In our recent coverage of the new for 2025 KA-BAR stuff, we have focused on the fixed blades, both the Apex and its sister series, the Dust knives. But this year, KA-BAR has also given their Coypu folder a makeover. This semi-sequel is called the Coytu, and features better steel and ergonomics.
Cast your mind back, if you can, to the hazy reaches of history: the fall of 2018. That’s when KA-BAR dropped the original Coypu, a knife laser targeted at first responders in search of an affordable, but heavy duty carry knife. It was a hefty liner lock knife with a weight over 7 oz., and additional features in the form of a glass breaker impact point and seatbelt cutter to appeal to its professed audience.
The Coytu carries this accessible, user-first design forward, with some refinements. The 3.5-inch blade here is made from AUS-8A rather than 15Cr steel. Both are entry level stainless options, but for many the switch in formula will be considered an upgrade. In addition, the liner lock is gone here, and the Coytu now uses an ambidextrous crossbar lock for blade retention. In the intervening years between 2018 and 2025, nearly every manufacturer has taken a crack at an Axislike crossbar mechanism, so it is unsurprising to see it as one of the alterations in this updated model.
Another notable change is in the handle – both its shape, and its construction. The shape itself has been smoothed out, and redrawn for user comfort, and now there is no stainless steel bolster; both scales are made entirely from GFN. This is probably part of the reason why the Coytu is significantly lighter than its forbearer, with a total weight around 5.6 oz.
The Coytu, like its New for 2025 KA-BAR siblings, is available now.
Knife in Featured Image: KA-BAR Coytu
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