Riverwalker’s Survival Gear Review - Rapid Response Knife 3.90 from Coast Products

A good knife is vital in a survival situation but it should also serve a useful purpose for your daily needs. The Rapid Response 3.90 Knife from Coast Products may be just the EDC (Every Day Carry) item that can satisfy your needs in a survival situation as well as those needs you may encounter on a daily basis.

One of the most important things about a good blade is its basic design. In this respect, the Rapid Response 3.90 Knife starts out strong and gets high rankings in the design category. A properly designed knife will be both functional and durable and provide many years of reliable service.

One of the outstanding things about the Rapid Response 3.90 Knife is that it is a Ron Lake design. Ron Lake, a custom knife maker from Eugene, Oregon, is widely known to most serious knife collectors and co-authored the book “How To Make Folding Knives”. He is simply one of the best knife makers around and his design innovations have led to significant improvements in folding knives. His custom knives are considered highly prized pieces in any knife collection. This knife has several features that have been incorporated into its design that will almost certainly make this a reliable piece of equipment without the “custom” price. 

The knife features the new Smooth Assist Technology (S.A.T.) that allows rapid deployment of the blade with a simple flick of the thumb stud on the blade. The roller bearing design appears well made which should make it extremely reliable. The blade responded quickly and was very smooth to operate even though it was being done by an “older” guy. The thumb studs on the blade also come in an ambidextrous configuration suitable for either right or left-handed use. 

This knife also has a somewhat different type of pocket clip. The pocket clip, which is also reversible, has a raised portion on the end. This made it easy to slip onto my pocket and also made it quite easy to pull the knife from my pocket. All that was needed was to hook my finger on the raised end of the clip and the knife comes out very quickly and easily.

Another great item is the Max-Lock feature. This allows the knife to be locked in either the closed or open position. In the open position the blade is actually “double” locked by the slide switch and the liner lock mechanism and this gives you a really secure feeling when the blade is open. When closed and in the locked position, you won’t have to worry about the blade accidentally opening.

Even though this particular knife weighs only 4.8 ounces and feels very lightweight, it responds and acts like a real heavyweight. With an overall length of 8 3/4 inches and a blade length of 3.9 inches, this is a decent size folding knife suitable for a wide variety of tasks, big and small. The Rapid Response 3.90 Knife comes in a non-serrated, high-carbon stainless steel blade with a satin finish. There are different versions available from Coast Products in black that also include a partially serrated edge on the blade.

The textured nylon handle was also a very comfortable fit and worked well even in an overhand grip. The pocket clip didn’t affect my grip and didn’t make a significant difference when grasping the knife. There is also a ridged thumb support on the top of the blade that gives you better control when working with your knife. The blade was also sharp “out of the package” and quickly removed a sizable patch of hair from my arm in short order with only a couple of quick passes.

The shipping was very fast and the knife was received in only a few days from Coast Products in Oregon. The packaging was quite sturdy and the knife was in excellent condition when it was received.

With an overall design that makes its operation not only smooth but safe as well, this knife offers reliable quality at a price that makes it easily affordable for both daily use or in an extreme survival situation.

Now all that’s needed is a “backup in black” for my “Stealth” mode.

Got Rapid Response?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker