SOG Knives: SOG Seal Pup Elite Knife Review
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Hiking Gear, Survival Gear, Survival Knives Posted by:
Rob Richardson
If I had to pick one knife to keep with me at all times, it would be SOG’S Seal Pup Elite. This knife is Sharp, VERY SHARP, and it holds it’s edge better than 90% of the knives on the market.
The Seal Pup Elite is based off the design that Navy Seals use, so you know this knife is designed to take a beating. During our testing, we threw everything we had at this knife. After a couple weeks of cutting everything we could get our hands, I was extremely impressed by this knife’s edge retention. After weeks of abuse, the SOG was almost as sharp as the day we got it.
Seal Pup Knife Specifics
THE BLADE: The knife has a full tang US8 stainless steel blade that’s undergone SOG’s proprietary Cryogenic Heat Treatment process. SOG says this process strengthens the steel on an atomic level, increasing the blade’s durability and edge retention. While I can’t scientifically confirm the truth in that statement, I can say that our testing confirmed that this was one tough blade. After going through their proprietary treatment process, the knife is then coated in titanium nitride which helps further strengthen the knife.
SIZE: The overall length of the blade came in at 4.85 inches with the whole knife measuring in at 9.5 inches long. It weighs in at a comfortable 5.4 ounces, making it easy to carry for just about anyone.
This Knife held up to everything we threw at it including,
Cutting wood, meats, leather, ropes, and anything else I could find. For the last couple of months, I’ve used this knife in my shop to cut almost everything. I’m really impressed with the blades ability to hold an edge over time.- Using it as an improvised Axe to cut some pretty thick pieces of wood. (even after this abuse, the knife still held it’s edge with no damage to the blade)
- Using the blade point to open cans, notch wood, and jamming it into chunks of wood to see if it would break ( it didn’t!)
- Letting it sit in salt water for a three days (no rust or noticeable damage)
Why We Recommend the SOG Seal Pup Elite
- The knife is extremely sharp and holds its edge after rigorous testing.
- I believe its hands down one of the best survival knives we’ve ever seen.
- It’s lightweight and a great knife for those looking to keep their pack weights down.
- I have seen some complaints from people who didn’t like the nylon sheath, but you won’t hear any coming from me; in fact, I actually really like the sheath. It feels really durable and had enough room in the pocket to stash a small multitool, a lighter, and flashlight. It made a nice little EDC survival kit.
- The handle provides an excellent grip. I really like the way this knife felt in my hand. The handle, which is made from glass-reinforced Zytel, has a textured feel that makes it literally stick to your hands. On a side note, I like the Seal Pup Elite’s handle because of its thicker and deeper finger groves; which in my opinion, gives it an edge up over the regular seal pup.
Looking for a Good Sog Knife? I recommend one of these Sog Knives.
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Very Nice!
I have had one of the regular seal Pups for awhile and I love it. I have actually been thinking about getting one of the elites for awhile. I think I might have to now. I really like the blade on the Elite. I don’t use the serrated edge much on the pup so I think The elite would be perfect.
Very cool, I was trying to decide between the seal pup and another brand but I think I am going to give the SOG a try. I like that the seals use it, if it’s good enough for them I’m sure it will do the job when I need it.
There is no better knife than a SOG. I have 2 of them and I love them.
i have purchased and tried three different brands of knives- a gerber bear grylls-a sog seal pup-and a cold steel srk-after a grueling 30 day test my picks from first to last are 1.cold steel srk 2.gerber bgrylls and 3 the sog
I get a lot of emails asking about the Sog So i bumped this up on the posts
I have this exact same knife and agree with your review. It’s a knife you can have trust in and carry in many different ways thanks to the very clever nylon sheath. I’ve put mine through he’ll and it’s still razor sharp and looking almost brand new. I chose this one over the standard Pup because of the size, it’s perfect. A truly fantastic knife, made to be used, and at a great price. I highly recommend.
Great review. I love my SOG knives! I carry the FlashII daily and it’s almost worn out from SEVERE abuse! This knife has taken EVERYTHING.
I am a hunting blogger on a quest to find the ultimate hunting weapons…..hunting equipment and love to write funny stories also. I have just added the seal pup to my roster. I would say if i get a dear this year the ultimate test is cutting the pelvic bone….If it can do that and not kill my hand I’m sold.
The Black Widow
A hunting blogger that can’t spell ‘Deer’?!
