Best Camping Axe: Our Top 8 Options Reviewed

If you are serious about backpacking, you must be careful when packing your backpack. At the top of our list of essentials is a durable and high-quality camping ax ideal for camping tasks and survival situations...

We think the best camping axes are lightweight, compact, and can still cut enough wood to keep your fire burning all night. However, their advantages do not end there; You can use a decent camp ax for a variety of tasks, from cleaning brush to killing.

More effective than a knife and less bulky than an axe, they are the ideal tool for any short or medium-sized hike. If you're new to the world of hiking and camping, finding a great hiking ax can be a daunting task, but with some tips, we'll show you everything you need to know!

So how do you choose the best one for you? Read on to learn about some of the most important features to consider when choosing a camping axe. And if that's not enough, we've also reviewed eight of the best on the market for you to peruse...

Peculiarities

A hiking ax is an integral part of a tourist’s kit. The instrument options are varied. Can be:

• simple;
• decorative (with a carved pattern or painting).

The difference from other models is:

• compactness;
• low weight

Weight does not exceed 1 kg. The handle is ergonomic. It has rubber grips for a comfortable grip. The kit includes a protective case that has various mounting options. Hardened steel is used in production. Some models have Teflon coating.

Compact hiking axe.

Sometimes axes are equipped with an additional element - a claw groove. This significantly expands the functionality. The travel model cannot be used instead of the carpenter model. This is due to the most optimal purpose for the hike.

It is very important that the device does not slip out of your hands. To do this, you need reliable fixation of the handle with the ax handle (if the structure is not monolithic).

When making an ax neck, zone hardening is used. The hardness of the metal of the neck and eye is 18-20. The sharpening of the blade is lens-shaped. She is not afraid of chips.

Quality control

Before purchasing, it is advisable for a tourist to personally check the purchased instrument. He is responsible for his own choice, and ideas about comfort and sufficient weight depend on the person’s habits and physical fitness.

Therefore, you should not hope for a successful purchase on the Internet; it is better to go to an ordinary travel or construction goods store. In the online store you can only order a complete duplicate of a verified item (broken or lost).

1. The quality of the metal is checked by clicking (like a watermelon). A good blade will produce a clear musical ringing sound.
2. If the ax is mounted on the ax handle in the standard way, wooden securing wedges are needed.
3. The weight is checked by hand. The tool should feel weighty, but not heavy, and should not tire your hand after just a few strokes (you will need some free space for the test). This condition is valid for universal axes of medium length.
4. You need to know the shape of the blade to suit yourself. For a beginner, it is better to choose a blade with a slightly rounded blade. It is preferable that the canvas have a cross-section similar to a lens. This makes it easier to cut down a tree.
5. It is better to choose a tool with a rubberized handle. Wooden ones will also do. But you may need to wrap leather or fabric around it to prevent it from slipping in wet weather. Your hand should fit comfortably around the handle.
6. A hole for a lanyard in the tail of the axe. This is an additional convenience when attaching to a backpack.
7. Bright handle - the tool will not get lost.
8. The case needs to be durable and dense. It is not necessary to look for genuine leather; inexpensive synthetics will do, but they are thick and securely stitched.

But you shouldn’t pay attention to all sorts of “ergonomic shapes”. Usually they are developed by people who have never held anything in their hands except a computer mouse. The shape is ergonomic and comfortable for the user.

Dimensions and specifications

Device characteristics:

• mostly all-metal construction;
• average weight from 600 g to 800 g, maximum 1 kg;
• short rubber handle.

Mandatory criteria:

• the device should not have a large mass, since a heavy device is difficult to carry on a hike;
• must be durable;

  
  A convenient ax for a hike.

• have good protection so as not to damage or tear things, a backpack (especially to injure a person);
• the main tasks of the device are taken into account. A large ax with a long handle is convenient for building a raft, and a small ax can be used to chop dry branches;
• Comfortable in any weather;
• The base of the blade must be hard metal. This prevents it from breaking upon impact.

