Backpackers looking for a portable and light woodcutter have two options: camping hatchets or camping axes. Try not to confuse the two. Axes are longer, have a straighter handle, and don’t generally have a flat side for hammering. But our new favorite tool, the camping axe from SOG, breaks the rules—its head is perfect for everything from pounding in tent stakes to chopping wood for the campfire.
SOG Backcountry Axe
Bear Grylls Survival Hatchet Designed by Gerber
Gransfors Bruks Wildlife Hatchet
Fiskars X5 Hatchet
The Best New Backcountry Hatchets: SOG Backcountry Axe
The new has a sturdy hand-forged head with a saw hidden in the glass-reinforced nylon handle. When using the saw, a hand-guard flips out automatically, helping you safely cut branches and brush. The sharp business end of the axe makes it easy to chop small trees and firewood. Best of all, it packs in a sheath and hangs from a belt clip, making it perfect for backpackers moving from campsite to campsite.
Length: 16 inches
Weight: 1.8 pounds
$95
The Best New Backcountry Hatchets: Bear Grylls Survival Hatchet Designed by Gerber
The rubberized handle and finger notches make the easy to grip in cold or wet conditions. The compact size is good for strapping the sheath to the outside of your pack, and the head has a 3.5-inch blade and a striking surface for campsite chores.
Length: 9.5 inches
Weight: 1.3 pounds
$48
The Best New Backcountry Hatchets: Gransfors Bruks Wildlife Hatchet
All you have to know is that a Swede hand forged this hatchet just as smiths have done since 1902. Given its 13.5-inch length, this tool seems to fit into the “axe” category, not the “hatchet” one, but who are we to quibble.
Length: 13.5
Weight: 1.0 pound
$112
The Best New Backcountry Hatchets: Fiskars X5 Hatchet
We like the implement because of its affordable price and high quality. The design makes cutting branches and spitting sticks for the night’s kindling easy. The blade’s teflon-coating reduces friction, its geometry speaks to the wood grain well, and its balance is a joy to swing.
Length: 8.0 inches
Weight: .9 pounds
$39