Last Updated on June 7, 2023 by Georgie Smith
As the clock ticks to summertime; many people are getting busy with their backpacks in readiness for a camping expedition. However, the question is; what would count as a must-have survivalists’ necessity for an exhilarating excursion experience? Also, will there be ax-worthy or hatchet-worthy activities in your next destination?
The truth is, while there are a host of beautiful places everywhere in the world in which one would love to pitch a camping tent this summer, setting out for an excursion in the wild is never complete without arming one’s self with the best camping Ax and Hatchet.
See Also:
- Best Hatchet for Splitting Kindling and Wood: 2023 Reviews and Guide
- Firewood for Sale near Me: Find the Best Firewood Suppliers near You to Buy
- Best Throwing Tomahawk, Traditional Tomahawk and Bushcraft Tomahawk: 2023 Reviews & Guide
It is why, once again, Morninghomestead helps you make the right tool selection in yet another insightful product review. This post is, therefore, a takeaway expert and experience-based buying guide on campers ax/hatchet for those who want to place their orders on the world’s largest online shopping platform; Amazon.
In the end, you should thus be able to achieve the following:
- Know the differences between a camp ax, a hatchet, and a machete.
- Be reliably informed on the best product choices on the market.
- Have at your fingertips, expert advice on how to choose a suitable product.
- Understand why a hatchet is a must-have outdoor gadget.
- Differentiate between Mora Camp Axe, Gerber Camp Ax, and Fiskars X7
- Advantages and disadvantages of the Mora, Gerber, and Fiskars
- Find answers to commonly asked questions about hatchets and axes
Camp Axe vs. Hatchet vs. Machete: Is there a difference?
| Camp Axe | Hatchet | Machete |
|---|---|---|
| It features a long handle | It has a relatively long handle | Small handle |
| An extensive and thick bit/head | The tool features a narrower and short head/bit | The long blade which can be narrow or wide |
| For splitting wood, cutting logs and felling trees | For breaching tasks, cutting small branches and chopping small branches | Cutting wood/grass, clearing trail/bush, cutting grass and sometimes used as a combat tool |
| A logger‘s best companion | A camper‘s handy tool, gamin such as hatchet throwing and for sometimes for tactical purposes | An ideal tool for farm clearing and other homesteading practices |
Top 4 Best Camping Axes and Hatchets for sale:
| Picture | Model | Features |
|---|---|---|
 | Estwing Sportsman‘s Ax | – Steelhead – It is also lightweight hence portable. – Adjustable handles, thanks to extension bars. – It is a foldable ax that doubles as a hatchet – Features a hammer poll, bottle opener, an emergency whistle, compass, glass breaker, fire starter, a fish scaler knife |
 | Fiskars X7 Hatchet | – It is Lightweight at only 1.38 pounds. – Forged carbon steel construction. – Ideal for chopping small and medium logs. – Comes with a lifetime warranty. – High power-to-weight ratio balancing. |
 | Oak Curve Outfitters Camp Axe | – Dual functionality, thanks to a hammer poll and a sharp splitting/chopping head. – One-piece forged carbon steel construction – Weighs 2 pounds |
 | UNIO Camping Ax | – Steelhead – It is also lightweight and hence portable. – Adjustable handles, thanks to extension bars. – It is a foldable ax that doubles as a hatchet – Features a hammer poll, bottle opener, emergency whistle, compass, glass breaker, fire starter, a fish scaler knife |
Take a Look at the Following Top of the Range Products in This Review:
Estwing Sportsman’s Ax, 14-Inch Camping Hatchet with Forged Steel Construction, E24A with leather Grip
Estwing boasts of many years in manufacturing top-of-the-range homesteading tools and equipment, not to mention gadgets you can use at a campsite like its Eastwing Sportsman’s 14-Inch hatchet.
If you choose to settle on this item, it is because of the following reasons:
- Ideal for cutting small branches, splitting, and chopping wood.