Pedigree of the "Tin Woodman"

Popular among Russian tourists are Finnish-made Fiskars, SAW, Bahco, and Husqvarna axes, and domestic products include “Bison” and “Pathfinder.” All of them are suitable for tourists. But at the same time, everyone has enough shortcomings.

“Finns” are distinguished by the high quality of the materials used and resistant sharpening.

The manufacturer offers a line of tools of various sizes and weights, so it is easy to choose the right one for a particular case.

But they are expensive, and the typical Finnish shape of the blade and the angle of attachment of the blade on the ax handle may not suit the Russian user.

Modern Russian products are inexpensive, convenient, but suffer from uneven quality. Before purchasing, you need to carefully check them, otherwise you may find “sinks” in the metal or cracks in the handle.

Therefore, experienced tourists try by hook or by crook to get a Soviet axe. The scale of production in the USSR was gigantic, so this is not a rare thing. The metal there is just not cosmic steel.

And you shouldn’t believe the stories of “fans of progress” who claim that the USSR produced products without covers and only with wooden handles.

Modern young tourists, who inherited from their grandfathers all-metal Soviet hatchets weighing a kilogram, with rubber handles, in cases, with hammer heads and a nail puller on the blade, cannot praise their purchase enough. And indeed, there is something to brag about about him to his comrades.

The main tasks of an ax on a hike

With such a tool you can travel long distances. With it you can:

• sharpen tent pegs;
• drive stakes into the ground using a hammer;
• chop brushwood, branches, wood;
• clear paths in dense forests;
• build a small bridge or an improvised raft for crossing the water;
• cut down poles to build a good hut;
• protect yourself from dangerous wild animals.

Not every forest faces such difficulties. The forests of the middle zone do not have such dense thickets. You can do them without a hatchet. However, in winter, cutting wood requires a tool.

What kind of ax should you have for going into the forest?

The following types of tools are suitable for going into the forest:

• an ax with a long handle for chopping wood. The handle reaches 1.5 m, which allows for a large swing. The device is equipped with a powerful ax;
• The carpenter's model has a short handle. Suitable for working with wood;
• the multifunctional model has a high cost. Suitable for all types of work;
• the kitchen option will cope with butchering carcasses. The cutting edge is made of stainless steel to prevent oxidation;
• hunting model - you can use it to chop wood chips for a fire and cut up skins.

Axe: a helper on a hike.

General manufacturing principles

On sale, axes for tourists are classified into a separate group, and they are made differently from carpentry axes or those intended for logging. Their characteristics are designed to ensure that the tool performs all the tasks assigned to it.

1. Weight. For tourist axes, it ranges from 400 to 1700 g; the optimum is 600-800 g, and this niche contains the largest number of quality models.
2. Length. Products for tourists are relatively short. The total length of the universal models is comparable to the length of the forearm of a person of average height (rather shorter). They can be easily packed into a backpack or hung from a belt.
3. The blade (cutting part) of such axes is relatively thin. A massive cleaver weighs a lot, but is not needed on a hike.
4. The material for the manufacture of the blade is tool steel. You will also need an anti-corrosion coating, since a travel tool has a lot of chances to get wet.
5. The best examples are with ax handles, the material for which is birch or high-strength plastic. Often tourist axes are made in one piece from metal, without a blade attached to the ax handle. In this case, the handle is made of plastic or rubber.
6. The ax is sharpened according to the owner's taste or the manufacturer's rules, but the standard is an angle of 30-35 degrees. Finnish manufacturers make the sharpening angle uneven along the length of the cutting edge on a number of their models. This achieves a successful distribution of impact force.
7. The handles of products for tourists are made in bright colors. This reduces the risk of losing it.
8. Case. Necessary to protect against damage to other things and the owner himself when transporting the instrument. A tourist ax in a case can be safely placed in a backpack. High-quality cases are equipped with additional devices for attaching to a belt. Given the short length and weight of the product, this is convenient.

