Why is the Rockjumper so great??

[abiggs]

When I first saw the Rockjumper in the reveal I thought, big deal, it’s pretty much a wharnie Delica. Then I started reading all the rave review for this model. THEN, I got one for myself. This is hands down the smoothest Seki knife I have ever had, and I’ve had a lot. Why/how is the action so smooth? My favorite Spyderco ever is the Stretch, and this handle is very similar so it fits my hand like a glove. On the surface this knife doesn’t seem like anything special. Yet, I find myself considering grabbing one or two more as backups since I love this one so much. Anyone else with a similar experience?

[benben]

To me it’s a wharnie Stretch! I’ve carried my Rockjumper all this week, it’s a great knife! You’re very right, it’s a crazy smooth knife!

[Bemo]

Actually if you put the Stretch 2 handle and the RJ handle side by side, it's like the Stretch 2 without the choil. It fills the hand so much better than the delica/endela/endura family for me. It really is a great design. It's the one choil-less design that I've never thought "wow would be so much better with a choil". I hope either SPY27 or K390 is next steel used.

[Doc Dan]

K390!

[elena86]

My serrated wharnie Delicas(I own three) are silky smooth. I wouldn’t purchase the RJ just because I don’t care for that handle style and I don’t like how the spine of the blade drops near the tip. The lack of jimping on the thumb ramp is another minus for me. But... to each his own. I might change my mind and purchase one in spyderedge just to see how it performs with that tiny ricasso. Sometimes, the ricasso on my wharnie Delica is in the way when I need to aply more force on the blade and initiate the cutting motion as close to the grip as possible.Maybe they decide to give the green salt treatement to the RJ. Well, that would push me over the edge given we are talking the serrated variant.

[SG89]

Used the RockJumper today doing some yardwork and cutting up a bunch of cardboard. I bought this knife on a whim, used, bc the price was right. When this model was first announced I didn't quite understand the appeal. I sure understand it now. Wow. It is just so well thought out. I love how everything at Spyderco lately is up for reinterpretation. Just about any steel can be worked with in Seki City now, any blade shape is on the table, any color you can think of, coated ffg steel is easily available out of Seki now. Thank you Sal and Eric for making my 211th Spyderco really cool.

[Bemo]

211th Spyderco!? That's impressive. Next time my wife says I have too many......

It truly is an impressive design. I'm not sure it's my favorite, but it's very very good.

[Doc Dan]

Thanks SG88. I need to buy one of these and want one badly. But I need some others, too. What to do? Well, UKPK Salt and Pink Dragonfly, and then one of these.

I wonder if @Vivi has tried one? He has large hands like I do. If it works for him it will work for me.

[SG89]

Ya know, Doc, I was just thinking about if Vivi had tried one of these yet and I couldn't recall

[Wartstein]

Thanks SG88. I need to buy one of these and want one badly. But I need some others, too. What to do? Well, UKPK Salt and Pink Dragonfly, and then one of these.

I wonder if @Vivi has tried one? He has large hands like I do. If it works for him it will work for me.

Doc, I could handle a RJ already.

I am almost 100% sure it will fit your hand great. Since it has no choil the grip area is very generous and actually felt much like a longer and also a bit more hand filling version of my Stretch 1s (which means in other words: Tje RJ has amazing ergos!!)

The grip is very neutrally shaped too.
And since your big hands obviously find enough space on a Manix 2 handle (which always puzzles me a bit, since for my L to XL hands the Manix fits perfectly, but if it was any shorter not anymore, and your hands must be bigger than mine): The RJs more generous handle just has to fit!! :)

[Wartstein]

...I wonder if @Vivi has tried one? He has large hands like I do. If it works for him it will work for me.

Added to my post above: Doc, I almost forgot: I actually could take some pics too when I got to handle that Rock Jumper! :)

Below you can see from top to bottom, lined up at the beginning of the cutting edge: Endela, Stretch 1 (so not the current Stretch 2), Rock Jumper.
For more reference: The Stretch 1 offers about the same grip area (or even perhaps a tiny tad more) as (than) a PM2.

You can clearly see: Measured from forward "FRN guard" to "hook" at the handle end, the Rock Jumper looks a lot like an elongated Stretch 1 handle with an just a bit wider/taller "finger groove" at the front.

[vivi]

Thanks SG88. I need to buy one of these and want one badly. But I need some others, too. What to do? Well, UKPK Salt and Pink Dragonfly, and then one of these.

I wonder if @Vivi has tried one? He has large hands like I do. If it works for him it will work for me.

I have yet to handle a RJ. Hoping for an XL version.