Or are you talking about a spouse?
cAN YOU WEAR THE KYDEX SHEATH HORIZONTALLY FOR THE PUP ELITE OR JUST THE NYLON SHEATH?
the kydex sheath will mount anyway you can imagine even without the safety strap. however not recommended because i took the strap of and shook it as hard as i could for a long time and eventually it did fall out sliceing my hand open. which brings me to vuethe reviewers opinion as fact as i am sitting here with only 3 fingure and a thumb
Great review. That’s my next suvival knife!
Thanks for this post! I have been looking for a good knife for my husband and I. I think this is the one. The information you provided was great. Keep it up!
I bought one based on your recommendation. Its a great knife.. very impressed. I have a couple of glock knives, which are also highly durable (big surprise, right!) but they aren’t hunting knives, definitely more combat oriented. (Which is not a bad thing mind you) The SOG pup is now in my outdoors bag. Thanks for the review.
I would like for you guys to test out some of the knives from Gray Man knives, preferrably the Warrior. Please post all the feedback, the good and the bad. Thanks guys. -SHAWN
I wouldn’t mind seeing the pros and cons of a Gerber knife, if you guys are up for it. SOG and Gerber both make knives for the military, and to see the two matched side by side would be a real treat for us knife lovers out there.
I agree with swgerberknives. Can we get a side by side look at the gerber lmf 2.
Excellent article and I couldn’t agree more. I like the finger insets that give it a nice contoured fit and the tactical Kydex sheath that doesn’t absorb water. One of the best survival knives under $100 for sure.
There’s no doubt the SOG Seal Pup is one sweet knife, but I would have to lean towards the LMF II…mainly out of loyalty. I will have to say, the SOG is definitely lighter and that means a lot to most folks!
Don’t forget the full sized Ka-Bar.
ESSE RAT, Ka Bar, and Mora for me. However, I may try the SOG Seal pup elite, but most knife makers cringe when they hear SOG and say they would only trust it to slice their ham sandwich. They seem a bit biased and probably don’t like the fact that it is made in China.
I have two of these SOG SEAL pups and and one full size and I think they are the best knife for the money. I have approx 15 “count on” knives and these would be at the top of my list. The Navy SEALs actually carry these albeit the larger version usually. I also like Gerber and Leatherman has also made a few knives that I like.
As far as SOG being made in China, of my three one each was from China, Japan, Taiwan under SOG standards and guidelines. I prefer American made when it the same quality and cost effective, but union pay scales have pretty much made that impossible
I am unaware of any union knifemakers anywhere. As for the SOG being made in China, that cancels it out for me. Chinese have very little quality control.
have you done any reviews on the ontario knives like the rtak II.
Why not carry both? You can go back and forth about whether or not the SOG Seal Pup Elite is better than the Gerber LMF II. Each knife has excellent qualities that can be trusted. The Gerber LMF II has an excellent sheath that I use as a drop holster attached to my left leg while I carry the SOG Seal Pup Elite on my vest. No matter how you arrange them there is always room for both. These knives can take a beating and still dish it out reliably. Always remember, one = none (and two may still not be enough).
The handle grip area looks a little small on that knife. Not sure if it would be as comfortable for large hands like the LMF II is.
i agree that its a good knife but it has many flaws including that if you drop it the handle stars coming losse.
I was going to buy one until I found out they are made in China
don,almost evrything is made in china Schrade,smith & wesson,coleman,im not sure about gerber i own older knives from gerber that were made in the u.s.a.,. the only thing i can think of thats still made in the usa is marlin, i think i cant say for sure , so good luck looking for u.s.a made stuff especily weapons or camping equipment.unless you buy older knives and camping gear.
Buck Still makes knives in Post Falls Idaho, same with 10/22 mags and reloaders that are made for Bushnell in Couer d alene ID
Kabar and gerber are made in the USA
Buck knives are still made in the USA and have some great knives to choose from. I have several and have been very happy with their quality ease of use. Give them a try.
Just bought a buck and the dang thing says made in china on the back.
If you are looking for a great knife from Buck, check out the CSAR-t. It designed by Buck and Tops out of Idaho. Just got the fixed blade version and its a sturdy tool.
Some comments about knives and their origin….
