The Best Axe For Hiking and Camping

Finding the best axe for camping and hiking is a very important decision for many outdoor enthusiasts. When walking on many trails or just trekking through the wilderness, it is sometimes necessary to clear out your path or trail so that you can get through some of the thicker brush. When it comes time to set up camp there are many times the need to clear the area where your tent goes and the area around it. Then there is the important campfire wood that is vital to fix your meals or to keep the fire burning at night to help keep away the wildlife in the area.

Best axe for hiking and camping – Estwing Sportsman’s Axe

The best axe for hiking and camping is the Estwing sportman’s axe. It’s an excellent axe for many uses but especially for hiking and camping.

This axe is designed as a 14-inch with forged steel and a genuine leather grip. This design has been manufactured all in one piece to create one of the most durable and long-lasting axes on the market.

Made with durable construction this product is a great choice for many hikers and campers. It offers a quality hand-polished, and the edge is also sharpened by hand for a quality cut. The leather grip has been sanded and lacquered for a quality grip and style. This technique also helps to give the leather grip a longer life span.

This sportsman’s axe is great for chopping smaller logs, branches, firewood and kindling to clear your path through a wilderness terrain or for building a campfire to stay warm or cook your meals over. This handy creation makes a great selection for most camping and hiking adventures. It even comes with its own protective sheath made from ballistic nylon to protect its cutting edge.

This sheath is also a safety device for your protection when it is being carried in your backpack or with your camping gear. It can help to prevent accidental cuts and injuries as you enjoy your outdoor adventure.

Pros

Great to cut any branch or small log up to around 6 inches in diameter
Well balanced and easy to use to cut with
Sturdy enough to use the backside to hammer in tent stakes

Cons

Please leave off the sticker, leaves the handle sticky and takes forever to get the sticky off
Some issues have been noted that it dulls quickly for some users

Another great option – SOG Camp Axe

The SOG camping axe has been designed with a length of 11.5 inches and an edge of 3.1 inches. The axe has proven to be a great backpacking and camping companion. It’s designed with a stainless-steel chopping axe blade to cut smaller brush, limbs, logs, and campfire wood.

The handle is made from textured GRN (glass reinforced nylon) and is comfortable to hold and can withstand many hours of heavy blows with no maintenance required.

This lightweight and well-constructed camp axe has been designed with a broader hammer head to catch more surface area giving you more resistance and easy hammering action. This is great for hammering in tent stakes or any other chore that needs to be hammered in place.

The axe can withstand usage in any type of weather because its steel design is corrosive resistance. It comes with its own sheath to protect the cutting edge of this axe and to keep you from accidentally cutting yourself while transporting it in your backpack or in your camping gear. This unit is lightweight but powerful for most any of your outdoor adventures.

Pros

Offers a sharp cutting edge that stays sharp with normal usage
Balanced and does a great job of chopping smaller wood up to 6-inches
Lightweight and does a smooth job of chopping

Cons

It is close to being too small for some users
Kept getting stuck in the wood for some users

My personal favorite – Fiskars Splitting Axe

This 17-inch splitting axe has been designed for easy usage and quality performance. It is a great tool to take along on your next camping trip or hiking adventure.

Its design allows you to make one-handed quick and easy cuts on smaller brush and trees to clear them out of your way as you are making your way through the wilderness. This design also allows you to cut up smaller logs, kindling and other woods for your campfire on your next camping trip. The design offers balance and a specified weight to ratio to allow powerful swings for more cutting power.

The blade is made from hardened forged steel which keeps the blade sharp longer than most axes. A low friction coating has been added for easier gliding through the tougher wood and helps to keep it from getting stuck in the wood.

The head of this axe has been designed with a mould to the handle to keep it from coming loose from the handle. This powerful tool is a great asset to any outdoor adventure. With its superior design and smooth cutting abilities, this axe will be a great tool for many outings and adds less strain to your hand and arm as it slices through the wood with ease.

Pros

Lightweight and smooth cutting to make any job an easier task
Makes cutting firewood for the campfire faster and easier
Quality design and well balance for fast and easy swings

Cons

The weight of the handle seems to be hollow for some and too lightweight
the head seemed to be off center and makes it a little hard to chop with for some

Another solid option. – Gransfors Bruks Wildlife Hatchet Axe

This axe is 13.50 inches long and weighs only 1.3 pounds. It is lightweight and easy to use, a great unisex axe for camping and on the hiking trails.

The longer handle design offers more chopping power and helps to make your cuts cleaner and smoother.

The cutting edge offers quality cuts making cutting your firewood quicker and easier. This purchase comes with a quality leather sheath that covers the cutting edge and the top part of the pole to protect your backpack and you as you are transporting or carrying your new axe.

This axe is designed to handle some of the larger branches when clearing out the brush and can make cutting wood for your campfire go smooth and quick. This selection makes a great tool when doing any type of outdoor clearing or going on an adventure. This design has the ability to chop down smaller trees with ease as you are making your way through the wilderness trails.

