If you've ever shopped for a pistol holster, you know how easy it is to be overwhelmed by options and choices. Where, on your body, do you want to carry your firearm? What are you using the gun for? Are you left or right handed? Are you carrying it in conjunction with something like a fanny pack?
On the opposite end of that dizzying array of holster choices is the knife industry, which, as a whole, has often given a short shift to sheaths – the primary retention method used for fixed-blade knives. In fact, just Google "Best Knife Sheaths" and you'll be underwhelmed. Handmade leather sheaths are beautiful and all, but they fall well short in functionality.
So SOG did something about it. Starting now with the release of our new Pentagon FX and Pentagon FX Covert comes an entire new way of thinking about a knife's sheath.
The idea to focus design efforts on the sheath for these two knives came about from conversations with current SOG customers and knife users, most of them either active military or former military now working as executive protection specialists and combat trainers. Consensus was quickly reached that virtually all sheaths on the market today are limited in their usability. That led SOG's product team to think about thoughtful sheath functionality for the newest members of the Pentagon family, as well as for all fixed blades in the pipeline.
"A sheath is where a fixed-blade knife lives 90 percent of its life," said Chris Cashbaugh, SOG's Senior Director of Product Strategy. "When we heard what these people were saying about the need for functionality in the two Pentagon knives, we realized it was time to reevaluate the role of a sheath and reset the expectations of what a sheath can do."
Pentagon FX and Pentagon Covert FX are the first two fixed blades SOG has released under the new sheath ethos. While they have two differently styled GRN sheaths (the Covert is designed for discreet carry), they share much of the same DNA.
Pentagon FX's sheath allows for customized tension modifications that give the user complete control of the strength required for draw. The minimalist sheath on Pentagon Covert FX can be carried on a belt, in between MOLLE or with Velcro.
"From here on out, each SOG knife will have a sheath that's made specifically to meet the unique scenarios in which the knife will operate in," said Cashbaugh. "But you'll see a lot of commonality."
That commonality Cashbaugh is talking about is the adaptability of SOG's Universal Mountain System (UMS). This system brings interoperability with a multitude of accessories that allow the user to mix and match as needed. This includes SOG’s UMS Clip that allows for flexible mission specific mounting set-up, including adjustable sheath retention, secondary retention accessories, mounting angle, mounting method and combinations of each.
"Our UMS goes beyond these two products," said Cashbaugh. "It gives us a way to disconnect the options for sheath carry from the sheath design. We can create any size sheath to work with UMS and the UMS allows the user to customize very specifically how and where the carry the knife."
Without spilling too many details, Cashbaugh hinted about new fixed blades coming in 2022 that will dovetail nicely with SOG's commitment to the new sheath evolution.
"Clearly, Pentagon FX and Pentagon FX Covert are designed for professional and uniformed users," said Cashbaugh. "But we quickly learned that outdoor users want useful sheaths as well. You'll see that next year when we introduce fixed blades for the outdoor market."
