Our 12 Brands Of Christmas For 2020

Thankfully, the Christmas season is approaching again, and it's safe to say this year will be extra special.

At Heinnie, we are thankful that the industry we work in has been doing phenomenally, resulting in an endless array of new and existing brands to choose from, but with this in mind, we have (somehow) whittled this down to 12.

From origin stories, to product insights, let's find out the first brand on our Christmas list.

Brand Name: Spyderco

About Spyderco: Selling UK-friendly knives, Spyderco are one of the biggest brands for knives.

Spyderco was founded in 1976, and since then has grown to become one of the leaders in the knife industry. Spyderco specialise in everything from functional EDC knives, robust outdoor knives and premium gentleman’s knives.

Products They Provide: Spyderco mainly focus on folding and fixed blade knives, but they do also have a range of sharpeners and accessories to go with your new knife.

Why We Have Chosen Them: We work with Spyderco because it is very clear that they are a well established brand in the industry and they stock high quality products. They tailor their products to suit specific people and their requirements which we believe in this industry can be very important.

Brand Name:Triple Aught Design (TAD)

About TAD: Supplying gear and apparel, all the way from the USA.

Triple Aught Design is headquartered in the Dogpatch, which is a historical warehouse and factory located on the district alongside San Francisco's eastern waterfront.

Triple Aught Design is located in an area that offers the Pacific and Sierras within their reach, where these landscapes contribute to their design ideas. In fact, within the rugged wilderness they have around them, they test each of their products within these areas to see how well they work.

Products They Provide: Triple Aught Design focus on creating top-notch apparel clothing and gear, for both men and women.

Alongside their apparel, they also provide fantastic equipment and knives they are famous for.

Why We Have Chosen Them: We are proud to be the UK home for Triple Aught Design, but one of the main reasons we have chosen them is the exceptional quality and engineered functionality TAD brings into each and every one of their products.

Also, as they work closely with providing the very best for the military and teams, meaning they take their gear seriously. They do all that they can to provide products that will help to protect, and that is why they deserve to be on our list.

Brand Name: Fallkniven

About Fallkniven: Superior knives, brought to you from Sweden.

Fallkniven was founded back in 1984 by Peter Hjortberger, where the company began importing knives, and then started designing their own just 3 years later.

In 2009, Hjortberger’s son, Eric took the role as president, where they have continuously strived to create fantastic knives for Sweden and beyond.

Products They Provide: Fallkniven are best known for providing outdoor knives, and are even a supplier to the Swedish military, with the F1 model being the official survival knife for pilots in the Swedish Air Force since 1995 (How amazing is that?)

As they have progressed, they now have military knife models being approved in the US Navy and Marines, while also providing knives for hunting and culinary use, alongside knife accessories.

Why We Have Chosen Them: With their undoubtedly remarkable history, Fallkniven are a brand that has created a pinpoint milestone within the knife industry, so how could we not have them on our list?

We are proud to work with Fallkniven as one of their leading UK suppliers, and with the products they provide, they fulfil every knife enthusiast's needs, whilst also contributing their products to the ever important military troops across several countries.

Brand Name: Boker Plus

About Boker Plus: Boker has been a knife brand since the end of the 19th century and since then they have grown more and more and are a very established brand within the knife industry. Whether you are looking for a UK friendly carry knife, a locking knife or a tactical pen, you will find it with Boker Plus.

Products They Provide: Boker Plus supplies everything you need for your next adventure! They have fixed blade knives, UK friendly carry knives and a range of tactical pens.

Why We Have Chosen Them: We have chosen to add Boker Plus to our top brands because no matter what your budget is, they have a knife to suit you. 

Brand Name: Cold Steel

About Cold Steel:Cold Steel was founded in 1980 with a mission to make the strongest and sharpest knives in the world. Over the past three decades, Cold Steel has been the face of many innovations in the knife industry.

Cold Steel knives have gained a reputation amongst tactical operators and civilians as excellent tools, and superbly built production knives.

Products They Provide: Cold Steel are renowned for their fixed and folding blade knives, but they also have a wide range of tomahawks and machetes.

Why We Have Chosen Them: Cold Steel have played and still do, a big part in the knife industry, which is why we couldn’t miss them off our top brands list!

Brand Name: Maxpedition

About Maxpedition: Founded in 2003, Maxpedition are an LA born company that focus on creating the best designs that are optimised from the design ethos of the American military-grade MOLLE gear, that helps to suit the needs of everyday life.

Their creations have popularised across the globe, as they also primarily focus on the functionality of their products.

Maxpedition gear is trusted by special forces operators, law enforcement officers, adventure travelers and prepared citizens across the globe.

Products They Provide: Undoubtedly, Maxpedition provides a huge array of high quality gear, which includes bags, organisers, packs, pouches, organisers and more.

As a manufacturer of hard-use gear, they focus on creating products for ultimate organisation for adventurers, alongside their well-known range of knives and tactical pens. Meaning you can take on the toughest of environments with the insane amount of gear they provide.

Why We Have Chosen Them: Everything Maxpedition touches is quality, and that is clearly reflected in what they provide to every adventurer.

They have gone from strength to strength to provide the best gear for the everyday adventurers, to even the military. We are proud to be a UK supplier for this brand, and the whole team is always excited to see what they bring out next.

Brand Name: Benchmade

About Benchmade: Benchmade provides a fantastic history, backing over 30 years.

Benchmade is run by Roberta and Les de Asis in Orgena City, where it originally began with Les owning a rented shop in California, where his ideas and creations began.