Each purchase of this product comes with the axe book providing various information about their various axes and the care and proper usage of them. With the design that this product offers it has been a popular choice among outdoorsmen for its strength and durability and its superior cutting edge.

Pros

Offers a quality cutting edge for clean and smooth cuts
Longer handle helps to give a more powerful swing and allows more control
Great use for camping, hiking, and general clearing of brush and smaller trees

Cons

Some complaints about the heads being off center with the handle
Some of the blades have broken or chipped after a few usages

Good all purpose axe – Cold Steel All-Purpose Axe

This all-purpose axe is a great tool to take camping. It can gracefully and quickly clear the site for your tent and camping area. It has been designed with a European style head that offers a 4-inch blade and a 4.5-inch cutting edge. The handle is made from durable straight grain American Hickory. This helps to make this design durable and sturdy during all of the powerful swings.

When hiking in the wilderness, this all-purpose axe can be strapped to the backpack for easy carry and accessibility. Clear the trail when necessary even if it comes to a fairly large tree that might have fallen in the path and is blocking it.

This sturdy axe also offers a quality cut and a lot of power with each and every swing. It has no problem with biting away the wood with each cut. The durable creation has been designed to make chopping firewood for the campfire easier and quicker while it keeps your arms from getting tired and weak.

Pros

Offers a 4.5-inch cutting edge for more surface coverage
Handle is made sturdy from straight grain American Hickory
Offers enough power to cut down even a medium-size tree

Cons

Might be too long for some when carrying it on the hiking trails
A few complaints of the head coming off of the handle after a few uses

Husqvarna 13-Inch Wooden Hatchet

This durable and sturdy wooden hatchet makes a great choice for most camping and hiking adventures. This little camping axe has been drop forged by hand. It offers a quality cutting edge and well-shaped and balanced head for great cutting abilities.

The weight of the head is 1.32 pounds and has been designed with fitting in a backpack for your hiking tool. This hiking/camping axe can be used to clear trails, make a shelter, skin food, make cooking devices and to cut your firewood.

The back side of the head can be used to hammer in tent stakes or to hammer a cooking rig into the ground.

The lightweight and smaller build of this unit fits perfectly into most backpacks and is a great tool for around the camp, taking up less room. This product offers a quality cut without a lot of swinging efforts, helping to make cutting your firewood painless and smooth.

The wider wooden handle designed with a comfort curve will give you a more secure grip, keeping the axe from turning or sliding in your hand. This allows for a perfect swing and a more precise cut. A quality sheath has been designed to help to protect you from injuries and the cutting edge from being damaged during transport.

Pros

Designed with a well-balanced head and added weight for easier swings
Lightweight and easy to use for cutting firewood, and smaller logs
Secure grip quality handle design for easier swings

Cons

The head of the axe has been known to break after some usage
The grind edge has not been polished

MTech USA Camping Axe

This camping axe has been designed to a length of 11-inches long. It shows off with its black and white two-tone color. Its design is compact and versatile so it makes a great tactical axe for camping trips and hikes through the wilderness.

The 440 stainless steel blade offers a 3-inch satin finish for smooth and quality cuts. The 440-grade steel gives this axe head more edge retention and hardness for a quality product.

The handle is made from durable rubber and offers a quality grip so the axe will not slide or turn in your hand.

When purchased this selection comes with a nylon sheath that covers the blade of the axe giving protection to your axe and to you as it is carried in a backpack or in your camping gear. Use this handy tool to cut and clear brush on your trail or at your wilderness camping site.

It is a great option to chop firewood for your campfire and its easy use will make the job go faster as you gather up smaller logs to keep your fire burning. This is a great all-around choice for any outdoor adventure into the wilderness.

Pros

Quality made tactical camping axe
Maintains and keeps the sharp cutting edge after several cuts
Small and light easy to use and very durable

Cons

Sheath that comes with it does not appear to be very protective
Small and does not cut very large limbs or logs

Schrade SCAXE2 Small Camping Axe

The compact Schrade SCAXE2 Camping, and survival axe is a great tool to fit in your backpack comfortably and not add a lot of additional weight. This compact tool has been manufactured from quality materials and made to be durable to last for a long time. It has been designed to a length of 11.8 -inches long and weighs 1 pound and 6.4 ounces.

The cutting edge or blade of this axe is 3.8-inches long and made from titanium coated stainless steel. This makes this little tool a great asset in any type of weather conditions, it will not corrode or rust because it got wet.

The head has been fused onto the handle which is made from glass fiber fill PA coated with a quality rubber to create a non-slip grip. Stored inside of the handle is a spark showering rod that can be used to start campfires.

The pommel on the back of the axe head can be used to hammer tent stakes into the ground or a nail into something. This also works well for crushing items that need to be smashed up into smaller pieces.

This durable camping axe offers powerful blows so that it can handle smaller to medium trees or logs. This is great for clearing out your trails or chopping up firewood or making a shelter if necessary.

