DPx Gear in Men's Journal

July 08, 2020

Plenty of great knives are being made overseas these days, but the bladesmith scene in the U.S. is thriving. From big companies and small shops, you can pick from a wide variety of stellar cutting tools, all crafted with care and precision in America. We selected a few folders and fixed-blade knives that will make any outdoor slicing, carving, or chopping task this summer easier and more enjoyable.

DPX Gear Releases the Titanium DECADE Edition of the DPX HEST/F: A Celebration of Ten Years of its Flagship Folding Knife

June 02, 2020

San Diego, CA -- May 25, 2020 -- Robert Young Pelton is known for working in and surviving the world’s wars. Whether it is Libya, South Sudan or Afghanistan, his designs for DPx Gear are the direct result of his hard won experience. The constant use, testing, upgrading and real world punishment of his designs have resulted in the third generation of the famous DPx Gear HEST/F (“Hostile Environment Survival Tool/Folding”) knife, now ten years old.

The Unfriendly Skies - Being Mortared on Libya's Front Lines

April 03, 2020

Weaving our way through deserted back alleys, I can tell we’ve arrived at the front. Not just from the noise of heavy 14.5s, mortar hits, and RPGs, but because driver Hussam hunches down and peers up through the windshield of our grimy Toyota pickup. He’s looking for drones.

“Are you afraid of the drones?” I ask.

“I am not afraid because I am putting my life for my country,” he answers.

I’m not totally buying it. Although the fighters I’m with are young, they’re well-seasoned. They fought in the 2011 Revolution, but now they really don’t have a plan on how to deal with this new threat. All while being partly encircled by the forces of General Khalifa Haftar.

Dark Alliance Firearms & DPx Gear: Start With Our Heirloom Knife Built For A Lifetime, Then Make It Your Own

January 18, 2020

When it comes to lifetime heirloom knives, some of our customers want more. They want it to be completely unique to them. That's where Dark Alliance comes in. When they are in the market for a one-of-a-kind spin on a high end knife or gun, the place to go is Dark Alliance Firearms in Las Vegas, Nevada - one of America’s hottest customizers of weapons and tools. Co-founder, Jeremy Schmierer is one of the most meticulous and unique firearms engravers out there and he digs DPx Gear.

The Importance of Being Tough

September 17, 2019 3 Comments

The folding knives I design for DPx Gear carry a similar look. Beefy, utilitarian and thick. A number of customers that are used to more traditional knives are surprised when at the heft and feel of their first DPx product. Imposingly well built and yet balanced when used. It is not by accident.

The Baghdad Bar and Grill: Remembering The Days When A Beer Run Was A Blast

August 09, 2019 3 Comments

There was a special time in Iraq after the invasion and before the insurgency really set in. A strange place of Hescos, blast walls, and drinking Belgian Coronas on the roof while watching fire fights and car bombs. It was Baghdad at its worst - and best.

Visit DPx Gear at BLADE Show 2019 in Atlanta, GA June 7th-9th

June 04, 2019

Join us at The World's Largest Knife Show this weekend at the Cobb Galleria in Atlanta, GA. DPx Gear will again be one of the 1,000 exhibitors showcasing their products this year. We will be in booth #844.

DPx Gear Celebrates Ten Years In Business With Two Very Limited Run Knives in Bohler M390 Blade Steel.

April 10, 2019

DPx Gear, Inc. has released two limited run tenth anniversary knife models - the DPx HEST 6 Decade and the DPx Aculus Flipper.

DPx DECADE
The fixed blade combative knife, the DPx HEST 6 Decade, is available in 100 numbered units and features hollow Micarta™ scales and Bohler M390 blade steel. Also in M390 and featuring a new hollow grind blade, is DPx Gear's first flipper release: the Aculus Flipper. Both knife models are available exclusively from DPx Gear and ready for immediate shipment.

"When DPx Gear began we started with one idea and one knife. Make the best quality knife for the best customers," says Robert Young Pelton, founder of DPx Gear on his first design, the HEST Original. It was a surprisingly simple but strong survival knife.

The Kabul Country Club

March 20, 2019

The Kabul Country Club

As told by Robert Young Pelton, founder of DPx Gear.

Long timers in Afghanistan will know that there actually is a Kabul Country Club. Technically it is called the Kabul Golf Club on Qargha Road . The nine hole course was opened in 1967, the heyday of Kabul, and its role as an international destination. Kabul was pitched to tourists as the "Switzerland of Asia", where travelers could arrive via the Pan Am-operated Ariana Airlines and stay at the newly built Kabul Intercontinental Hotel.

The DPx Gear HEST/F Urban G10: A Smaller, Tougher, American Hard Use EDC Folder Built to Last Lifetimes

February 23, 2019

The first shipment of HEST/F Urban G10 ODs have sold out. To stay in touch about the next shipment's arrival, click here.

Designed by Robert Young Pelton for DPx Gear, the DPx HEST/F Urban is the last pocket knife you'll need for every day carry. Small, light and feature-packed, it’s just as at home in your jeans as it is in the tackle box. An heirloom quality piece of US craftsmanship that can be passed down generations with the support of a no-questions-asked lifetime warranty DPx Gear customers deserve. The Urban reduces size and weight while increasing strength. That’s not something you hear much these days.

Into The Lost World of Borneo

February 09, 2019

From above the miles and miles of jungle carpet, the ground was unbroken, except by a few large rivers that had cut the dirt right down to the sandstone. Here, there was diversity, but also a monotony of endless green: a carpet of color every few miles from a flowering tree, subtle shades of green, blending from dark brownish green to light green and even yellowish green. If the helicopter went down in this canopy, we would never be found.

Jungle Slumber: RYPs Tips And Essential Equipment to Keep You Comfortable

February 09, 2019

Sleeping in the jungle is probably one of the most unpleasant parts of tropical travel. Like clockwork, the rain pours at night along with some insects that go off at 6:30pm sharp, later on rodents, insects and all manner of large and unnamed species will crawl, flutter, slither and hop into your life.

Pelton says of jungle sleeping arrangements: "Although I spent years sleeping directly on the ground usually with a tarp, I would not recommend it for the squeamish. In some jungles, you can actually drown if you don’t pick your spot wisely. Worse is the relentless pursuit of biting or stinging insects to explore every inch of your body. Not to mention how miserable it can be to unglue yourself from the mud at dawn."

The ideal method of sleeping is to copy the locals. Use a hammock but one that has a bit of western technology thrown in. I now swear by the SAS style jungle hammock with built in bug screen and an overhanging tarp. All you need is some rope and carabiners depending on the location. A cheap fleece blanket and your headlamp and you are good to go.