Trying to find the perfect back pack axe under $50

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Stinkypete85

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Jan 27, 2013
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Hi everybody, I'm trying to complete my backpack for camping/hiking. I've only been looking at axes the last week or so and its pretty hard to find something that I can pull the trigger on.
Ideally this axe would be compact, well made, have or able to be fitted with a MOLLE sheath, modern style and available in some sort of black.
The SOG handaxe seems to fit the bill for me but I have no experience with SOG products and I can't find any kind of sheath that with accept the MOLLE locks for it.
I see that Gerber and Fiskars have a sheath that looks perfect to me but I have heard nothing good about Gerber, and Fiskars just reminds me of child proof scissors... any advice is appreciated
 
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I'm still trying to figure out exactly what 'the perfect back pack axe' means for me. Lightweight? Multi-purpose? Rigger's hatchet? Carpenter's hatchet? Claw hatchet?

There's so many choices.

If weight is of primary concern then get comfortable with child proof scissors and grab a Fiskars.
 
Gerber and Fiskars axes are identical. Fiskars owns Gerber. The axes feel a little questionable in the handles, but I bought one of them, and they are tough little buggers. Not extra cool looking, just good workers. Condor makes a beautiful camp ax, but leather sheathed. Unless you are looking for a tactical hawk, you will be hard pressed to find a molle compatible sheath. I'd look for a good axe, buy a little kydex and hardware, and fashion your own sheath. Happy chopping!
 
Add $75 to that amount and get one of the new CRKT hawks, the one with the "hammer" poll only weights 20oz. The sheath is kydex and looks like it's ready for MOLLE. Maybe it's just too light for effective chopping, I've not tried it.
IMO, the SOG offerings just aren't made for chopping wood, edges are too obtuse.
A certain amount of mass is needed to chop anything with efficiency, and maybe a bit of handle length added. I got a very small hunter's hatchet for backpacking, it was very light and packed well. Problem was that it did not chop well at all. I would have to work my a$$ off just to get any amount of wood for the fire. A lighter folding saw is more effective when compared to that little 14oz hatchet.
I'd guess that a 24oz or 1.5lb small hatchet or axe is about as small and light as you would want to go. Otherwise, you'll just loose too much chopping power. I'd stay away from most full tang/tactical tomahawks because often times the weight is not in the head. The only exception would be something like the Winkler Camp Axe, which has a tapered tang, but costs more than 10x your budget.
 
For the budget you mention...the Fiskars is the best performers, especially once you reprofiling the edge. You will need to make a sheath for it.
 
Hmm. Might have to look into making my own kydex sheath. I'm sure someone has a how-to on here. Thanks for the input.
 
You might try Snow and Neally axes from Maine they are pretty good for the price range you are thinking of staying in.
 
Snow & Nealy are no longer US made. Their quality and heat treat has dropped a lot in recent years.
 
Just ordered a Kershaw. Reviews say the sheath is lacking so I may have to modify or make my own. This will be my first attempt at such a thing.
 
I'm a little late to put my two cents in, but at that price point, the Fiskars X7 and X15 are good choices. Their plastic sheaths don't look great, but they are functional and can be easily modified to meet you needs.

I can also strongly recommend Council's Hudson Bay- the base model not the high end Velvicut (nothing bad to say about the Velvicut- it's just well over your stated budget; mine too, to be honest). You will have to make your own sheath or buy one separately, but the axe itself is American made, good quality, and reasonably priced (about $35). Unfortunately, they don't seem to pay attention to handle grain orientation on the base model, if that sort of thing matter to you. It is also about as large an axe as I care to backpack with, so it delivers the most chopping power without overloading me.

Regardless, let us know how the Kershaw turns out.
 
Its technically a hatchet, but Buck Knives makes a GREAT camp axe. It bites big fore its size and the price is right around $40 retail. I copped through a 1.5' thick tree many many times during one camp trip. It had no problems whatsoever and It held its edge beautifully.
 
Yes, it is a hatchet. Maybe Ill post a picture of my kydex sheath attempt if its not too embarrassing. I can't wait to to chop something. Island camping on the 25th! I like the way the Buck, Gerber/Fiskars look, but I like the one piece design of the Kershaw. I just wish it was all black to match my other sharp stuff.
 
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I got my Kershaw yesterday. First impression is... not good. This will be the only non US made Kershaw product Ill buy. The handle is made with what looks to be dipped rubber from a mold. The sheath is garbage all together, thin plastic, with a button snap that is a pain to close. The edge is horrible and will definitely need sharpening before use. It is compact and pretty light and will probably work fine after sharpened but the overall quality is just poor and the only thing that makes this useable is the one piece design.
 
Condor's is 1 piece, and is a beast. If you're going to make a sheath anyway, it's head and shoulders above the Gerber line. CRKT would be a great fit.
 
Those silkys look pretty sweet. When I get a solid variety of camp gear I plan on getting an Esee Junglas for my brush slaying. I don't /didn't see any Condors with a 1 piece design except the Tomahawk/throwing axes.
 
I live on a ranch in the mountains about 30 miles north of the Crowsnest Pass, and I know that my Fiskars X15 is the best $50 that I ever spent. It is that good.
 
After reading your op I'm still not sure whether you want a hatchet/axe to take along "just in case" you need one or if you expect to regularly process wood for campfire/woodstove use. When taking something along just in case I normally opt for one of my lighter options (Gransfors Mini, Norlund, Gerber, Mora, Wetterlings Hatchet, etc.).

In warmer months I'm a hammock camper but for cold winter camping I normally using a tarp lean to set up or a Kifaru tipi in conjunction with a Seek Outside titanium stove. If using the tipi and stove I need to buck to length and split so I normally use a saw and something a little heavier than the hatchets mentioned above. If camping using a lean to I normally use a long fire so I don't need to buck wood to length but when using a lean to set up I often use some left over Tyvek instead of a tarp and since camping on my own place I prefer to fasten the ridge pole with barn pole nails and fasten the Tyvek with button cap nails. I usually go this route simply because I'm usually pressed for time when camping after work and nailing allows me to get set up before dark.

Obviously if I'm going to be driving nails I prefer a hatchet/axe with a hammer poll and occasionally use Gransfors Carpenters axe, Wetterlings Bushman Axe, or Wetterlings Fine Forest axe. All of these have some type of hammer poll and work well but are a little heavier/larger than most people want to carry in their backpack (my self included).

What I end up using most of the time is a modified Plumb carpenters axe. I removed the the part of the head with the nail pulling notch with my bandsaw and also clipped about a 1/2" of the hexagon hammer poll. I also rehafted using a longer (about 18") handle and this combination allows me to easily split wood when using the stove yet doesn't weigh to heavy in the pack.

If you can't find exactly what you need consider modifying something to suit your specific needs. Everyone is different but to me some sort of hammer poll is very useful in a camping hatchet/axe.

I wanted to post pics of the hatchets, axes, and modified Plumb but my computer informs me that "you may not post attachments" so I don't see it happening.

Steve
 
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