Many manufacturers today use China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan for production as well as the US, Germany, Spain, Sweden and Canada. Kershaw, for example, has great knives all around and those are either made in China or like the Leek model is made in the US. Same thing with Gerber–(which is a Fiskars company), Cold Steel, SOG, Smith & Wesson, Buck, Ka-Bar, Schrade, Leatherman, etc…. Not all products from China are bad and some companies have reps and engineers in China to ensure quality. This is not standard for every company and I have found junk coming from most of the manufacturers out there. You have to look into and research everything you buy, otherwise you may be throwing money away. Personally I do prefer US made products, knives included. US produced items are much higher in cost compared to imports and in some cases are not as well made as some imports. Some Cold Steels imports and some SOG imports are really nice products, very well made and stand up to serious abuse. Best bet, as I mentioned above, is to do your research, check multiple sites, read reviews–good and bad and price it out before you buy it. SOG Seal Pup Elite is a decent knife, however price can range from low $50′s up to and over a $100, depending upon where you make your purchase. I own several hundred knives and have been a knife fan for the last thirty years and research has paid off more times than not! If you buy the SOG Seal Pup Elite, think about getting a tactical tomahawk, they are inexpensive and can do some serious work.
here another thing, american made products ,the machinery to make them was almost certainly made in china.but i forgot about buck my dad owns one or two and he says there great.
Nico, if you do a double check, you will find not all Buck knives are being made in America. They are in fact farming out production as well to overseas plants. Sad but true.
I love SOG. I don’t buy any other knives if I can help it. They are a bit pricey but I’ve had my Sog twitch (fold knife) for many years and it’s still durable and good at whatever I throw at it.
I also bought the SOG Tactical Fusion Tomahawk. It’s great as a multi tool and clearing camps and doesn’t take up much room. Fun to throw too. I have not bought a SOG PUP yet. But definately plan too.
Great review.
Sounds like the knife to have – I believe we have at least one…
Just one little note —- its SEAL when refering to the Special Navy guys…..
BADASS! Wonderful blade. Mine was forged in Sekia, Japan so its doubly badass. SEAL approved so it will save ur live a few times over! Great for SEAR & E&E & a mean lil death dealer she is too! Only others I’d be caught dead with is the larger version, my TOPS Tom Brown Tracker, & my CRKT M-16SF!
*SERE
Great knife, but I have a personal affection of my KA-BAR.
The SOG Seal Pup Elite, with TiNi coating, kydex sheath, and plain edge, is the absolute best knife you can get – for the money (about $85 on Amazon when I purchased it about a year ago).
One caviat: DON’T get the serrated version of any knife. The serrated part just gets wrecked, especially if you use the knife to chop wood.
I myself am a big fan of the Becker Crewman. I have had mine since about 2003 and have no complaints what so ever. Its a little big and slightly heavy but I knew that before I bought it. Great nylon sheath with kydex insert and front pocket with slight bellow big enough for a GI magnesium fire starter.
For the record the US Navy SEALs do not have an official SEAL knife. In BUD/S they use the Cold Steel SRK. SOG may be American owned, but may of their knives are made in Japan and other Asian countries. I would rather have a Kabar or Kabar BKT some alleged Specwar knife.
Well, as a survival / prepper knife I would go with Kabar as this is missing several key features including a workable quillon to protect your hand when stabbing, or blocking and enough of a pummel on the handle to get positive pressure when extracting the knife.
this knife is one of the best if not the top. ive had my eye on this for about three years and its still top of the market. ive used it many times and ive yet to sharpen it. another great tip for this knife is to wrap some 550 paracord around the handle. makes the handle even more comfortable than before and having extra 550 cord speaks for itself. GREAT KNIFE!
I have carried my seal pup elite for 5 years now and put it through absolute hell for abuse. Though well maintained it has seen very rough times. There is no other like a seal pup. This knife is the definition of tough and reliable. It holds an edge extremely well, hasn’t rusted in the least bit even being covered in mud and shoved back in the sheath for days at a time on long adventures in the woods. Very comfortable handle, Great size of both handle and blade, tough sheath, and black TiNi finish is the most durable I have ever seen! Over all I would recommend this knife to absolutely anyone! and IF something were to happen to the one i currently have I would not hesitate to own another.
Between the SOG Seal Pup, my KABAR, my Cold Steel Recon 1, and my Leatherman Supertool, I’m ready to take on anything. admittedly, the Seal Pup is going to be my last resort knife. The KABAR will still be the work horse of my knives.
I like this knife too. But I think it could be a little longer. About an inch. If you have the money. I’d say Randel knife Co.Florida makes the best. And for a really good cheap knife that is strong and can take a punishing it is the Buck knife hunter with the Black grips and bowie style blade. It comes in three different sizes. Chuck noris had one attached to his web harness in one of those Vietnam movies he did when he went back and rescued some POWs. But definitely stay away from the Gerbers. Their blades are brittle and the tang is just epoxied into the handle. The guards on the aluminum handles even snap off under pressure.
I went back and read all these tweets or whatever you call them. Yeah I too agree that the K-bar is a great workhorse. I had one from world war II that I refurbished . It was practically indestructible. But you know you can still get a Buck knife sharper. And a Randel looks great on your belt.
