Today we’ll be taking a look at the DPx HEAT, reviewed by the man Kyle Lamb calls a “tactical hippie.”  

Based on this list of criteria the DPx HEAT made its way into my life. If you are not familiar with DPx, we’ll give you a brief overview. DPx Gear was created by Robert Young Pelton, a journalist who has found himself covering some of the most dangerous places on earth. This line of work has had him witness over 40 conflicts and be the target of at least one assassination attempt. With all the boxes checked with regard to having an opinion and designing some hard use gear, RYP set out in 2008 to produce edged tools. The company he started is called DPx Gear.

Enough with back story let’s take look at the 8 months or so of use with the DPx HEAT. We’ll cover specs at the end of this little write up so right now we’ll focus on use.

The DPx HEAT fits extremely well in your pocket. When folded, the knife is just under 4 inches. The stainless steel clip retained (and remains) perfectly tensioned. The first few days I was concerned that the rear glass breaker would jab me while driving but it was never noticeable. If it does bother you there are replacement tips but I couldn’t find any in time for this write-up.

Based on my criteria I wanted a knife that was easy to deploy. DPx has a signature notch in their blades that can be used as a bottle opener or thumb grip for detailed work. This notch on the folder allows you to deploy the blade as it leaves your pocket. The notch catches onto your pocket as it leaves, opening the blade. It’s not as easy as other more notable systems but with a little practice, it becomes second nature.

Work it girl.

The knife saw a variety of use from the daily chores (opening boxes and various home/office cutting duties) to camp chores (kindling, kitchen duties, fireside whittling adventures etc). The mil-spec phosphate coating on the blade has held up surprisingly well. A few marks on the blade are present but barely noticeable. The edge of the blade has maintained a consistent sharpness, only recently requiring some passes with the sharpener. The steel is D2 which is great for cutlery and if treated correctly can be very reliable. It’s not the easiest steel to work with but DPx uses a plant in Northern Italy that has expertise with it.

Half Titanium Half G10.

Half and half is the name of the game with the overall construction of the DPx HEAT. The frame is US made G10 and aerospace grade titanium, making it feel nice to hold with a sturdy build that instills confidence (that’s what she said).

It’s in the details.

My favorite part of this blade is the actual cutting edge. It has a .18 thickness which is great for a 2″ length. The blade width is 1.25 inches making it feel sturdy and looking seriously badass for a small knife. The hardware on the knife is really nice from the thumbscrews on the blade to the hex screws that hold it together. There’s also a lanyard hole towards the back if you find yourself needing a place to show off your paracord braid skills.

Yeah, it’s a keeper.

Having cycled through at least 4 pocket folders these past few years I have to say the DPx HEAT is among my favorite of the bunch. Compact yet burly and built to do work. You can check them out by visiting their site.

• The blade is Mil-spec phosphate coated D2 tool steel
• Stonewashed 6Al4V grade 5 titanium alloy frame lock
• American-made olive drab G10 handle scale
• Stonewashed stainless steel “combat” style clip
• Glass breaker
• Lanyard hole
• Thumb grip/bottle opener
• 4.05 oz Weight
• 2.26″ blade length
• 6.33″ overall length