The purchase of this axe includes a sheath made from a rugged thermal plastic that snaps securely around the head of the axe. It is also designed with a loop that allows your belt to slide through plus some additional edge holes if it needs to be tied to your pack.

Pros

Crafted to be durable and long lasting
Head is designed from titanium coated stainless steel stays sharp and won’t rust
The head of the axe is fused to the handle to prevent it from coming loose

Cons

Some users have had issues with the head breaking when using it as a hammer
Appears to use the sharp edge on the blade for some users

What To Look For When Purchasing A Camping Axe

Many outdoorsmen look for a camping axe that is durable so that they can count on it to do its job while out on the trail or around their camp. Finding one that is durable and that will keep its cutting edge or blade sharp without chipping is important when making the decision. This allows the axe to make quick work of chopping up firewood or clearing brush out of the way.

Quality

The quality of the manufacturer and the design of the axe definitely helps to make it the best tool to secure and does not come loose and go flying while you are chopping wood or brush with it.

There are different ways that the heads are attached to the handles such as some are moulded together which appears to give a good fit and does not seem to let the head come loose. Others are attached in multiple ways so that they are durable and will stay connected to the handle.

Make sure that your axe head is made of high-quality durable materials so that it will give you one that will not chip or break while you are chopping wood.

Balance And Weight

The balance and the weight of a camping axe will help to determine if it is a good tool to take with you on the trail. When an axe is being carried in your backpack, it is best if it is a lighter weight, so it helps to keep the weight of your pack to a minimum.

When the head and the handle are balanced together it offers a swing that takes very little effort. This allows you to clear your way or to cut firewood without tiring out your arm. An even swing with a great balanced axe can allow your wood to fly apart effortlessly and makes cutting firewood go quickly and easily.

If your camping axe is too heavy, it may be hard for some users to swing and make good solid cuts and can create a tiredness in your arm quickly after several swings of the axe into the wood. A good balance will give you even swings for quality chops into the wood.

Price

Buying the highest priced camping axe that you can find does not always guarantee that you have selected the best one on the market. Look at how it has been made, the balance and what materials have been used when creating this design.

There are many different ones on the market in many different price ranges. Once you find the one that fits your needs in a price range that fits your budget, and you will have the best camping axe for you. There are good camp axes in all of the price ranges and just because it is not a high dollar camp axe does not mean that it is not a good axe.

Length

There are a variety of different lengths, especially in the handles. Some outdoorsmen prefer a longer handle, while others prefer the shorter ones. It all has to do with the strength and the preference of the person using the axe and how they swing it down into the wood. Make sure to feel the balance and get a swing that works for you. With a longer handle, it gives you the ability to choke up on the handle if it offers a more comfortable swing for your chopping strength and style.

Different Types Of Hiking and Camping Axes

There are many different types of hiking and camping axes on the market today. The Axe is a tool that goes way back in history and has changed many times with many variations of styles and uses. Most camping and hiking axes are designed to be shorter, lighter in weight and can be used with just one arm. Even with this guideline, there are still a variety of different sizes of the heads and different lengths of the handles. The longer handles can give a person more leverage and a more powerful swing allowing it to make deeper cuts into the wood. These can work well for splitting small to medium size logs for firewood. Several of this style can also allow you to chop down small to medium size trees for clearing an area or making a comfortable campsite. Many of the longer handled camping axes also have a larger head or cutting edge to that you can hit a larger surface of the wood creating an easier split.

The shorter handled camping or hiking axe is also called a hatchet. Most of these have the shorter handles and normally around a 3.5-inch cutting edge. On the backside of the head is a flat area that can also be used as a hammer. This allows a camper to use this side to drive a tent stake into the ground or some other smaller hammering job. The shorter handle can give the user more control and the ability to clear smaller brush and still be able to chop smaller chunks of wood for the campfire. This tool is also lighter to carry and to swing with one hand. This appears to be one of the most popular tools for many campers and hikers as they take to the great outdoors.

How To Choose An Axe For Camping?

When selecting your axe for camping or hiking, consider which would work for you to carry and to use. This could vary depending upon the terrain in the area you are going to. Choose a longer or shorter handle, depending upon what you need. Keep the weight in mind, especially if you are having to carry it for a longer distance. Know if you would benefit more by having one that would serve as a multi-purpose tool. One that can cut smaller brush and wood, but that you could also use to hammer in things such as tent pegs into the ground.

What Is The Best Axe?

There are several best axes on the market and several reasons that avid outdoorsmen feel that they offer the best features. Some offer specially designed handles that help with shock absorption, cutting down on the vibrations to your hands from the blows of the axe coming into contact with the wood. The axes that work as multi-tools can keep you from having to carry a hammer and an axe in your backpack, cutting back on the amount of weight that the two tools add to only the weight of one tool. This still gives you the ability to accomplish both chopping and hammering with one tool. Others have anti-friction coatings on the blade so that they stick less into the wood. The different features can make some axes seem better than others.