After comparing it to the Terminus XR, I almost couldn’t believe I’d put up with its size for so long. I previously remarked that my trusty Ka-Bar Mule always felt a bit bulky for a true EDC knife. How we tested the SOG Terminus XR The SOG Terminus XR (right) compared to the Ka-Bar Desert Mule (left) (Scott Murdock) SOG touts this knife’s ability to open three different ways: “thumb stud, XR, and kick.” The blade can’t be deployed without deactivating the lock, though, so I can’t see anyone doing anything but unlocking the mechanism with their thumb and middle finger, then using their index finger to flick the blade forward. The XR folding mechanism was light and fast, as promised. Some of that is also due to the G10 handle, which is light, strong, and weatherproof. For such a compact size, it also felt surprisingly substantial. The blade felt sharp enough out of the box. That’s a good start––it’s always easier for gear to stay on my good side if I feel like it offers a lot of bang for the buck. There have been times when I’ve gotten serious sticker shock and couldn’t believe anyone would fork over that kind of money for something but, in this case, I felt like the Terminus XR’s price came in under my expectations. Sometimes, I’ll get my hands on a new product and form an initial opinion before looking at the price. Take a hint, manufacturers: I shouldn’t need a knife to access my knife. I also appreciated that the knife was held in place by its own pocket clip rather than a bunch of zip-ties. The box was well-branded and sturdy without going overboard. This time, SOG did a decent job of striking that balance. I’m always pleasantly surprised by packaging that manages to communicate a sense of quality without raising suspicions that I wasted money on wrapping rather than the actual product. Materials: D2 steel (blade), G10 (handle) Unboxing Here’s what I learned about the knife and what you should know before picking one up yourself. With the pitfalls of the EDC knife market in mind, I figured I’d see exactly what’s what with the SOG Terminus XR by giving it the usual shakedown of daily use, cross-referencing it with the competition, and devising ways to simulate hard use over a long period of time. On day one, I decided that if this knife wasn’t good enough to make me want to carry it as my own EDC, I’d rather make it look at the flowers than recommend it to any of you.Įditor’s note: the SOG Terminus XR also made Task & Purpose’s list of the best pocket knives of the year. The SOG Terminus XR shares a name with one of my favorite scenes from The Walking Dead one that officially made Carol Peletier my spirit animal. Even established names like SOG and Gerber have faced their share of criticism –– that’s one of the reasons you see the merry band of Task & Purpose contributors giving knives so much attention. Sorting through all that can be daunting. The EDC knife game is a crowded market, and it’s filled with everything from hand-crafted heirloom blades to cheap knock-offs too flimsy to whittle a toothpick. We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs.
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