Extrema Ratio RAOII Expeditions Field Review

Here I review the Extrema Ratio RAOII Expeditions heavy duty folding and locking knife. The RAOII Expeditions is capable of functioning similarly to a fixed blade knife when the safety pin is inserted into the body of the knife. In this mode, it is virtually impossible for the knife to fail with exception of total destruction of both knife and user's hand (I have written extensively about this).
I give this folder the serious tests in the Australian bush and jungle. Bashing into Eucalyptus hardwoods; chopping into sugar cane; cutting palm stalks (both green and dead); cutting palm bracts; carving seasoned Eucalyptus sticks; cutting through 3 lobster tails; bashing down lantana bush and cutting through tree tomatoes (the latter a test for over all sharpness after all of the aforementioned tasks. You be the judge!
Essentially the Extrema Ratio RAOII Expeditions is the same as the RAOII, with exception of a Desert warfare type anodizing on the T6082 scales and a non coated acid treated stone washed N690 blade of 6mm thickness.
For those who prefer a non-coated blade because they want to use the knife for food preparation and are concerned about using "coated blades" then Extrema have listened to you. One still gets a "stealthy" looking knife because the blade finish is still dark and non reflective.
They have placed a stronger spring into the Expeditions model for the locking bar, so greater pressure is required to actuate the locking bar (which make for better sense for a non military model which is intended for "bush crafty" purposes). Therefore the amount of force required to open the blade by simply flicking it out is greater too- no need to be flicking blades out like some psycho if you're doing the bushcraft thing IMHO.
The fixing/safety pin secures the knife ether open or closed and when open, the knife can take a real beating for a folding knife with zero play in the mechanism. Such a bating i would never undertake with a regular folder.
Using a roller locking mechanism (and this knife uses a thick roller bar) also makes for a seriously strong locking mechanism. Let's not talk about any BS "testing" trying to fail the locking mechanism; as discussed extensively by me on the social media, any such "forces" would invariably destroy ones hands should they remain in contact with the handle (of any knife for that matter).
Disclaimer (please read).
Just a note, because it has been mentioned. Of course the right tool for jobs presented within is not this folding knife, it is a machete and bush saw. The sugar cane was cut down with a machete and normally of course I'm not hacking my way through lantana undergrowth with a folding knife. I'm using a machete. These demonstrations are only to show what this folding knife can endure without damage. Personally I do not recommend conducting any such tasks with a folding knife, even this one (unless you had to, in which case this particular knife would survive undamaged). These sorts of tasks in the bush/jungle are for the machete or parang and or a chainsaw (on your own property (which I am in this particular video). Even then cutting routinely such hardwoods requires a lot of chainsaw maintenance.
Chapter markers:
Walk in the bush 00:00:29
The Locking Pin 00:00:48
Bashing wood 00:03:07
Lantana bash 00:05:12
Cutting Palms 00:05:26
Cutting Cane 00:05:55
The mechanism 00:09:45
Summary 00:07:54

[@jamieyork8615]

I bought the Rao 2 a couple years back and absolutely love it. It works out for me pretty well as I have large hands.

[@BushCampingTools]

Hi there, great to hear! Love both of mine too! yeah for sure it's a big folder.

[@andrashavas]

Keep up the good work, make some fish/chicken stew! :)

[@BushCampingTools]

More food coming soon!

[@66meikou]

G'day mate. Long time no comment. I looked at that knife and mr ER Police Evo does all the same things, complete with the locking pin. My blade isn't as thick but I have the option to attach a saw blade. It's horses for courses. I'f I'm in my car, I'm much more likely to have the evo with me. I'm I'm going out and about, I'll either take my selvans of my ESSE 6 and izulu 2

[@BushCampingTools]

Yeah that makes total sense for sure!

[@johnmuthan286]

Nice review and nice sceneries. It's seems well built but I feel it's not fitting any place in my needs, looks big and shunky and not really fitting any specific task correctly IMO. I would rather have a slightly longer fixed (14/16cm full tang) blade, with a confortable handle for the heavy duty tasks; and a small folding knife (Opinel and the likes) or flat grind 9/11cm fixed blade for finer tasks and food processing. But that's me, I like to have proper tools for each tasks.

[@BushCampingTools]

Certainly as I mentioned to Willieboy3011 Jonas, it isn't the tool to hack down sugar cane, ( I cut it down with a machete, the right tool) I just showed it doing this as an illustration of what if could be capable of doing, which is way above any folding knife because this sort of operations would surely damage a regular folding knife. Make no mistake, that handle is very comfortable and they totally remodelled this grip from early iterations of the RAO model, they created better radius's over the edges etc and a very rounded spine. I do understand what you are saying, it is indeed a very bulky folder. I guess it was made in response to people who liked the look of the original RAOII but didn't like the black coating and wanted more of a "package" for bush crafty things. Certainly a thinner blade will cut better but there are compromises for lateral strength. I guess it comes down to whether one simple uses a fixed blade which is the same length as this blade and be done with it. Your comments much appreciated.

[@willieboy3011]

With the pin installed, you could baton hardwood as well as sugar cane if needed, which is not common for a folder. It looks like a beast. The diamond plate, pin, and fire steel, and striker covers a lot of needs.

[@BushCampingTools]

Yeah for sure I'd never think about bashing down sugar cane or hardwoods with a regular folder. The sugar cane for the video was of course cut down with the appropriate tool and that was a machete, simply because it was the right tool for the job.

[@willieboy3011]

@@BushCampingTools Right tool for the job. Good advice.

[@grahamwest1079]

Chunky folder that

[@BushCampingTools]

You bet it is mate? Hey how's that camping going?