5 Axes That’s Perfect for a Camping Trip
An axe is one of humankind’s oldest tools; it dates back to the Stone Age. Our ancestors used this tool for splitting, chopping, piercing, and chipping all sorts of materials. Today, we use it mainly for chopping wood and sometimes for competitive sports. Another activity where an axe shines is camping. And what’s a camping trip without a campfire? You can build a campfire using logs and kindling and acquire these items using axes. When camping in a deserted place, you likely have to fend for yourself and get your firewood. Thankfully, you have a wide selection of axes to aid you in your camping trip.
List of Axes for a Camping Trip
An axe has numerous purposes, and it’s why there’s a wide selection you can choose from. Continue reading to find the axe for you!
Racing Axe
A racing axe is a specialized axe and may be more costly than other axes. It’s quite similar to traditional axes, but it’s lightweight and highly manoeuvrable, making it handy for camping trips. After all, camping trips aim to pack light, especially if you may also have to hike for a while.
It’s designed for competitive spots as well, like speed races and accuracy events. It’s also good for recreational activities, e.g., backyard tree-felling or camping tree-felling. You can experience great accuracy and power when using this axe.
When you get racing axes, be sure to look after your axe and keep it boxed up. Clean it using a damp cloth and mild soapy water. After drying, store it in its racing box to keep it safe and secure for another camping trip.
Felling Axe
When you’re on an adventure-filled camping trip, you need wood logs to warm you at night. Felling axes are specially designed for this purpose: to chop logs of wood from felling trees.
A felling axe’s head will weigh between two and four pounds and sit at the end of a long handle. The long handle enables users to produce a mighty swing with greater leverage since, as you may know, this is optimum for a better cut. A felling axe’s blade has a sharp, thin tip and flared shape. It’s perfect for cutting against the grain of wood.
So when you’re feeling a tree on your camping trip, swing it sideways at the tree trunk. It’s excellent for felling small trees and branches and chopping as well. However, it isn’t ideal for splitting since the blades tend to get stuck in the wood.
Splitting Maul
Splitting mauls are designed for splitting logs into kindling. Kindling is those small pieces of wood, sticks, or things used to build a campfire. Due to its small size and its dryness, kindling is easily flammable.
Use a downward swing when using a splitting maul. Please don’t mistake it for a felling axe where you’d use it sideways to cut against the wood’s grain. A splitting maul cut with the grain is why you get split wood, not chopped wood.
A splitting maul’s head is also much heavier than a felling axe; it usually weighs around eight pounds. It has a wide chunk, one blunt end, and a sharp end. Don’t fret if the sharp end doesn’t look particularly sharp since the weight and shape of the blade do most of the work.
Hatchet
Are you looking for an all-purpose axe to bring on your camping trip? Then a hatchet is another excellent item for felling small trees, splitting, and chopping logs. You may also use it for your yard. It’s also affordable; the price ranges from a few dollars to $100.
Compared to other axes, hatches are relatively small. It has a chunky handle, and most manufacturers use hickory wood for this thick handle. Its head is weighted, has a flared shape, and has a sharp-tipped blade.
Be sure to look for a well-balanced tool since the overall balance of this tool will enable you to produce more accurate cuts and swings. When it’s greatly balanced, you can expect that you can chop wood faster and create fire quickly.
Hudson Bay Axe
Canadian fur trappers designed the Hudson Bay axe, and its purpose is to chop firewood during extended trips in the cold North. Its size is between a hatchet and a full-sized felling axe. It’s a handy tool used to chop firewood; you may use it with one hand or both. Compared to a felling axe, you can easily split wood with this tool, and it’s also good for smaller chopping.
If you don’t have any plans on cutting larger trees, then the Hudson Bay axe is more manageable to bring on camping trips due to its size.
Final Thoughts
Each axe is unique in its way. Even if it’s the same type of axe, manufacturers have their unique way of creating an axe and a unique set of materials that make up the perfect axe. Create the perfect campfire this summer with your chosen axe. Use the information above to help you land a decision of using the correct axes on your camping trip.
