday carry fans who put a premium on being prepared.
OFF TO WORK IT GOES
"I use mine for work," said Hensley, a supervisor for a local utility company. He had tried a briefcase ("It wasn't for me") and then an outdoor backpack ("too many pockets and compartments") before giving the Surrept CS 24 a whirl.
"It's perfect," Hensely said. "I used to go into a meeting and it'd take my five minutes to find my laptop, my charger and everything I needed. With this bag, it's all right where I can get quickly and without any hassles."
And nobody's hassling him about his knife choice, either.
"I've got co-workers who are knife snobs," Henley said. "I guess they finally believed what I had been telling them because I know one went to Cabela's the other day just to buy a SOG."
