Backpacking with a Hatchet: Essential Tool or Extra Weight?
All weights listed in this article include the sheath
I believe in most cases, a compact hatchet should be brought backpacking if you are in remote areas. While useful at camp, a hatchet is critical if you are lost or injured in the wilderness and need to build a fire, shelter, or other makeshift tools. However, the region you are hiking in will play a factor.
I’m not an ultra-light hiker, but I do make an effort to pack light and efficiently as possible. But, if I am in even a somewhat secluded area I will always carry a hatchet when I go backpacking.
Some backpackers will say “You don’t need a hatchet” and they are “too heavy” (including family members of mine) – and depending on your environment it could be true. But, I think it is “smart weight” to be prepared when you are in the wilderness and far from potential help.
My favorite backpacking axe is the Fiskars X5.
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Carrying an Axe Can Save Your Life on the Trail
A hatchet will obviously make tasks like splitting kindling on a campsite easier.
I don’t normally take a belt loop, but I was testing axes
While backpacking isn’t a dangerous activity – accidents happen, people get lost and the seriousness is compounded by how far you are from help.
An axe or hatchet is an incredibly useful tool in backwood emergencies as it can be used to process wood for a fire, carve or shape make-shift tools, build shelter, clear canopy, or blaze a trail to improve your chances of being found.
Build Robust Fires that Last
This one is obvious, but fire is a big deal in a survival scenario – it can be used for heat, comfort/morale, cooking, or as a signal for help to find you. Whether someone is hurt and in shock, or you get stuck somewhere unexpected you may need to make an unplanned fire quickly – and the ability to efficiently gather fuel is key.
You usually don’t get to choose when these things happen, so you may be stuck with limited options for dry wood.
You want to be able to use larger pieces of wood to keep the fire going while you work on other things or try and get some sleep. If you can only use sticks from the ground you will be constantly feeding the fire, and be unable to get any rest or get anything else done. Making your situation worse.
Effectively chopped through 5″ wide semi-seasoned deadwood
Axes Can Build Shelter or Craft Other Tools
The nice thing about backpacking is you likely have your shelter on your back, but you still may need to use deadwood, branches, or small trees in an emergency. Whether it’s to make a split, stretcher, or even a makeshift stretcher.
This may sound extreme (and hopefully it never happens) but if an accident happens you don’t want to waste time or energy.
Axes Can Help You Get Rescued
I already mentioned fire being used for signaling, but it can also help you find your way and lead others to you.
An axe can be used to blaze a trail by slashing segments of bark off trees as you walk. This leaves a marked trail of “breadcrumbs” for you to follow, but will also lead any rescue parties that come across it right to you.
The Benefits of a Hatchet Over a Knife
Hultafors Ågelsjön aka Hults Bruk Jonaker (26oz | 745g)
Many people will argue that all the survival tasks listed above can be done with a lighter and more compact survival knife. But, after using both a knife and a hatchet for years, I’m convinced a hatchet is what I want if things go south.
You can certainly chop, shape, and even split wood with a knife. But, there are a few key reasons that convinced me to switch to a hatchet – and I never looked back.
1. Hatchets are faster and more efficient
The weight of the head is concentrated behind a shorter cutting edge, and a wedge-shaped head is what makes a hatchet perform well when chopping or splitting. In an emergency you need to move quickly and conserve your energy – and a good hatchet will allow you to do this compared to a knife.
A wedge-shaped hatchet head will also be easier to remove if it gets stuck in a piece of wood. I have had my knife get VERY stuck in a log before – wasting time and energy.
These are also the main reasons the thin ultra-light “pack axes” are not a good option.
2. Hatchets can be used one-handed if injured
the weight of the axe head is doing most of the work, which means that even with one hand, you can still be efficient when chopping. And is much easier to use when your adrenaline is pumping. All it takes is your gross motor skills to swing, and there is no chance of your hand slipping and getting cut on the blade (making things worse).
3. Hatchets don’t need special skills
An axe is much easier than a knife to hand off to someone else an have them use it successfully to chop or split wood. Even if you know how to split wood with a knife – not everyone in your group will – and what if you are the one injured?
4. The right hatchet doesn’t weigh more
What surprised me is many good hatchets weigh the same or less than my old large survival knife. Now my knife was big (12″ blade) – and it weighed less than an axe on its own. But the sheath for a 12″ blade added a lot of extra weight, whereas a small leather mask on an axe weighs almost nothing. So similar weights overall, but the axe is all useful weight.
