The James Brand Crafts Practical Pocket Knives for Everyday Carry

By Bryan Holt Published December 31, 2019

The James Brand is dedicated to designing modern knives that aid everyday needs, whether that be slicing up apples or stripping rope. The Portland, Oregon-based brand blossomed in 2012 from a group of designers, adventurers, and avid EDC (everyday carry) fanatics with a belief that what you carry says a lot about who you are. For these explorers, this means functional, minimal tools with robust engineering and sleek looks.

Currently, there are five unique members in The James Brand “family,” each made with premium materials, a hard nosed attention to detail, and a design aesthetic every minimalist can get behind.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

The newest release, the limited-edition County knife ($165; pictured above), is a collaboration with ROAM to honor Lines to Hawaii, a short film featuring snowboarder Travis Rice and big-wave surfer Ian Walsh. The County is a slim and simple take on the classic single-blade pocket knife with a wood handle. To make things even more enticing, James Brand and ROAM are offering a plastic free lanyard and donating 10 percent of profits to efforts aimed at reducing plastic in our oceans.

Recommended Videos

If the woodsy look isn’t your style, the other family members might be for you. The Chapter ($275), the knife that started it all for James Brand, is a design of your classic single-blade folding knife, boasting a semi-stainless steel blade that requires minimal maintenance, corrosion resistance to promote longevity, and a sleek clip. This is the knife that started it all for James Brand.

1. Chapter
2. Folsom
3. Elko
4. Hook

The Folsom ($99) boasts a heftier blade, steel liner-lock, ambidextrous opening slot, reversible clip, G10 scales, and some serious gripping power, making it The James Brand’s most versatile option. The Elko keychain knife ($60) design is the family’s little brother, but still packs a punch for such a small frame. With a durable Sandvik 12C27 stainless steel blade, doubling pry bar-key ring, bottle opener, and screwdriver, this puppy delivers utility without added bulkiness.

To compliment these knives and keep your collection of keys out of your pockets, The James Brand developed the Hook, a little multi-tool hip companion that provides a couple extra gadgets in your EDC arsenal: a bottle opener and a ruler. Simple clip your keys on one end, and hook the other end around your belt loop.

Topics

Travel gear

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Bryan Holt is a writer, editor, designer, and multimedia storyteller based in Portland, Oregon. He is a graduate from the…

Outdoors

Try an empty Tic Tac box for this weird camping hack

Will Tic Tac containers save your camping experience?

A camp stove cooking food with a desert landscape blurred in the background

For a lot of campers, simple food while out in the wild is the go-to. While that might be okay for some, you shouldn't have to settle for bland fare if you don't want to! A flavorful meal while in the outdoors can elevate your camping experience. We've covered how to do this before, but here's a whole new thing to try: repurposing your empty Tic Tac containers to hold spices.

That's right — don't throw them out! Believe it or not, Tic Tac containers are perfect for this purpose. They're small, compact, and have a flexible plastic lid that can open and close repeatedly without breaking. Try using them for all your favorite spices: salt, pepper, garlic powder, whatever you like! You can also use them to store dry herbs such as thyme, oregano, and basil. Just use a clean funnel for a mess-free transfer.

Outdoors

Why the 4Patriots Solar Go-Fridge is my ultimate all-in-one camping essential

Adaptable to any outdoor scenario

4Patriots Cooler on the grass outside

As a full-time road-tripper and camping enthusiast, I've committed a lot of time to figuring out how to transport cold food from point A to point B without spending a fortune on ice or risking food spoilage. That's why I was thrilled when I came across 4Patriots' Solar Go-Fridge. The company promises all of the stylings of a luxury solar cooler with portability and simplicity.
But how does it actually hold up in the great outdoors? Can it handle the transition from the trunk to the campsite, and how does it perform on those scorching hot days? I've put the 4Patriots Solar Go-Fridge to the test and am happy to share my results.

Continuous cooling with three unique power sources

Travel

An adventurer’s guide to getting around Acadia National Park

Here's how to make the best of your trip to this national park in Maine

Thunder Hole, Acadia National Park, Maine

Acadia National Park is one of the most visited parks in the entire U.S., seeing almost 4 million visitors this past year. It's easy to see why. Instituted as a national park in 1919, this piece of Maine is home to gorgeous forests, boulder-strewn clifftops, and a stunning coastline all in one place. One of the main draws is that it's one of the best places to see fall colors, but it's also stunning to visit during any time of year. If you want to experience some of the best scenery New England has to offer, here's everything you need to know to make your trip a huge success.
The lay of the land

Acadia National Park spreads across two-thirds of Mount Desert Island, a 108-square-mile island off the northern half of Maine’s coast (called "Down East" in these parts). Mount Desert Island also contains the town of Bar Harbor, which has hotels, restaurants, cafes, outdoor suppliers, and several worthwhile museums. Smaller towns like Northeast Harbor and Southwest Harbor provide a more low-key stay with fewer crowds.