Blade 2021…best in show.

[Surfingringo]

I’ve been to the Blade show every year for the past 6 years and each year I spend the majority of my time hanging around the Spyderco booth and most of that is spent at the prototype cabinet. Each year I leave having found a “favorite” new knife in that cabinet. It’s not always the most popular or the one that will end up being the biggest hit. It’s just the one that I personally believe is the best new knife design. Sometimes I don’t have a clear favorite but this year it was an easy choice. The STRETCH XL was an absolute home run for me!

The funny thing is, I’m not one of those guys that always wants a bigger version of every knife. In fact, a lot of Spyderco’s “XL” versions of existing designs don’t really appeal to me. I’ll take a Manix over a manix xl for example. And though I like iconic designs like the Police and Millie, I find their handles a bit long. Yes, they are comfortable, but I always feel like there’s a lot of extra real estate in pocket and in hand. The Stretch XL is different for me. As soon as I handled it, I had the feeling that the XL falls into the “just right” category for that design. Where the original could feel slightly cramped, the new XL feels perfect.

Ergonomically, the Stretch handle has a lot in common with the PM2. My feeling on holding the new (straight spine) XL was that it was essentially a backlock pm2 on steroids. I say steroids because size wise the XL falls somewhere between a pm2 and a Millie. I honestly loved everything about the design and felt like it was an improvement over the stretch and stretch 2 in every way. Whether you see the new Stretch XL as a backlock PM2 or an “Endura sized” Stretch, it’s hard to deny that it’s a winner. Sal knocked it out of the park with this one. :spyder:

Also, the knife is not even out yet and I’m already begging them for a Salt version! :rolleyes: :p

[JMM]

I’ve been to the Blade show every year for the past 6 years and each year I spend the majority of my time hanging around the Spyderco booth and most of that is spent at the prototype cabinet. Each year I leave having found a “favorite” new knife in that cabinet. It’s not always the most popular or the one that will end up being the biggest hit. It’s just the one that I personally believe is the best new knife design. Sometimes I don’t have a clear favorite but this year it was an easy choice. The STRETCH XL was an absolute home run for me!

The funny thing is, I’m not one of those guys that always wants a bigger version of every knife. In fact, a lot of Spyderco’s “XL” versions of existing designs don’t really appeal to me. I’ll take a Manix over a manix xl for example. And though I like iconic designs like the Police and Millie, I find their handles a bit long. Yes, they are comfortable, but I always feel like there’s a lot of extra real estate in pocket and in hand. The Stretch XL is different for me. As soon as I handled it, I had the feeling that the XL falls into the “just right” category for that design. Where the original could feel slightly cramped, the new XL feels perfect.

Ergonomically, the Stretch handle has a lot in common with the PM2. My feeling on holding the new (straight spine) XL was that it was essentially a backlock pm2 on steroids. I say steroids because size wise the XL falls somewhere between a pm2 and a Millie. I honestly loved everything about the design and felt like it was an improvement over the stretch and stretch 2 in every way. Whether you see the new Stretch XL as a backlock PM2 or an “Endura sized” Stretch, it’s hard to deny that it’s a winner. Sal knocked it out of the park with this one. :spyder:

Also, the knife is not even out yet and I’m already begging them for a Salt version! :rolleyes: :p

Cool! Thanks for sharing... I'm a long-time fan of the Stretch family (especially v2) and I'm super excited to get my paws on an XL... did they have it in VG10, K30, or something else all together? Was there any indication of a XL in the classic drop-point style blade or only SSS? And dare I say it out loud.... any indication of SE or CE now or in the future? :D

Thanks again for sharing!

Cheers,

John

[Wartstein]

Thanks for sharing, Lance! :)

One thing I don't understand though: You say the current Stretch could feel a bit cramped for you, but compare the Stretch XL to a PM2 handlewise...

Now even the discontinued, shorter Stretch 1 has a hair more actual grip area on the handle than a PM2, the current Stretch 2 even clearly more... :confused:
Actually, the Stretch 2 is particularly well suited for large hands (and was, according to Sal, even (re-)designed with that in mind).

So while I really can't wait for the Stretch XL, concerning roomy grip imho the Stretch 2 is already clearly better than the PM2 ..(and for me also has better general ergos).

[Evil D]

Sounds like a great design for choiled knives.


For some reason I immediately imagined a Persian style blade sprint..

[TheGiant80]

I say steroids because size wise the XL falls somewhere between a pm2 and a Millie.

This is exactly what I needed to hear. STOKED!

[ChrisinHove]

Oooh… sounds good!

