Endela or Straight Spine Stretch?

[sethwm]

About a year ago I saw Sal say the straight spine stretch and the endela were sorta in competition. Both models are similar and he wanted to see which was more popular.

Which do you prefer?

[Tgmr05]

SS Stretch. It just feels better in my hand, and I prefer the blade cutting edge/shape over the Endela. Has a more hard use outdoor type feel/design.

[Wartstein]

Tough choice, both really great folders, but for me it is the Endela.

- Endela is lighter ( almost as light as a Manix 2 LW (but stills offers steel liners))
- Endela is a slimmer carry
- Endela has probably an a bit sturdier tip (than the straight spine, not the "regular" Stretch), that is still pointy enough
- Endela has better ergos the way I hold folders predominantely (thumb not on the ramp, but rather on the flat/side of the blade. If I choose to put the finger ON the ramp the Stretch has better ergos though))
- Choking up on the Endela ricasso feels more stable and gives me more control than choking up on the Stretch choil (the latter is more comfortable, no doubt)
- Endela comes with the best serrations I personally ever tried and generally in more variants (wharnie, emerson, combo edge, pakka wood scales..)
- Endela has a hair more cutting edge by the specs on the Spyderco site, but I don´t know if this is noticeable in any way (still have an Endela, but no Stretch 2 anymore).

All in all I personally respectfully disagree with Tgmr05 and feel like actually the Endela has the "more hard use outdoor type feel/design" than the straight spine Stretch

What really speaks for the Stretch 2 is - and sorry for playing the "broken record" once more: The particular edge profile, with no curve at all in the long, first section of the edge before the belly. Cuts better and more powerful (more "wharnie-ish") for me than the more continuously curved edge of the Endela

And as always: If we´d be talking about the disco´ed Stretch 1: This would "win" over the Endela for me

[Wandering_About]

Stretch for me.

[soc_monki]

I voted endela because... I love it. Lol

[JSumm]

I have never owned a Stretch. I have only held it once. I have 2 Endelas. I prefer the Endela. Lighter and Slimmer. The bumps on the handle don't line up perfectly for me on the Endela, but it doesn't bother me that much. I don't typically prefer finger choils and the Endela feels great without one.

[Ramonade]

If you like serrations, I'd pick the Endela SE in K390 (I think we are still waiting on this one ?)
And if you are going for PE, SS Stretch K390 for the straight spine, higher blade, I like the handle better too.

Best thing would certainly be to have both of them in hand ! The feeling is very different. As for the blades, both are excellent.

[Manixguy@1994]

BOTH ! MG2

[JSumm]

Wartstein touched on the blade profile. The Endela has that upswept blade with not much flat. It is different from the Delica and Endura that way. I tend to agree and prefer a little flat with a slight belly at the end. One of the reasons I prefer the Endura. The Stretch has that flat section, but for me is a little too upswept at the tip. If you need to pierce and pull I feel a tip with just a slight belly is best.

I do miss the reinforced tip of the old Stretch. The Endela has that reinforcement and I typically prefer that too.

***Edit - To clarify, pierce then pull cut nothing does it better than a Wharncliffe, but you loose some general EDC capabilities in my opinion. So slight belly at the end is ideal in my book.

[Manixguy@1994]

I like both for different reasons .I no longer have an Endela but will get another once a Wharnie in a different steel comes out , it’s a great knife . My preference leans towards the Stretch, how it feels in hand is more natural to me . The SS Stretch models have slowly grown on me , but still think the original blade was perfect and gave the knife an identity of its own . MG2

[Ramonade]

If it was me, I'd go for both. Oh wait, I already did go for both !



All of this talk makes me want to buy my first Delica... I'm still **** bent on waiting for the performance Delica though !

[jegred2]

If they made an Emerson Stretch I’d snap it up in a second. As it is, my main EDC is my Emerson Endela.

[benben]

Don’t have a SS Stretch but I do have a Stretch 1 which I love. Between those two I still prefer my K390 Endela. Both have excellent handles, at least for me. As several have already said, get both, that way you’ll have a knife with a choil, and one without. You can be your own beta tester and report back!

[Blerv]

For me the answer is always Stretch. I don’t think it will ever be as commercial as some other models but every variant of it makes me happy :) .

[wrdwrght]

I have both but didn’t vote.

I love my Endela.

And, in its original blade-shape, I love my Stretch2. But in the straight-spine, not as much, even though I think my straight-spine Stretch2 is superb.

While a straight-spine minimizes weight in the most direct way, the Stretch’s graceful original blade-shape does that as well, if less directly, and by so doing offers a more robust tip.

I hope we don’t lose that aesthetic and harder-use option in a catalog where straight-spines are abundant and can even be found with mid-locks.

[Doc Dan]

I love the SS Stretch! The handle is far more comfortable in all positions. The Endela would require me to mod the handle, though that is not a big issue. I love the blade shape and usefulness of the Stretch, too. It has a nice flat area for chopping or etc. and yet has a good curve going to the tip that is perfect for skinning and slicing. True, it is just a little heavier, but not a lot. It feels more sturdy in the hand. This is not to say the Endela is a bad knife. It is a great knife. I just like the Stretch a little better after trying them.

[TomAiello]

Stretch because I'm a finger choil guy.

I honestly think that the knives fill the same niche for two different end users--'finger choil guy' and 'no choil buy'.

I think both belong in the line up.

The straight spine stretch in K390 is one of the finest back lock knives I've ever owned. For my hands (and uses) it's an ergonomic masterpiece. I prefer it to the Native 5, and that's saying quite a lot.

[MFlovejp]

Stretch wins for my hand shape but I’ve enjoyed both they are really excellent designs.

[ChrisinHove]

Stretch. Waaay more comfortable in hand.

[benben]

Stretch because I'm a finger choil guy.

I honestly think that the knives fill the same niche for two different end users--'finger choil guy' and 'no choil buy'.

I think both belong in the line up.

The straight spine stretch in K390 is one of the finest back lock knives I've ever owned. For my hands (and uses) it's an ergonomic masterpiece. I prefer it to the Native 5, and that's saying quite a lot.

We’ll said, great post! As I said in my earlier post, I prefer my K390 Endela to my Stretch 1, but I think a K390 SSS just made it onto my “next purchase” list!