TOPS Offers Surface-Level Performance, Subsurface Strength In Pair Of Water-Focused Blades.

For years, the dive knife market has been saturated with “emergency only” gear—tools often made from low-grade stainless steel that prioritize corrosion resistance at the total expense of edge retention. TOPS Knives is challenging that status quo with a dual-release born from their annual Employee Design Challenge. The Sidekick Diver and the Snake River Rescue represent a shift in philosophy: these are high-performance cutting tools first, engineered to survive the brine while maintaining the surgical bite expected of a professional blade.

Both models utilize N690 stainless steel, a cobalt-enriched alloy known for its ability to hold a fine edge and resist the aggressive nature of saltwater. To ensure these blades could handle real-world neglect, TOPS subjected prototypes to high-salinity brine soaks, allowing them to air-dry without rinsing—a “torture test” designed to mimic the exact conditions where most dive gear fails.

The Sidekick Diver, designed by Ana Espinoza, is a formidable 11.25-inch tool tailored for the spearfisherman. With a 5.75-inch blade featuring a fine tip and an integrated spine-mounted line cutter, it is built for the precision tasks of dispatching fish and clearing entangled lines. The contoured gray and black G10 handles are sized for a locked-in grip, whether you are bare-handed or wearing thick neoprene gloves.

In contrast, the Snake River Rescue, designed by Jon Garcia, serves the needs of SCUBA and rescue professionals. It features a blunt safety tip to prevent accidental punctures in high-stress, low-visibility underwater environments. The high-visibility yellow and black G10 scales ensure the tool is easy to locate if dropped, while an extended metal pommel serves as a functional tank tapper for signaling and monitoring air supply. Its dual-edge geometry, featuring a 2.5-inch fully serrated section on the spine, is specifically tuned for sawing through heavy rope and netting.

Both knives are finished in a Black Traction Coating for added protection and ship with a secure Kydex sheath. By moving away from the “disposable” mindset of traditional dive gear, TOPS has delivered a pair of aquatic workhorses built to be used, sharpened, and relied upon long after the first dive.

Blade Steel: N690 (RC 58-60)
Blade Length: 5.75 inches
Overall Length: 11.25 inches
Handle Material: Gray/Black G10
Weight: 12.8 ounces
MSRP: $395 – $400

Blade Steel: N690 (RC 58-60)
Blade Length: 5.5 inches
Overall Length: 9.38 inches
Handle Material: Yellow/Black G10
Weight: 10.9 ounces
MSRP: $395

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