[cycleguy]

Put it on the list of ones to check out.

CG

[ladybug93]

i always liked the handle design of the stretch, but i don't have one yet. maybe the xl will have to join my collection.

[elena86]

Speaking of XLs, all I dream of is the XL Dragonfly. Did you spot any at that mysterious prototype cabinet ?! Do tell... you have my permission

[Surfingringo]

Thanks for sharing, Lance! :)

One thing I don't understand though: You say the current Stretch could feel a bit cramped for you, but compare the Stretch XL to a PM2 handlewise...

Now even the discontinued, shorter Stretch 1 has a hair more actual grip area on the handle than a PM2, the current Stretch 2 even clearly more... :confused:
Actually, the Stretch 2 is particularly well suited for large hands (and was, according to Sal, even (re-)designed with that in mind).

So while I really can't wait for the Stretch XL, concerning roomy grip imho the Stretch 2 is already clearly better than the PM2 ..(and for me also has better general ergos).

Hey Wartstein, sorry I might not have been clear in my description. The stretch XL kind of falls somewhere between PM2 and Millie on size. Definitely more room than the pm2.

Regarding my remarks on the stretch feeling cramped, I was referring to the original stretch and “cramped” is probably the wrong word. I like the stretch and there is enough room for my hand but the ergonomics of the new Stretch XL just feel much better and more comfortable to me. More space, more comfortable but doesn’t feel “over sized” to me like the Millie and Police sometimes do. It just felt perfect to me.

[kennethsime]

Yea, I'm pretty excited about this one. Can't wait to see it in a tool steel, and then to get some micarta scales for it.

[archangel]

Put it on the list of ones to check out.

CG

+1

Thanks to Lance.

[Cl1ff]

I also spend most of my time thinking of Spyderco when contemplating knife design.
The company consistently produces the designs that I feel are the best even if they aren’t the trendiest at knife shows or on social media.

[sal]

Thanx Lance.

I'm carrying the prototype in G-10 and I just approved the FRN design. They working on tooling. I like it. Eric likes it. You like it. Three clowns can't ALL be wrong. :p

sal

[Airlsee]

I'm looking forward to seeing this one, I haven't tried a Stretch in any variant. It looks like a great design (Stretch) it just always gets jumped in line by the ever present next knife. A salt version sounds like a must!

[Wartstein]

As said, can´t wait for this one!! :)

The Stretch 2 has great ergos already, the main reason why I still prefer the "1" is its longer cutting edge.
Now the XL should be amazing both in ergos and in edge length... :) (and must be a knife also for really big hands, since the "2" is so already - generally, and compared to the "1")

[Wartstein]

Hey Wartstein, sorry I might not have been clear in my description. The stretch XL kind of falls somewhere between PM2 and Millie on size. Definitely more room than the pm2.

Regarding my remarks on the stretch feeling cramped, I was referring to the original stretch and “cramped” is probably the wrong word. I like the stretch and there is enough room for my hand but the ergonomics of the new Stretch XL just feel much better and more comfortable to me. More space, more comfortable but doesn’t feel “over sized” to me like the Millie and Police sometimes do. It just felt perfect to me.

Thanks, Lance

actually I guess I was the one who did not read your post thoroughly enough :o

/ Actually the discontinued Stretch 1 has almost the exact same grip area as the PM2, or even a tiny bit more.
And both (Stretch 1 and PM2) just fit my hand like a glove. If my hand was just a tad wider, both probably WOULD feel cramped.

/ Now an "Endura sized Stretch" (=the XL) should be perfect as a general, versatile EDC!
True also for the closed size: As much as I like the Millie, in pocket it can get a bit too long for me, while the Endura does not.
The PM2 on the other hand offers a bit too little cutting edge for my liking.
And a backlock is always a win anyway :)

[Fireman]

If the Stretch XL had negative blade angle like the Wegner, I might be tempted.

[JMM]

Thanx Lance.

I'm carrying the prototype in G-10 and I just approved the FRN design. They working on tooling. I like it. Eric likes it. You like it. Three clowns can't ALL be wrong. :p

sal

Hi Sal, so will there be a G-10 XL version available at any point?

(I only ask because the Stretch2 w/Brown G-10 is my favourite Stretch and one of my very favourite knives ever)

:D

[Wartstein]

...

Hi Sal, so will there be a G-10 XL version available at any point?

(I only ask because the Stretch2 w/Brown G-10 is my favourite Stretch and one of my very favourite knives ever)

:D

This one (only) came in ZDP 189, right?!