- Comes with a sturdy nylon sheath to cushion a user’s hand against shockwaves during striking.
- Features a finely finished handle, sand-papered for a firm grip.
- A Rockford tool, a leading U.S.A. company that uses steel to produce user-friendly outdoor and homesteading tools.
Unique Features:
Buy from Amazon
Fiskars X7 Hatchet 14-Inch
For over a hundred years now, Fiskars has been a leading manufacturer of the best axes and hatchets in the industry, and its X7 Series is a testament to that excellent record. So, why should you opt for this tool?
- Experience rooted cutting and chopping with every downward swing, thanks to power-to-weight ratio balancing.
- Ideal for chopping small and medium logs.
- Comes with a lifetime warranty.
Unique Features:
- Lightweight: weighs 1.38 pounds.
- Forged carbon steel construction.
Buy from Amazon
Estwing E44A Outfitters Camp Axe with Sheath-16 Inch
Life in the wilderness requires survival tricks and tips. However, that would remain a mirage if a camper does not own a good ax that also doubles as a hatchet. Now that you’ve landed on a top product recommendation from Oak Curve Outfitters, your worries end here.
The question is; what makes this tool so outstanding that orders keep flowing? Well, take a look at some of its notable features:
- Dual functionality, thanks to a hammer poll and a sharp splitting/chopping head.
- If you love to go on an adventure, then Oak Outfitter’s 16-inch camping ax fits the bill as an ideal companion. It is an all-weather tool that comes sharpened and with a nylon sheath fitting for easy backpacking when traveling all the year-round.
- Let’s make a campsite tent and firewood because of its sharp bit that will cut through wet and dry branches with great ease.
- The fact that it is an excellent survivalists hatchet with outstanding features makes it a worthy gift to a friend.
- Saves you money: No more spending on ax replacement handles or a spare blade.
Unique Features:
- The One-piece forged carbon steel construction makes this tool not only compact and durable but also uniquely lightweight (2 pounds).
This product is sold on Amazon by the manufacturer, Estwing E44A Fitters. It, therefore, reeks of the highest quality with a guarantee of maximum user satisfaction. What’s more? The manufacturer provides a one-month money-back guarantee that extends to a further one-year product replacement and maintenance.
Buy from Amazon
UNIO Camping Ax, 16-Inch with Sheath
A tool that suits a multiplicity of functions would be a camper’s best companion, in which case, having UNIO’s 16-inch hatchet in your backpack wouldn’t be a bad idea after all. You can use it for hunting and during those once-in-a-while exhilarating outdoor adventures like hunting, throwing games, and hiking.
On the best features that make this tool a top choice for many buyers, anyone who has experienced its versatility will recommend it for many reasons which include but not limited to the following:
- The head is a steel construction, not to mention a durable handle that features aluminum alloy.
- You cannot resist a foldable multifunctional camping ax that lets you cut, chop, trim, gather firewood, hammer nails, and do a range of other tasks. That’s what you get with UNIO’s 16-inch hatchet.
- A must-have survivalist gadget for tactical use or combat tasks.
- It is also lightweight and hence highly portable.
- Compact build for easy backpacking and use.
Unique Features:
- The tool features adjustable handles, thanks to extension bars. It is a foldable ax that doubles as a hatchet and features a hammer poll, bottle opener, emergency whistle, compass, glass breaker, fire starter, a scaler knife for readying a fishing catch, and a hand rope.
If there is something to gift a friend, it is this multifaceted ax/hatchet. Buyers enjoy a lifetime product warranty, which means you will never have to worry about repair and maintenance costs.
Buy from Amazon
How to choose?
