Vosteed Marten 330 Review: Bigger Grip, Better Clip

The version I’m reviewing has a 3.3-inch 154CM blade and fully contoured carbon-fiber scales. That combination matters to me. At the $119 price of my original review, the carbon fiber is what makes the value work. I would feel differently about that price with plain, flat G10, but this contoured carbon fiber? Yes, please.

Overall length is 7.52 inches, and the listed weight is 3.7 ounces. The top liner lock and reversible tip-up clip give it the features I want for everyday carry. This is the stonewashed-blade A1611 with blue thumb studs and a matching backspacer.

The original Marten had one significant issue for me: its pocket clip. The bend brought the opening close to the base, and the protruding screw heads reduced the room even more. It snagged on my pockets, and I wasn’t enjoying that at all.

The Marten 330 fixes that complaint on my sample. There’s a much wider opening and fully recessed screws. The downward bend might still matter if you have very thick pocket hems, but I haven’t had an issue with it. It goes in and out of my pocket just fine.

I’ve already carried this 330 probably five times as much as the original Marten. The size is better for me, the ergonomics suit my hand better and the clip no longer gets in the way. The contoured carbon fiber and stonewashed drop point make it a very handsome knife, too.

Side by side, the difference in size is obvious. The 330 looks like the original Marten enlarged proportionally, but that slightly wider, slightly thicker handle makes a big difference in my hand. It’s why I enjoy this one so much more.

That doesn’t mean the original Marten has bad ergonomics. It still feels good, and someone with smaller hands may prefer it. My clip complaint was the deal breaker for me. I suspect I could replace that clip with one that has recessed screws, but I haven’t verified the fit. The larger 330 is simply much more my kind of knife.

The Thornton LC, which I designed with Vosteed, is a little longer than the Marten 330. The Kizer Escort is close in length to the Thornton LC, too. Together, those give a better idea of where this larger Marten sits: it has grown noticeably from the original, while remaining shorter than those two comparisons.

The blade is very nice and very thin behind the edge. It’s a simple drop point, but that’s part of why I like it. For general EDC, I’d be hard pressed to argue against a good drop point. There’s a useful amount of blade here without making the design complicated.

Vosteed positioned the thumb studs high on the blade. Looking at the knife, I don’t think another position would have worked as well. The placement feels perfect to me. I also like how the blade and handle come together around the choil.

The contoured carbon fiber, much-improved clip and blue backspacer all work together really well. That little pop of blue matches the thumb studs nicely. At $119 at the time of my review, I was very happy with the price and execution. I’d expected the contoured carbon-fiber version to cost more.

Then there’s the action. It’s phenomenal. The top liner lock gives me that crisp detent and button-operated release that I enjoy so much. Mechanically, this is a liner lock released by a button, rather than a conventional plunge-style button lock. The combination is so satisfying.

Top liner locks and bolster locks are my two favorites. Which one I prefer can change on any given day, but this Marten 330 is a great example of why I’m such a big fan of the top liner lock.

The design is great, the bigger size is perfect for me and I really don’t have a reason to tell you to look elsewhere. If it catches your eye and the size suits you, go for it. This is a good one.