The shape and dimensions of the canvas may vary (depending on the manufacturer). A butt in the form of a pick or hammer will come in handy, but it is not necessary.

How to choose an ax

The result of the work will depend on the correct choice. Be sure to take into account:

• steel quality and hardening. An overheated device crumbles from strong blows, and an underheated one crumples;
• workmanship. The design should be comfortable. The blade is usually straight and should not wobble;
• weight maximum 0.8 kg, so that it is easy to carry;
• You should not choose devices that have metal or sliding handles. When working for a long time, they are difficult to work with. Preference is given to impact-resistant plastic. However, it cannot be repaired;
• It is recommended to purchase wide models;
• Don't buy Chinese products. Domestic and European manufacturers produce more durable products that will withstand maximum load.

Maintaining quality

The quality of the product does not last forever - the ax requires careful handling. It is not intended for cutting nails. The tool should be stored in a dry place and sharpened regularly.

You can do this yourself if the instrument is not badly damaged and the owner has the necessary skills. In other cases, it is better to contact a specialist.

You should use an ax with caution in severe frost - metal easily cracks and crumbles at sub-zero temperatures. Some Finnish models cannot withstand when their butts are used as hammers, but the Soviet ones can easily withstand it. It is also useful to regulate the force of impact - travel tools do not like heavy loads.

You can do housework with them - universal hatchets are suitable for this purpose.

An experienced tourist knows that half the success of a hike lies in a properly assembled backpack. A high-quality ax has a place of honor in such a backpack. This is a reliable assistant and protector of outdoor recreation lovers.

Rating of marching axes

Based on reviews and characteristics, a rating of the best devices that will be useful on a hike has been created.

Gerber Gator Ax ||

Gerber Gator Tourist Set ||.
has been producing high-quality travel equipment for over 70 years. Characteristics:

• length – 39.6 cm;
• weight – 737 g;
• blade length – 15.5 cm;
• blade - forged steel;
• handle made of composite material, ending with textured overlays. The handle is hollow in one part to shift the center of gravity, and in the other there is a hacksaw fixed with a magnet. Hacksaw length – 26 cm, weight – 61 g, blade – stainless steel.

The company specializes in folding models.

Ax Fiskars X 11

Ax Fiskars X 11.
This is a Finnish quality brand. Characteristics:

• weight – 1.1 kg;
• length – 44.4 cm;
• width – 15.1 cm;
• ergonomic rubberized handle.

Husqvarna universal ax

Model of the Czech brand. Characteristics:

• length – 65 cm;
• weight – 0.85 kg;
• curved wooden handle.

The butt and the ax handle are connected by wedges. Long handle adds power. The blade is based on high quality steel. Wood type: Hickory. Can completely replace a household axe.

Husqvarna universal axe.

Ax Soq F09 cp

Ax Soq F09 cp.
Tourist option. Options:

• steel – 420 grade;
• hardness – 53;
• length – 28.2;
• blade length – 6.1 cm;
• weight – 527 g;
• metal handle (G 10).

Kershaw ax

The unique Kershaw Tinder series has the following parameters:

• weight – 432 g;

  
  Kershaw axe.

• length – 26.2 cm;
• blade length – 8.4 cm.

Additional functions:

• hammer;
• ax handle with 4 hex keys.

The problem of making the right choice

Stores offer many types of axes, in a wide price range, made in Russia and abroad.

It’s easy for an inexperienced tourist to get lost in the diversity.

Attention to a number of details will help him make the right choice, and not only to the price and prestige of the brand.

By paying attention in time to the weight of the product, its dimensions, the materials used (for the blade and the ax handle), the shape of the blade, and sharpening characteristics, the traveler will ensure the convenience and safety of his camping life.