When You Don’t Need a Hatchet
Now, I’ll admit there are certain scenarios where a hatchet truly isn’t needed. And, my bias comes from living in Canada and mostly backpacking through heavily forested areas. But, here are reasons you shouldn’t carry a hatchet:
1. Trails in High-traffic Areas
In the event of an emergency, trails near towns usually mean faster access to assistance, reducing the need for survival shelter-building or fire-starting that a hatchet would support. So, if you are hiking where you know you will always have cell service AND are close to major roads or towns. You can probably save the weight and ditch the axe.
2. Areas Without Trees
In places without trees or deadwood (e.g., high alpine or desert terrain), a hatchet won’t see much use – even in an emergency. In this terrain, I would just bring a knife.
3. If You Plan to
Most backpackers try to follow “Leave No Trace” principles, meaning gathering wood and chopping branches is discouraged to preserve the environment. Don’t bring an axe just to hack up the forest for fun.
My Favorite Pack Axes
I’ve carried many hatchets over the years, and I am in the process of putting together a full list. But these 3 are my top pack axes:
Fiskars X5
Weight: 21.6oz | 612g
The Fiskars X5 really is my top pick, and a real “goldilocks” of balancing weight, capability, quality, and affordability. With a full 1lb head and light composite handle, is my most carried pack axe.
Check out my full review.
Lexivon 9
Weight: 20oz | 567g
I like this axe WAY more than I was expecting to. The compact Lexivon V9 is essentially a knock-off Fiskars X5 that is around half the price.
It’s not pretty, but it performs pretty darn well. See the full review.
Gransfors Outdoor Axe
Weight: 19.75oz | 560g
The Gransfors Bruk outdoor axe is a premium option with a unique approach. It has a smaller, lighter head, on a snappy 14″ handle.
Please comment below If I missed something or if you have any questions. I do my best to respond to everyone.
About the author:
About the author:
Jim Bell | Site Creator
I’m just a guy who likes axes. I got tired of only finding crap websites, so I set out to build a better one myself.
I’m also on Instagram: @axeandtool
Please comment below If I missed something or if you have any questions. I do my best to respond to everyone.
About the author:
About the author:
Jim Bell | Site Creator
I’m just a guy who likes axes. I got tired of only finding crap websites, so I set out to build a better one myself.
I’m also on Instagram: @axeandtool
I carry a Gränsfors Small Hatchet (often called the “Mini”). I pair it with a small folding saw and a 4″ fixed blade knife (a Silky Pocketboy 170 and a Grohmann No 2 or No 3 if anybody was curious). These three tools are very lightweight and can accomplish 90% of what I typically ever need to do in the forest.
When I first started hunting I thought the utility of a hatchet was low due to only ever being exposed to my dad’s DULL edge tools. Then I saw what my grandfather was capable of with a good sharp hatchet in the woods and I realized that my kit must include one. I hated the weight but loved the utility it offered. So I eventually bought the lightest little hatchet I could find and I have LOVED using it and never noticed its modest weight.
The Small Hatchet is probably next on my list of Gransfors to add to the collection. I have been so impressed by the Outdoor axe, and want to try something even smaller. I had a similar story with hatchets. Didn’t carry one for years because I only had experience with junk, and thought I could do everything with a knife. Finally tried a good, light, option and was converted back.
I can confirm the utility of a hatchet in an emergency situation. Once while fishing several kilometres deep in the woods I severely injured my knee. Being too proud to call for a rescue, I decided that I was going to limp back out to civilization. I knew there was a game trail along the river which would get me out but several hundred meters of INCREDIBLY thick brush stood between me and that trail. This looked like an impenetrable wall of brush; a huge patch of small spruce trees so dense that you couldn’t see more than a few meters into it and little sunlight made it through. I got my Gransfors Mini out and hacked my way through. I would chop the branches off to allow each step deeper into the tangled mess. Never have I appreciated a tool as much as during that crisis. Every step was excruciatingly painful; a test of my determination and willpower. As I fought for each step, I felt a strong connection with the blacksmith who forged the axe. His initials, LP, are stamped in the head and I felt as if he had designed and made that hatchet specifically to help me overcome the challenge I faced that day. I know it sounds silly, but I felt as though he was somehow encouraging or helping me to keep moving forward despite the debilitating pain. I eventually reached civilization and faced months of recovery. Let me tell you that I will ALWAYS have a hatchet in my backpack! Not sure I could have got out without it.
Thanks for sharing your experience. I think a lot of us fall into “it will never happen to me” mindset, so it’s always good to give examples that situations can always happen, and come out of nowhere. So it’s best to be prepared.