Yeah, it definitely depends what type of vegetation you are planning to cut with the machete, and for how long.
If you're walking and slashing at brush and vines with the occasional branch, you'll want a light machete. I wouldn't get too hung up on the thickness...the Tramontinas are relatively thin, but their steel is excellent and very tough. I can swing mine (I have the 18-inch bush and the 14-inch bolo) pretty much all day, but they're still plenty strong enough to tackle 6+" trunks and branches (maybe not the best for things like live oak, but that's what the hatchet is for anyway). They take and hold a great edge after a little file work, and feel great once the handles are sanded and oiled. I've taken down decent-sized melaleuca trees with the elcheapo Corona machetes as well, and the Tramontina is well above them in steel quality in my experience. And in fact, FortyTwoBlades feels Imacasa is head and shoulders above Tramontina. I'm still trying to find one somewhere to test this out. Oh, and the Tramontinas are about $12 and some elbow grease. They are not stainless, but do come with a clear lacquer that can be easily touched up of you want. I don't bother as I like a good patina. That or paint the blade orange so you can find it when you jam it in the ground and walk away!
I also have an Ontario 22 inch that I cut down to about 19 inches, and it's a very different machete. It's heavier, but packs a bigger chop. If I'm going to be cutting branches and larger wood all day, it would be my choice. But, I don't want to swing it all day due to the weight. It, too, required some edge work and handle mods, but man do I like that machete for heavier chopping duties. The steel takes and holds a great edge. And while not stainless, they come with a corrosion-resistant coating. Or again, coat with paint or BLO and touch it up when needed.
Another step further would be the thicker Condors you mentioned. My friend has the Engineer Bolo, and there is no way that I want to carry that thing and swing it all day. That's a camp tool, and definitely seems designed to cut bigger stuff. But man is it heavy like some of Condors designs. I totally dig it though; just not for hiking.
You may have picked a good one with the Condor bolo...not too long, not too short, and not too thick as long as it's thinner than the engineer bolo. I don't have any experience with the Condor, but I sure do like my Tramontina bolo...the extra mass at the tip helps it cut much better than it's weight and length would have you believe.
If you're walking and slashing at brush and vines with the occasional branch, you'll want a light machete. I wouldn't get too hung up on the thickness...the Tramontinas are relatively thin, but their steel is excellent and very tough. I can swing mine (I have the 18-inch bush and the 14-inch bolo) pretty much all day, but they're still plenty strong enough to tackle 6+" trunks and branches (maybe not the best for things like live oak, but that's what the hatchet is for anyway). They take and hold a great edge after a little file work, and feel great once the handles are sanded and oiled. I've taken down decent-sized melaleuca trees with the elcheapo Corona machetes as well, and the Tramontina is well above them in steel quality in my experience. And in fact, FortyTwoBlades feels Imacasa is head and shoulders above Tramontina. I'm still trying to find one somewhere to test this out. Oh, and the Tramontinas are about $12 and some elbow grease. They are not stainless, but do come with a clear lacquer that can be easily touched up of you want. I don't bother as I like a good patina. That or paint the blade orange so you can find it when you jam it in the ground and walk away!
I also have an Ontario 22 inch that I cut down to about 19 inches, and it's a very different machete. It's heavier, but packs a bigger chop. If I'm going to be cutting branches and larger wood all day, it would be my choice. But, I don't want to swing it all day due to the weight. It, too, required some edge work and handle mods, but man do I like that machete for heavier chopping duties. The steel takes and holds a great edge. And while not stainless, they come with a corrosion-resistant coating. Or again, coat with paint or BLO and touch it up when needed.
Another step further would be the thicker Condors you mentioned. My friend has the Engineer Bolo, and there is no way that I want to carry that thing and swing it all day. That's a camp tool, and definitely seems designed to cut bigger stuff. But man is it heavy like some of Condors designs. I totally dig it though; just not for hiking.
You may have picked a good one with the Condor bolo...not too long, not too short, and not too thick as long as it's thinner than the engineer bolo. I don't have any experience with the Condor, but I sure do like my Tramontina bolo...the extra mass at the tip helps it cut much better than it's weight and length would have you believe.
I thought I had my choices narrowed down, but there are about 5 new things I have to decide between.