You must already know that wrong purchase decisions do not only signal undesirable outcomes or experiences but also arise out of ignorance among buyers who do not have access to the right, dependable, reliable, and foolproof information. Therefore, to help you land the ideal excursion hatchet or ax on the market, take a look at the following factors:
Quality of material
Over the years, many modifications have taken place on the handyman’s ax and hatchets. Initially, the head featured a sharp stone tied to a stick using stripes of rawhide. However, that has changed to something more versatile and modernized. You will be thinking about steel, hickory wood, and carbon fiber when it comes to quality.
For example, do you prefer a wooden handle or a single-piece forged steel construction?
Size and weight
Manufacturers try to provide buyers with a range of options from which to choose a suitable tool. Fiskars X-series is a perfect example in this regard. While someone would pick X-25 because of its long handle length standing at 28 inches, another buyer would go for a shorter one such as X-15.
The same is also true for weight. X-27 weighs 5.58 pounds making it suitable for splitting big logs. On the flip side, X-7 weighs much less at 1.38 pounds, which means, you can use it for hatchet-worthy tasks.
Also take note that size and weight translate to a tool’s ease of portability, something which anyone who is about to embark on backcountry travel has to take into account.
A tool’s efficiency
There is no way you are going to settle for a less-effective product and be happy about it. At this point, the weight-to-power ratio is one factor that a buyer who is in need of a camping ax or hatchet has to consider. Think about handle orientation (balance), blade beveling, and a handler’s grip (agility). Moreover, it is imperative to also look into wood penetration (sharpness).
Cost
You are probably looking into prospects of spending more or less money on a tool that will be invaluable to a survivalist who is out there on a camping expedition. Moreover, so the question is; should you go expensive or cheap is the best option? Well, the prices pegged on the items you will buy from Amazon are subject to a manufacturer’s discretion.
It means; while a Gerber’s hatchet that provides the same value and efficiency ratio as a Wetterlings’ product may cost only a few bucks, potentially less than fifty dollars, a product with similar attributes from Estwing or Ontario Knife Company could cost a little more.
Purpose
Buyers must ask relevant questions. For example, why do you need a Gransfors Bruks Outdoor Axe, and not MTech U.S.A Camping Ax? The point here is that the purpose for which you need a product matters. You will require a lightweight variant for trail clearing as opposed to one that weighs extra pounds for splitting firewood.
Why would someone need a hatchet?
For the ax-man who has never tried something compact and small in size such as a hatchet, he may mistake it for a different version of an ax. Such a situation could snowball into more confusion if a tomahawk would also come into the picture.
Technically, a hatchet is quite versatile, and the poll, which resembles a hammer, makes it an even more ideal tool for a camper who will want to put up a tent using small nails.
Its lightweight, lean, and narrow design makes it preferable to an ax when it comes to performing outdoor tasks such as splitting small pieces of logs, cutting through thicket,s and clearing trails. The Ultimate Survival Technological Parahatchet FS or The Prandi German Style Hatchet PRA03006TH is a perfect example.
Other reasons why a hatchet is a vital necessity include the following:
- Throwing games (Hatchet throwing)
- Chopping Small branches for campsite firewood
- Self-defense, even though tomahawks tend to be more popular in combat-like activities.
- Chop unsightly or loosely handling branches. Who needs pruning shears at a campsite after all, if not during those homesteading practices like trimming hedges and fences?
Mora Camp Axe vs. Gerber Camp Axe vs. Fiskars x7:
| Mora Camp Axe | Fiskars x7 |
|---|---|
| For cutting small dead branches | For kindling, chopping small and medium logs. |
| Weights 1.125 pounds | Lightweight at only 1.38 pounds. |
| Features a thin blade and a plastic handle. | Forged carbon steel construction |
Advantages and Disadvantages:
Now, when it comes to choosing between Mora Camp Ax, Gerber Camping Ax or Fiskars X7, you’ve got to look beyond pricing. It is because a good selection equals faster accomplishment of tasks, exceptional efficiency, and convenient handling.
