suggestions for a small hatchet?

GB Mini. The size carries well, but the balance provides an ability to chop beyond what you'd expect from the light weight.
 
If you're not on a budget, I think the above hatchets would serve you very well. If you are on one like me, then I can reccomend the Fiskars. I picked one up for less than $20 and really like it. Very sharp, easy to sharpen, light weight compared to hatchets of similar size. Good stuff.
 
For $60, I picked up a HI Khuk, village pen. Love the way it chops but more weight than the Gerber and the mini axes .
 
I picked up an American Tomahawk LaGana Tactical for the same purpose. It was a little pricey for it's intended use but I've beaten the hell out of it with no ill-effect. I even called Andy Prisco to pick his brain about his products and was pretty impressed with what he had to say. The cutting area is small in terms of a camp-axe but if you have any skill/experience swinging a hatchet it's not hard to get used to. It's light, compact, extremely durable, looks freaking cool, and is easy to carry in a variety of places and positions. (The Nylon sheath is even switchable to left-hand belt-carry.) I've used a few different hand axes in the past including the Gerber/Fiskars and the tactical tomahawk works best for me.
Just my 2 cents.
 
The Last Confederate said:
For the money, the Estwings are hard to beat.

Estwing-Hatchet-1.jpg
Click to expand...

I got one of these with Green Stamps (if anyone remembers those) 35 years ago and it is still going strong. I've never even bothered to buy another hatchet.
 
Here is two the Vaughan and the GB. I enjoy these little guys but don't really know what they are for. The GB is a better slicer. The Vaughan can be reprofiled to split maybe a tad better. Neither is nearly in the league of a good regular hatchet.

412294.JPG
 
Another vote for the Estwing. They are built like a tank. You may find a lighter hatchet, but not a tougher one IMO.
 
In addition to the aforementioned Norlund, I've got an old Estwing as well. My dad gave it to me in the late sixties. It's been around the block the long way and is no longer as pretty as the ones you guys have posted images of, but it sure still works.
 
Please consider this as merely some things to consider.

The wood I am most likely to split where I do my camping/backpacking is hardwood.

When it comes to splitting hardwood, an abrupt shoulder where the blade meets the cheek of the head (less like a ">" and more like a "T" when viewed from top of tool) results in the need to exert more force to split the wood.

The Vaughn mentioned, the Norlunds, and many American-made axes have little or no shoulder. (The Vaughn I bought came with the head cocked on the handle and a horrible edge. :barf: )

I have three GB's: Wildlife; Hunters; Small Forest). They cut like the devil. Great for felling, bucking, and limbing. They are relatively poor hardwood splitters due to the presence of a pronounced shoulder.

I have a Wetterlings Wildlife. It is better than the GB's at hardwood splitting. Less shoulder. Not as well finished as the GB's but seems to cut just fine. Less expensive.

I have several hawks. The Ft. Meigs (or is it Miegs? Ragnar doesn't seem to carry them anymore.) being the only exception, they are relatively poor splitters.

I have three Estwings. They have a concave wedge top profile. They split well but should not be twisted in the cut to speed splitting. (I have used them less and less because they lack the ability to comfortably "choke up" for fine work and are fairly soft as compared to any of the axes/hawks mentioned above. Can't imagine breaking one.)
 
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