Spyderco Endura 4 or Ontario Rat 1

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hiker91

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Oct 18, 2015
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So I made a post earlier to get knife suggestions. I have taken them all into consideration and have decided to limit my folding knife choices to either the ontario rat 1 or the spyderco endura 4. Obviously there is a big price difference between the two, but I just want opinions on which one between the two of them you all would choose for the purpose of hiking and every day use. Im pretty rough on my knives so please keep that in mind :) thanks in advance!
 
Try to handle both in person, I'd start there. They are very different knives, I don't think you will go wrong with either, but who's to say what features you end up liking/hating?

I'd go with the endura as it is the lighter knife, and you can easily get it in a bright color.
 
You can buy even Custom RAT1 with titanium handle and Elmax blade ))))

But Endura is very lightweight.
 
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The main differences in the knives aside from price are blade steel, blade shape and lock type. If you have strong preferences about any of those then that should guide your choice.
The Ontario handle is also slightly thicker and 1.4 oz heavier.
 
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Do yourself a favor and get an Endura 4 FFG. You'll never regret it. It's thin, light, strong for what it is, cuts great and the ergonomics are fantastic. The handle is grippy without tearing up your pockets, too. You can also get it in a variety of colors. It's perfection.

The standard Rat 1 has a weak lock that I've seen not just fail, but break; because of that, I can't recommend it in good faith. If you still want one, I'd recommend getting something like the Ti/Elmax version posted above instead of the basic model.
 
I have owned 1 Endura 4 and I have owned 5 Rat 1s. I keep selling the Rats to under other projects. I will never own another Endura, it's just not for me. Every few months I get the urge to buy another Rat 1.

In my opinion the Rat 1 is a better knife for the money.
 
Kwon Kwang said:
.... The standard Rat 1 has a weak lock that I've seen not just fail, but break; because of that, I can't recommend it in good faith...
Click to expand...

I'd be curious as to how that lock broke. I've been using mine for the last year and a half and have been most impressed with it. I agree, it may not be as strong as a 110 or ZT as far a the lock goes, but I use mine for routine, everyday, knifey things. I have a tough time seeing it randomly break.

I think both are great choices and I do like the Endura.... For me, it's just not worth more than 2x the Rat
 
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I would not call the RAT 1's lock weak, it's definitely adequate for its price point. The RAT 1 and Endura are different knives with different locks and different blade geometries, so they're somewhat hard to compare, both have their positives and negatives. The Endura's back lock is stronger than the RAT's liner lock, but the liner lock is more convenient for one-handed operation. The Endura is faster to deploy with the Spyderhole as opposed to the thumbstud on the RAT 1. I'd say that the Endura's tip is a bit more fragile compared to the RAT's, so it may not be the best option if you intend to use it for hard use tasks requiring side loads on the tip. Still, the Endura's VG10 steel has better edge retention than the RAT's AUS8, so it's up to you, depends on how often you want to sharpen it.

Oh, and check out this hard use video comparing the RAT 1 to the Tenacious. Yes, the RAT's lock fails, but only after much abuse.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0dfBH3cW7k
 
hiker91 said:
So I made a post earlier to get knife suggestions. I have taken them all into consideration and have decided to limit my folding knife choices to either the ontario rat 1 or the spyderco endura 4. Obviously there is a big price difference between the two, but I just want opinions on which one between the two of them you all would choose for the purpose of hiking and every day use. Im pretty rough on my knives so please keep that in mind :) thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

What exactly do you mean by you are hard on your knives?

Money aside the endura is the better knife.
 
I have an endura and a rat 2. Obviously the rat is much bigger but the blade is far superior on the delica. Not just steel but also blade shape and grind. It literally disappears in your pocket. It's incredibly light.
 
I have both and like the Endura more for my EDC uses. The RAT-1 does feel tougher/heftier on account of the full solid liners (vs. in-set and skeletonized ones on the Endura). I have a FFG Endura, but it is also available in a saber grind. The FFG Endura has a bit of a finer tip than the RAT-1, but the saber ground Endura probably has a stouter tip (at least based on my experience with a saber ground Delica).
 
I'd have to give the edge to the Endura. Given, you're paying more for the knife so it's expected to get more out of it. I've personally seen some lock wear on RATs with moderate use. I think with your rough use you'd replace the RAT long before you'd replace the Endura. Even if you break the tip on your Endura, it's regrind and go. There's not much you can do to rehab a worn, 80% liner lock.

Whichever you choose, you can't go wrong. They're both great EDC knives and you'll have a solid performer in hand.

Be certain to purchase only from a reputable dealer. There are many counterfeit Spydercos and now counterfeit RATs are appearing.
 
Also, for a more apples to apples comparison, compare the RAT to the Spyderco Byrd Cara 2.
 
I've never owned a RAT 1. I do have an old D2 RAT 7 fixed blade from sometime early in the Century and it had the worst grip panel fit of any "expensive" knife I've ever witnessed. I spent a lot of time sanding the grips on that knife to make it fit the tang properly. I'm kinda leery of all things Ontario since then.

I have had great experience with an original Endura. I carried one daily from 1990(?) when they were first introduced until sometime in the early 2000's. I'll always have a lot of affection for the Endura based on my experiences. It was a great knife and it served me well. The newer Endura 4 is a better knife in many ways.

Guess you know which knife I recommend.
 
I bought an Endura 4 and never looked back. EDC for 3 years and never disappoints. Perfect size, terrific , easy to sharpen VG10, which does a helluva job holding that edge. Fast opening, solid, strong, lockup. I can't imagine buying another Spyderco, except as backup (apologies to you Spydie freaks who own every Spyderco ever made...LOL) Best 50-60 bucks you'll ever spend on a pocket knife.
 
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