To start with, you would choose Fiskars x7 for light wood chopping and splitting tasks over Mora because of it is more massive than the others, hence more power transmission to the bit. Also, if you want something that is durable, forged steel construction on the Fiskars makes it a perfect choice any day for a buyer who wants to cut down on costs such as repair and maintenance.
On the other hand, Mora Camping Ax comes with a handy tool option for assembling a campsite fireplace. The plastic handle means a comfortable grip on a user’s hands. The weight, which is slightly lower than that of X7 further makes it a perfect choice for cutting dead branches.
FAQs:
In this section, find answers to the most burning questions you might be having, or solutions to general concerns that buyers often raise.
Q: What is the right hatchet handle measurement?
A: While this could depend on the purpose for which you need one, in which case, either for cutting overhead branches or thicket underneath, a long handle is better for many reasons.
First, the weight of the head is spread evenly so that the gravitational impact doesn’t leave you in an awkward bending position after striking wood during splitting or cutting. Secondly, it reduces the chances of harming your legs upon impact because the bit will reach the ground first when you swing the tool downwards.
Q: Double-bitted or Single-bitted axe. Which one is ideal for camping?
A: There are many things to look out for in a suitable product, but some only fit into the context of professional logging. The Bit is the ax head or blade that cuts through wood grain. So most people ask if should I go for one with a cutting-edge on both ends and a single-bitted one.
Well, in the case of trail clearing, cutting both ends gets the job done faster. However, if you need something for splitting wood or cutting branches, a single-blade comes as a handy option.
Q: How do I sharpen my Ax or Hatchet?
A: While grinding the bit against a hard-grit stone is a conventional practice among those who use cutting stools, a good Fiskars Ax and Knife Sharpener is worth the money. A filing jig for sharpening machete blades will also be ideal for use. It is important to note that the sharpness of the bit should be not only consistent but also straight.
Q: What are some of the safety measures I need to take when using an ax or a hatchet?
A: While most of the safety concerns are definitive of common sense, accidents do happen. Therefore, avoidance of unfortunate eventualities such as sustaining cuts on the leg, or any other body party, make sure to hold an ax or a match the right way. There are many video tutorials on this online, but standard practice is that one should space up his palms rightly on the handle (depending on the length), while also assuming an appropriate stance before striking.
Also, it is essential to establish a secure grip on the handle, whether it features hickory wood, steel reinforcement, or carbon fiber. The hands can get sweaty at times, in which case, roughening the surface with sandpaper would help create friction for a firmer grip. There is no clear-cut difference between how to hold an ax/hatchet and a pickax/pick mattock.
Moreover;
- Keep your tool out of children’s use when not in use.
- Put some oil on the bit to prevent it from rust.
- Keep your ax/hatchet in a sturdy leather storage sheath.
Q: How much will I spend on standard size and double-bitted ax?
A: Well, this review does not only address your search for the best camping axes and hatchets but also looks into an emotive issue like pricing. However, in as much as people sometimes associate high prices with more value for their money, it is imperative also to note that product brands/models play a part in such decisions.
For example, you will notice there is price variation between products like Estwing Sportsman’s 14-Inch camping Ax and a tool with the same specifications in the SOG’s collection, Husqvarna or Fiskars. It is to say, manufacturers exercise a degree of pricing control on their weapons, and so, your brand loyalty matters.
Wrapping up
If you never had the opportunity to choose from handpicked and the top best camping axes and hatchets, then we hope you finally got your hands on a great product in this review. From Fiskars X-series, and Gransfors to different Estwing’s range of tools, there is no other place where you will get top picks featuring the best features.
Also, in the hope that you found this review helpful, many buyers get stuck between choices such as whether to go for quality over price or model over a tool’s competitive advantage should also catch a glimpse of this article.
Please share with friends, and even across social media so that someone looking for an ideal trail or bushing-clearing tool for the money can find it.
As usual, your thoughts and opinions keep Morninghomestead growing. Post them in the comment section below because we love to engage with our readers.