SOG’s are great knifes, but anybody who knocks gerber(Brian kudalis) hasn’t tried the LMF 2 ASEK, or just simply the LMF2. But none the less that’s why I have both a SOG seal pup and a Gerber so I don’t have to worry about that. But a lot has to do with your knowledge of bushcraft. It wouldn’t matter if you had a million dollar knife with you in the woods. Your ability to use it will determine whether you survive or not
I don’t trust Gerber any more.
They refuse to tell you what type of steel they use and they do break. No thanks. I will stick to my USMC KA-BAR. Looks like the SOG is a winner as well, but I don’t have one yet.
I got the KaBar BK&T BK7. Handle fits my paw better than the SOG. I like the 1095 steel better then the AUS8.
Gerber BMF Big and tough Rember 2 is one and one is none
Knife brands… “which one is better?” is the common thing I hear. It really depends on the model. I have the seal pup elite with a kydex sheath and it is a good one. I can use it in the backcountry or at depth in the ocean, with equal ease. Most of my knives are different brands, because in each knife type category there are a couple companies that make the best options. In fact, most of these companies have more than one designer, and some even have joint collaboration with others. This can make for some really great models. What exactly do you expect your knife to do, and what are you going to use it for. Answer these questions first, then you will make a better decision.
I have a SOG Pentagon. I love it and have carried it for years…horrible thing is that the leather sheath finally wore out. Anyone know where i can get just the sheath for it? Thanks for any help you can give me.
Try ebay. Or you could contact a leatherworker to make one for you.
the regular SOG seal pup is made in taiwan.
…is the elite U.S. made?
They use a whole array of knives. There is no “official knife,” contrary to what you read. Good knife though.
I hope you are right. I would like to think a military unit would use more of a fighting oriented type of knife. If you really want to know what goes into a combat knife you should check out maineprepper on youtube and his videos on what makes a knife combat capable.
The seal pup elite is a great knife, I just ordered a second one. a couple issues though, the article states that the seal pup is based off the knife that the SEALs use, this is inaccurate, the standard dive knife issued at BUD/s is the Cold Steel SRK, once in the teams the knife used is largely up to the individual operator. Also, the new kydex sheath is not set up for LBE as it has no lashing points, it comes as a belt compatible only unit.
Also, the seal pup is a great LBE blade, but sucks as a dedicated survival knife since it’s a little on the small side, and is quite lite. the seal team elite (which I also own) is much better suited for a survival bladt, though I prefer a full flat grind such as the RAT-7 or KA-BAR heavy bowie.
So far, this knife has been great for me. The blade really does hold an edge, even after putting it through its paces. Yesterday was a great day outside, so I came home from work, and got to work. Built a fire, split some big timber, got out my gear and cooked supper over the fire. Good practice for me, and good test of the knife. My only complaints, are the nylon sheath, the knife sometimes wants to skip the sheath, and go between it and the nylon, so I have to be careful when putting it back in. And, I wish for a bit more of a flat spot on the top instead of the rasp. Just a bit less rasp, and enough of a flat edge to get a good strike on a ferro rod. Other than that, I love this blade so far.
Hey i waas just wondering if someone has the SOG seal pup (just the regular version) and can give me some advice on it. Thank-you
This knife is CRAP. I have been in Afghanistan for 11 months and bought this knife before I left. 6 months in, the blade split apart! It is a cheaply made knife and would definitely not buy another for survival reasons. The only thing I was used for was cutting pomegranite’s open, shaving off bark on trees, and making inscriptions into wood. Total garbage knife.
DO NOT BUY!
Esee 5 or the cold steel rsk much better the rsk is the real knife the seals use and the esee 5 is the survival knife created by air force sere instructors if any one needs to survive its pilots it’s a quarter inch thick and it has a hole in the hilt for a fire bow
Not too mention esee also makes arrow heads out of the same steel ready to attach to home made arrows
Thanks for the suggestion but I think I’ll stick with my 3 Chirra kukri.
The knife would be perfect if it had a little teeth on the upper edge.
So many knives I want don’t have this.
The perfect outdoor/tactical knife would be big, designed like a Bowie knife and have teeth on the upper edge, be black, have a tough handle, and come with a hard sheath option.
Smaller version for stealth ok too.
I have Gerber,several Bucks–and cheap Jim BOWIE KNIFE– For hiking puposes-NOT SURVIVAL–the purpose of the knife is to abuse it-and not to mount it on top of the alter of the fireplace and pray to it–Get a cheap Jim Bowie type of knife to lend to your friends so they can damage it–You can chop wood with it –and dig holes for can garbage and bathroom.
SOG makes great knives! They typically get solid reviews across the board. That goes for both their folders and fixed blades.
