Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Which Axe, again?

Forgot to mention the Herters axe fits nicely in a rifle scabbard.

Dan, I suppose you missed the "most" part.

Would also add, based on your input here, your backpacking experience is obviously pretty limited.

Did you traverse the Bob from side-to-side this year?

That's not a big hike in my world... just saying.

What is then, in your world? I'm all ears.

Not ONE hike 80 or 100 miles, with little or no long distance experience prior to that. That's not "experience", that's ONE experience.

My first semi-long backpack was 1975, 120 miles... by 1977 I'd backpacked 1,000 miles of the AT.

I've had many more, much longer, since then. I don't know any person with much experience that, in summer, that would carry any axe on a backpack more than an overnight.

Pretty damn stupid really...

Merry Christmas to me. I bought the small forest ax. It is small. In your hands, it is small, like a Boy Scout hatchet with 5 more inches of handle. The blade is light and thin, and they send it to you shaving sharp. I told my Brother that on Christmas and he tried it on himself and shaved off a postage stamp sized patch of fur before he knew it. It's short for 2 handed chopping and it's unwieldy for one hand. With weight as a consideration, it is definitely more useful than a hatchet. I had the Wetterlings Scandanavian axe which was an axe! Two pound head and 3 or 4 more inches of handle. I have a nice Hudson Bay style axe that I made out of an old bit with a crack in it. You do not want to carry it in a pack. I'd carry this no problem. I have one complaint about this axe and I have to wonder why they do it that way. The handle tapers to a point in cross section. The sharp angle runs the length of the handle on the blade side. It digs into your fingers. If you squeeze the handle, it hurts. Either I would have to reside myself to wear gloves every time I use the axe or take a piece of sandpaper to it and round that steep sharp angle down.

I can sure see why people the Campfire and other internet sites with the prevalent lack of respect for others opinions.

Guess I am pretty damn stupid too 'cause I seldom go backpacking in any season without an ax, unless it is a Fastpack type of trip where I want to cover 40-60 miles in a day.

Carrying a 1.2-2lb axe in summer in Montana is stupid in any intelligent universe, but it's up to you.

A 5 or 6 oz saw will suffice if needed... but then I'm not pimping products.

I'm guessing that your boots and French Press add more weight to your gear than my trail runners, Via and my Outdoor Ax but hey what ever works for you is cool with me.

Damn, Brad you're in a bad mood! Lol.

2 lbs is 2 lbs. Depends on your priorities. Was looking at my gear tonight while packing up to chase elk again and was shocked how light my core gear is. I guess I went to the ultra light side and now I'm adding weight back in increasing comfort. The tools to create a fire adds to the experience and comfort for me. Plus how often do you get to use an axe in everyday life? It's fun and it makes me smile, that is reason enough for me to haul two pounds!

Ed, far as I can tell you're really not a backpacker, more a trail-runner/hunter/dayhiker with a business to pimp.

That's cool with me, but let's not confuse what we're talking about.

I'e read a lot of Ed's posts on here. If he has a business to pimp, I don't know what he's pimping. He must not be trying that hard.

I'm curious Brad if you can explain why you chose to use the term "pimp" when referring to Ed and his business. Out of all the words you could have chosen for some reason you had to use "pimp.

Your post says a lot about you. Cheers.

The idea of carrying a 20-32oz hatchet in Montana in the summer is beyond the dumbest thing I've ever heard. Tinder/fuel here is so readily available and willing to burn it's beyond intelligent discussion. That someone would carry such weight in that pursuit leads me to believe they're really not what they infer. In which case, this forum should ideally be labeled "Bushcraft And Dayhiking For The Naive."

Plus how often do you get to use an axe in everyday life?

This time of year I use one everyday in my basement while feeding my woodstove. I've recently gone to a Council Tool Hudson bay axe 18" for my smaller splitting. Prior to that I used my 8lb maul or my fiskars axe.

Mike.

I occasionally wander about with a hatchet whilst hunting here but nothing like the time and distance you fellows are talking about, but then it is beyond stupid for people to wander around in Australia as it has a very unforgiving aspect.

Nice try Brad. But forget the backpacking. We are talking about a man's reputation here. So please educate us as to why you used the word "pimp" to describe Ed and his business.

Could it be that you don't think you owe Ed an apology.

If that's the case just state it.

Maybe it's like Brad "Biathlonman" say, because they like axes.
I don't really see any difference between that and you taking your French Press on all summer backpacking trips because you enjoy the coffee you can make with it.

This is the "backpack hunting," sub-forum NOT the "gram weenie thru-hiking" sub-forum.

Brad, you're obviously a back country hunter, and that's what this discussion is about. I have no doubt you've hiked greater distances than most members here, but how far do you actually hike each year for your bull? There are a dozen other dedicated forums for sharing ideas on cutting off zipper pulls and eating cold food. We're among meat eating, gun owning friends here, so lets not lose site of the objectives here.

To add to what others have said already. The GB Small Forest is a very nice little axe, (I've got a couple) but the Husqvarna branded Hults axes are 90% as nice for 50% the price. Wetterlings is hit and miss, at least mine are, but they were built before GB bought out Wetterlings. Maybe the CQ has improved. The prices certainly reflect the buy out!