Benchmade HUNT Knives – Steep Country Review

If you are in the market for a new hunting knife, you’ll soon find out there are numerous offerings from several manufacturers all with differing material types, sizes, and of course, price points.  The choices can be overwhelming.  In reality, just about any knife will get the job done – eventually.  How quickly it gets the job done, how long the blade will last, and how well it retains its sharpness are all very important things to consider before making a purchase.

Take the Midwest whitetail hunter for example.  You aren’t going to be pulling out a paring knife from your kitchen drawer to field dress and skin out the whitetail you just bagged.   A drop-point with or without a gut hook is typically what the doctor ordered for that specific job.

This year I was lucky enough to get my hands on the new Benchmade Steep Country knife from their HUNT series. I’m a big fan of quality craftsmanship and this knife certainly does not disappoint.  The Steep Country features a fixed, 3.5″ drop-point blade made out of CPM-S30V steel (available with or without the integrated gut hook).  The Steep Country’s CPM-S30V blade steel is consistent with the entire Benchmade HUNT series.  Click HERE to read more information on CPM-S30V and its benefits including edge retention, durability, and corrosion resistance.

The overall balance and ergonomics of the knife are astounding.  The Santoprene handle is comfortable in your hands and provides excellent soft texture allowing you to keep a firm non-slip grip on your knife as you work.  The Santoprene material offers excellent resistance to perspiration, water, oil, chemicals, and every other environmental condition you’ll ever encounter in the whitetail woods.  Unlike rubber, Santoprene is able to maintain its physical properties in cold temperatures too.  The Santoprene handles on the Steep Country line of knives are available in a high-vis orange or black color.  I highly recommend the high-vis orange for hunting applications.  The bright color makes it easier to find a miss-placed knife after you finish field-dressing your buck of a lifetime.

The Steep Country knife comes standard with a durable Kydex sheath with built-in belt loop.  The Kydex sheath keeps the knife secure, but also keeps it easily accessible.  Other features of the knife include a lanyard hole at the end of the handle and exposed gimping along the back edge of the knife for added traction in your grip.  Overall the Steep Country knives are a great value for a pure hunting knife, and will last you a lifetime.  The Steep Country retails for $115 for the standard Drop-Point version and $125 for the Drop-Point with integrated gut hook.  You can order your knife directly from Benchmade’s website HERE.

Finally, I’d be remiss if I didn’t at least mention the incredible Lifesharp Service offered by Benchmade.  If you are like me and have two left feet when it comes to properly sharpening a blade, you’ll definitely want to look into the Lifesharp Service. Simply fill out the required forms, package up your genuine Benchmade knife, and ship it in to be resharpened to a factory razor-sharp edge.  When you get your Benchmade knife back, not only will it be sharp, but any warranted repairs will be performed and the knife will be tuned for peak performance.  For more information on the Lifesharp Service, click HERE.

Steep Country Specs:
Blade Length: 3.50″
Blade Thickness: 0.140″ (3.56mm)
Overall Length: 7.65″ (19.43cm)
Handle Thickness: 0.62″ (15.75mm)
Weight: 3.71oz. (Drop-Point) or 3.85oz. (Drop-Point with Gut Hook)