As they have progressed within the industry, Benchmade are now one of the most well-known brands that provide everyday carry, knives and even products for the military.

Products They Provide: Benchmade focus on their creation of superior knives and tools, including UK friendly products, pens, folding knives and fixed knives.

You may have even heard of their ever popular Griptilian which still breaks the market today, alongside ther fantastic one-off Benchmade Gold Class edition products.

Why We Have Chosen Them: Benchmade is a prime example of a business that has been created from an inspired idea, into something that has revolutionised the industry.

Les de Asis set out to create products that he wanted, and he constantly adapted and improved his ideas from the very beginning, to provide the best.

We are honoured that we are a UK stockist for this brand (but be quick, they do sell fast!) their products are even sent to us, directly from their base in the USA.

Brand Name: SOG

About SOG: In 1986, Spencer Frazer had a mission to reproduce the original SOG Bowie knife and pay tribute to the special ops unit that originally created it in the jungle of Vietnam. It started as one single product, but soon became a full line of innovative tools.

SOG knives are ideal for hunting expeditions, extreme conditions or tackling one of life’s everyday challenges.

Products They Provide: SOG supplies an impressive range of top quality multi-tools, knives, axes and accessories. If you are looking for hard-core and robust tools, then SOG is the brand for you.

Why We Have Chosen Them: The story behind SOG is so fascinating, we just had to add them to our list. Also, not forgetting they sell a great product range for tackling your next adventure.

Brand Name: Leatherman

About Leatherman: The story of Leatherman began in 1975 during a budget trip to Europe.

Tim Leatherman and his wife, Chau were frequently coming across leaky hotel plumbing and doing constant fixes to their cranky Fiat, and from there, that's where Tim’s idea of needing plier based multipurpose tools began.

Tim began with a prototype, something he thought would take a month, but instead it took 3 years to build the exact tool he envisioned, and after facing rejections, 6 and a half years later, he partnered with his friend, Steve Berliner, where in Spring 1983, they received the first order of 500 tools, and that's when they began.

Products They Provide: Leatherman have continually progressed since their plier multitool creation, and have moved on to also creating folding blade knives, sheaths, holsters and accessories.

But, their multitools are still at the heart of their brand, where they are renowned for their robustness and versatility.

Why We Have Chosen Them: The story of Leatherman is inspiring, as it shows how you should never give up on something you believe in, just like Tim.

Leatherman is another company that has adapted and innovated since the start, and primarily focused on creating products that will last for years to come.

At Heinnie, we think a Leatherman tool is a great place to start, if you are looking for a handy accessory that can help you with any everyday challenge.

Brand Name: CRKT

About CRKT: CRKT (Columbia River Knife and Tools) was founded in 1994, and since the beginning they have focused on innovation and integrity first, they wanted to inspire their customers. CRKT are continuously working with some of the world’s leading designers to create the ultimate tool for you to usewhen camping, or in urban environments where the quality is relied upon.

Products They Provide: CRKT supply a range of folding and fixed blade knives, multi-tools, pens, axes and outdoor accessories, each of their products produce functionality with an innovative design.

Why We Have Chosen Them: Heinnie Haynes is the UK’s biggest retailer of CRKT knives and tools. With such an inspiring product range, we wanted to share it with you!

Brand Name: Marathon

About Marathon: Marathon is known for their amazing watch creations, which are inspired from the authentic Military heritage, that have been adapted with a modern Military design.

Each of their designs are created in Canada, but every product is made in Switzerland.

Marathon was founded in 1904 as Weinsturm Watches, where they adapted to there famous Marathon brand in 1939, supplying fine-quality timepieces throughout North America.

Today, the company is managed by the fourth generation of the family where they continue to innovate products that measure time, temperature and distance, for around the globe.

Products They Provide: Marathon have been specialising in watches since the very beginning, where they are now an essential supplier of military issue wrist watches and straps.

Marathon have famously maintained their brand with their watches alone, where they have adapted and improved them through the generations.

Why We Have Chosen Them: At Heinnie, we are always amazed with the superb quality Marathon provides, and how they have focused on innovating one certain product in the industry that they have strived with.

This company shows how you can continuously improve, adapt and create one product type that can cater for the globe, without the need to add anything else on their product line.

Brand Name: Rough Ryder (Previously known as Rough Rider)

About Rough Ryder:Rough Ryder takes its name from the group of men who volunteered to follow Teddy Roosevelt in 1898. 23,000 men volunteered, but he handpicked only 2000, where they hailed from every corner of the country. Those men became one of the best fighting forces in history, where they became the Rough Riders.

Rough Ryder still handpicks their materials to this day, from every corner of the world. They have been working for over 25 years in creating hand quality knives for America and beyond.

Products They Provide: Rough Ryder specialise in providing high quality knives that people can afford, as well as including highly interesting and different styles within their range.

Their brand is well-known for creating a range of knife products that are incredible value for money. Where you can find - folding blade knives, UK friendly carry knives, fixed blade knives, letter openers, carving and knife making accessories, plus much more.

Why We Have Chosen Them: Rough Ryder have focused on creating the best quality products for any person's budget since the very beginning.

Their extensive range allows any knife enthusiast to own a knife they have always wanted without having to worry about their budget, which is an amazing thing to see in the industry.

At Heinnie, we know that Rough Ryder will have the knife you have been looking for.

So, that brings us to the end of our top 12 brands for Christmas. We hope the above helps you in choosing your next survival knife. Do you want more? You can view our full range of knives and tools here. We offer a selection of delivery options, including free UK delivery on orders over £30, you can find our full range of delivery options here.

From the team at Heinnie Haynes, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!