To me the rock jumper appears to be to the Delica what the Police 4 is to the Police 3 - An ergonomic refinement of an already great design.

I think moving away from finger grooves towards gradual curves is something that should be implemented across the board. In my eyes handles like the Police 4, Stretch and Rockjumper are a lot less hand size specific than designs like the Delica and Endura.

Looking at Wartsteins picture, maybe I should go a head and order one. If the Stretch fits my hand like a glove, it looks like the Rock Jumper would too.

[Wartstein]

...

.... If the Stretch fits my hand like a glove, it looks like the Rock Jumper would too.

The Rock Jumper handle is actually very close to what I´d imagine a Stretch 1 XL would be.
Of course just the FRN part of it behind the choil (so in other words: The Rock Jumper handle is a lot like a Stretch 1 XL handle that had no choil. would probably look like.. )

The RJ handle should fit even your hands easily. I had room to spare on it, and I´d say on MY hand the Stretch 1 handle fits like a glove (like the Manix 2 and PM2 handle - all their handle should not be any shorter for me)
The Stretch 2 handle already gives me a bit room to spare too, and I am sure the RJ handle offers even more grip area than the Stretch 2.

[standy99]

My serrated wharnie Delicas(I own three) are silky smooth. I wouldn’t purchase the RJ just because I don’t care for that handle style and I don’t like how the spine of the blade drops near the tip. The lack of jimping on the thumb ramp is another minus for me. But... to each his own. I might change my mind and purchase one in spyderedge just to see how it performs with that tiny ricasso. Sometimes, the ricasso on my wharnie Delica is in the way when I need to aply more force on the blade and initiate the cutting motion as close to the grip as possible.Maybe they decide to give the green salt treatement to the RJ. Well, that would push me over the edge given we are talking the serrated variant.

Like you.
Haven’t tried the R.J due to having a Delica wharncliffe in SE that’s still fresh in so still too similar a knife for me.

[Wartstein]

Like you.
Haven’t tried the R.J due to having a Delica wharncliffe in SE that’s still fresh in so still too similar a knife for me.

For me the RockJumper in many aspects is further away from a Wharnie Delica than let´s say a PM2 is from a Para 3... Sure, the length in actual cutting edge is closer between RJ and Delica , but most of the other variables is more different then PM2 to Para 3...
(Blade stock, tallness of the blade, handle thickness, handle tallness, handle shape and general design (finger grooves vs no finger grooves), Ricasso vs edge all the way to the handle, ...all these things are different between RJ and Delica, but pretty similar or even identical between PM2 and Para 3 )

[sal]

Hey Vivi,

FYI, There is a XL version called the "Cliff Jumper" (Warnie), (recommended by a member) and the "Sequoia", (leaf) both 4.0" blades, just for you and me. :cool:

sal

[standy99]

Like you.
Haven’t tried the R.J due to having a Delica wharncliffe in SE that’s still fresh in so still too similar a knife for me.

For me the RockJumper in many aspects is further away from a Wharnie Delica than let´s say a PM2 is from a Para 3... Sure, the length in actual cutting edge is closer between RJ and Delica , but most of the other variables is more different then PM2 to Para 3...
(Blade stock, tallness of the blade, handle thickness, handle tallness, handle shape and general design (finger grooves vs no finger grooves), Ricasso vs edge all the way to the handle, ...all these things are different between RJ and Delica, but pretty similar or even identical between PM2 and Para 3 )

Still too close a model to need both. One does not need several Same Same but Different knives. Hence my comment above. As I have compared them already....

[Evil D]

I think it's addition by subtraction. It's better because it lacks finger grooves and is more user friendly. It doesn't have anything that isn't necessary for performance. As to why and how it managed to be so much smoother in action than any other back lock I've owned, I'm sure it's a result of lock bar and blade tang geometry. I hope they expand on the concept with an XL version.

[vivi]

Hey Vivi,

FYI, There is a XL version called the "Cliff Jumper" (Warnie), (recommended by a member) and the "Sequoia", (leaf) both 4.0" blades, just for you and me. :cool:

sal

I look forward to pre-ordering both!

[Cl1ff]

Looks like the Cliff jumper is literally the perfect knife for me! :p

I always found it ironic to share the name of something that is often the subject of two of my passions, climbing and fossil hunting (paleontology)/geology.

And aside from the that, the Rock Jumper, and by association the Cliff Jumper, both feature many of my favorite designs from a back lock, edge all the way up to the handle, rounded handle curves, Wharncliffe blade, etc, etc.

I plan on buying each version now and promise to take pictures when I do use them.
Edit: Oh and I climb trees the most, so yeah the Sequoia is on the list.