The SOG Seal Team Elite is a bada$$-looking knife that just makes me want to play with it like a schoolboy and fidget spinner (yes, they were popular in 2017 and 2018 okay!?).  It’s a survival knife made by an iconic knife brand in Seattle, WA and it’s designed with undertones of “Bowie” in its design.  Let’s unpack this beauty and see what it has to offer.  I’ll tell you a bit about the company, the features of the knife and what verified owners of the knife have to say about it!

ABOUT SOG

SOG is a leading manufacturer of high-quality survival knives and was started around 1986. The original developer based the original knife’s design on the knives used by a special operations unit of the US military, MACV-SOG (actually stands for “Military Assistance Command Vietnam – Studies and Observations Group).  It was a special operations unit that valued quick, quiet solutions to every problem!  The unit’s name has been adapted to what is known today as one of the top manufacturers of survival knives.

PRODUCT FEATURES

• Incredibly sharp – the blade is very sharp, far sharper than the usual. This can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on how you use the item. Since it’s very sharp, you only need to use light pressure in order to get the job done. If you only need to make a small nick, it’s crucial to handle this knife properly to get the result you want. However, for outdoor use like cutting rope, wood, or meat, this knife manages to perform perfectly.

• Long lasting blade – the blade isn’t just sharp; it also manages to stay that way for a long time which is definitely a plus. It manages to stay this way even after being used on several materials like wood, rubber, rope, and more. The Seal Team Elite Fixed Blade Survival/Tactical knife features a black titanium hardcased nitride-coated AUS-8 stainless steel blade but unlike other AUS-8s, this one is hardened using a SOG proprietary cryogenic heat treatment.  It involves bringing the steel temps down to -300ºF and then brought to room temperature to relieve blade stress at the atomic level (OOoooh, Ahhhh!) and that increases edge hardness and overall retention.  I wonder who figured that out!
• Rust-resistant – the blade can be dipped in saltwater for hours and it still wouldn’t suffer from rust. This is definitely an important aspect for a survival knife, considering how often it would be exposed to the elements. The sharpness of the blade remains intact even after exposure.
• Durable Tip – the tip of the blade is usually the most vulnerable and breaks off easily. This isn’t the case for the SOG Seal Pup Elite, however. The tip can be used for various needs such as opening cans without fear of breaking it off.
• Good handle – The durable GRN (glass reinforced nylon) handle features an extended tang that can be used as a hammer or glass-breaker.

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SOG SEAL TEAM ELITE REVIEWS FROM USERS

72% of verified purchasers on Amazon gave this knife a 5-star rating for its durability and balance among other qualities.  4% of purchasers gave the SOG Seal Team Elite a low rating, but curiously enough, it was not so much because of quality issues, but because the knife is not made in the U.S.A.  but rather in China.  It was noted by one owner that the irony of having China supply our elite forces was quite evident.  Nevertheless, most loved the knife and we are pretty fond of it too (politics aside).

SOG SEAL TEAM ELITE CONCLUSION

All in all, the SOG Seal Team Elite ranks at a very high 4.5 stars out of 5. The only thing negative about this product is the nylon sheath which some users didn’t like and exchanged for something else. Fortunately, it’s easy to find knife sheaths online that would fit this blade so there’s really no problem.  The Seal Team Elite is the big brother of the Seal Pup Elite so both have tactical superiority over an EDC used for outdoor work.