How about a knife that fits a woman’s small hands?
I wear about a size 6 glove. It would have to be light, with very defined finger grooves, well balanced.
I prefer the Gerber Bear Grylls series knives. Has serrated edge, stays sharp and takes a lot of abuse.
I have a issue British Gurkha Regiment kukri. It works for me.
Great knife here…and great review! I’ve also heard some great things about the Fallkniven A1 survival knife…might be worth taking a look. In addition, I just bought the Bear Grylls (gerber) knife and the Ka-bar Becker BK2 companion knives last week. Always good to have some solid tools in your kit…
I love the SOG knives and if you can afford them theyre awesome but if not then I like the gerber Bear Grylls series too for those looking for something in the middle class range
Nice review. The Amazon reviewers are also giving this knife a lot of love. I will have to try it out.
i love my sog and gerber survival knives and they are best
I am currently awaiting my Seal Pup Elite right now but I have owned the Seal Team Elite for a while. I am buying the Pup Elite with the straight edge and kydex sheath as I do a lot of waist deep fishing with my knife at my side. Also, municipal law in my area prevents me from carrying my Seal Team Elite on my side in city limits. If the “Pup Elite” performs even half as well as my “Team Elite” then it will be more than sufficient for me. The AUS8 blade is suited for my Northern B.C. climate better then the carbon steels and still holds an edge near perfectly. (I absolutely hate rust on my blades and oil is no guarantee in as moist a climate as I live in). I have owned the BK2 and gave it up for my Elite and never looked back. SOG to me, is by far my favorite knife maker and they do a damn fine job in the craft. I will own SOG for the majority, if not the rest of my life.
Well my Seal Pup Elite came in and upon initial opening of the box I was impressed with it. Upon closer inspection though I noticed the grind on the blade is out; 20 degrees on one side and about 30-35 degrees on the other. I don’t know if I got the knife that was ground by a worn out stone or what. I also noticed that near the tip of the blade (About 1/2 inch back) there is a little “striation” on the blade where I can see the grain of the steel to be much more pronounced than the rest of them. I hope this will not be a weak spot and break as this is not a cheap knife and I have not had to test SOG’s lifetime warranty yet. One of the spine rasps on the “tip” of the “wave” design on the spine of the knife closest to the point sticks up above the rest and actually shaves pieces off of the kydex sheath when I pull it out and put it back in. I may be scrutinizing the knife too closely but I will have to test the knife out to know for sure if it holds up to the Seal Team Elite I purchased a while ago. I am however greatly impressed with the kydex sheath and the handle of the knife fits my hand like a glove. Please let me know if anyone on here has had similar characteristics on their knives. Any feedback would be much appreciated.
I’ve always liked SOG knives, they perform really well. I had a Seal Pup a few years ago but I lost it on a hunting trip in Alaska. I was so disappointed! This was a really thorough review, it’s pretty cool how you tested it. The Seal Pup would make a perfect camping knife or a great survival knife.
I’ve had a chance to handle one of these knives and I agree wholeheartedly about the durability of this blade. They are not the cheapest knife on the market, but they are a very good quality knife that can handle the abuse.
I like my blades, and have many different ones, ESEE, Ka-Bar, Cold Steel, Gerber, Mora, Bark River, Fallkniven, and now I finally got the SOG Seal Pup.
The Mora is on the low budget end with the Bark River on the higher end with the others in the middle.
The SOG Seal Pup is a good knife, and I would rate it comparable to the Cold Steel Master Hunter performance wise. However, for a survival / bushcrafting setting I prefer the Bark River Bravo II over any of my other fixed blade knives, followed by the ESEE-5 and then the Fallkniven F1 as my top 3. The SOG Seal Pup would fall in 5th or 6th.
On a side note, I understand from reports that the Bark River Bravo knife made in Michigan is now the knife of choice for the Marines Recon units.
just wondering where would the kabar becker bk2
rank in your list?
Agreed, ‘knowing’ how to effectively use as a tool and a weapon is critical. Similar to shot placement… some people with their .45 Colt’s laughed at me years ago when I went to the range with a Walther .32, that was until they saw my consistent 3-shot placement at 50-feet.
For me, my knife is primarily a tool for batoning, skinning, filleting, carving, cutting… and selecting the tool that performs the best is entirely subjective by the user based on edge retention and durability. If it comes to hand-to-hand, which will get bloody for both as a last resort.
Great blade, I love that it’s so lightweight. As some people have noted though, the handle does feel a tad small.
Hey, thanks for your honest review. It seems most people agree with what you have said, the reviews on Amazon are also very complimentary.