Top 10 Survival Hatchets

One of the more useful items you can carry in the field is a survival hatchet. It can become more useful than a knife as you can cut down small trees, build a shelter and hammer nails if needed. Check out these reviews and videos and you make the best pick as to which survival hatchet you want to carry in your pack.

SOG Tactical Tomahawk review
I used to carry a machete for clearing trails and cutting firewood along with a folding shovel. Now I just carry this tomahawk. I discovered this tool when a friend of mine bought one first. I’ve used my a fair amount; he’s used his extensively.

I use the SOG Tomahawk  to cut firewood, dig holes, driving tent stakes, pulling tent stakes (see the holes in the blade? perfect!), and for entertainment. When all your chores are done, it’s fun to throw this well balanced axe. After many poor throws, this tomahawk has show it’s durability. I’ve also used the axe to pry wood apart and am surprised the handle holds up as well as it has. For the price, the quality of the tool is simply amazing. It’s also extremely light. I highly recommend.

Gerber Downrange Tomahawk review
I wanted one of these since I first saw them come on the market. My only regret is that these weren’t around when I was in the military. This item is a phenomenal breaching tool or would be an outstanding tool to add to your “go bag” or “bug out bag”. This item takes the place of multiple items that you would normally keep in your go bag. It is very high quality and I have put the Gerber 30-000792 Downrange Tomahawk with Molle Compatible Sheath through the ringer since I got it and it has held up phenomenally, plus you can’t beat the lifetime warranty it has through Gerber.

The only thing I would caution someone on, if you are looking for a versatile camping axe, this is not the product you want. It is made for breaching as well as other things. However, due to it’s design it has effective but blunted cutting surfaces to achieve the tasks it was created for. It would not be great for chopping wood. Though it can complete this task it will just take longer than a sharper camping hatchet or axe.

SOG Hand Axe with G10 Handle review
I bought this camp ax from a different site, but have been more than thrilled with the purchase. This ax has a full tang, which makes it a great pick right off the bat. the handle is also ergonomic to fit your hand, which feels great with or without gloves.

 

However, it is a very rough handle, so if used for a while, it will cause blisters if your hands are not conditioned to the outdoors, but if your looking at this product, I would assume your hands are up to the task of owning this tool. It came very sharp out of the box which is great, and after three camping trips in the woods, has held an edge fairly well. The only downside to the SOG Hand Axe is it has a very small profile and is skinny in the poll(butt) so it cannot be used to hammer in tent spikes. The small profile did lend to chopping that required little energy and its light weight so its acceptable in my book.

United Cutlery Hawk Axe review
Behold! The modern age battle axe!!! I checked out a couple of video reviews and all the other reviews on this product… And i must say it doesn’t disappoint…The United Cutlery M48 Hawk Axe

is a perfect weapon or tool, based on how you intend to use it… Well balanced and just the right length to wield either with one arm or two… Good gripping surface and comes with a provision to loop a paracord for securing it well…The blade is a wicked sick design as it has a good head to toe ratio and the rear guard doesn’t disappoint one bit…

The actual cutting edge is quite sharp… The butt is not sharp but good enuf to pierce any soft objects…Sheath is also reasonably good but could have been better in terms of perfect fitting… For a comparison, check the cold steel trench hawk’s plastic sheath… However, this is but a minor setback, if one considers it so…Overall i have thoroughly enjoyed wielding this blade and scaring the living daylights out of my family and friends, who, after initial apprehensions have begun to like it themselves…Thoroughly recommended for campers/trekkers and adventure enthusiasts… Or even for someone who just loves wicked blades with skulls engraved on them 😀 Special mention to the one day delivery by Jalic.Inc… Truly appreciated…

Schrade SCAXE5 Full Tang Tactical Hatchet review
Looking at the scaxe line I love Schrade products however, they really raised the bar with this tactical hatchet t-hawk. I never bought into scaxe line because of the none full tang excluding the scaxe3 if I remember right.
This is a small T-Hawk but, with it’s 3/8 in full tang design its one tough hatchet. I do worry just a little bit about the center cut out being a weak point however it’s hatch size and isn’t going to see the impacts a full size ax would and with the thickness of the sk5 high carbon stainless steel and Schrades life time warranty its only a small worry.

The grip on the Schrade SCAXE5 Full Tang Tactical Hatchet feels great while swinging the blade side, however not as good when using the spike, also where the screws are and the lanyard hole creates a hot spot, a nail file will buff them out. It comes very sharp and the angle of the spike is great for penetration. The pry bar pummel is a great idea and I know it will come in handy far more than I even know yet. All in all I would give it a 4.5 out of 5 starts only due to the need to file the screw and lanyard holes and the comfort factor is not as nice when using the spike as to the blade. This is a product that I will be using a lot and a great idea for a b.o.b. You full tang lovers will love this 1.5 pound scaxe5!

Cold Steel Trench Hawk Axe review
I am a owner of both the SOG Tactical Tomahawk and the Cold Steel Trench Hawk Axe,these two are probably the most coveted of tomahawks on the market.Fellow hunters have quoted me on which is the better buy.Well I can’t decide for you,but I can list the pros and cons of both of these to decide which might be better for you…

COLD STEEL TRENCH HAWK
Pro:Blade is made from Carbon Steel
Con:Carbon Steel can easily rust
Pro:The blade and spike design are definitely geared towards hunting
Con: The Trench Hawk is pretty limited to use in hunting only
Pro:The handle is sturdy polymer at 19″ in length
Con:The handle has no textured grip
Pro:The Trench Hawk comes with a hardshell sheath that’s really unique
Con:The sheath has no belt loop

Ultimate Survival Technologies Sabercut Camp Axe review
I love this axe. It’s strong and light, but not too light that you can’t get any momentum when chopping. The blade is extremely sharp. In fact, I’m giving it 4 stars because it cut the stitching in the sheath shortly after I got it.

I think the sheath should be redesigned, and maybe the lanyard attached to the handle, as it gets in the way sometimes. Overall though, I’m happy with the Ultimate Survival Technologies SaberCut Camp Axe. It’s on my standard pack list.

American Tomahawk Sibert Comanche review
This thing is a self defense tool through and through. I have owned a lot of tomahawks in my life, but this is the only one I would trust to protect it. It offers a lot of different techniques, whether they be chopping, slashing, stabbing, or bashing due to the unique head design and pommel. The American Tomahawk Sibert Commanche Tactical Tomahawk handle scales provide a no slip grip. And the thing handles like a ballerina in the hand because of it’s light weight and perfect balance.

It’s thinner than most hawks so as to reduce the weight, but due to its light weight you can swing it so fast that it hits as hard as any other hawk 3 times as thick, and because of it’s thin profile is far less likely to get stuck. The steel has been heat treated to perfection, and holds an edge better than a lot of my more expensive knives, while still retaining the toughness to keep from breaking.My only real gripe with it is that as a SELF DEFENSE hawk. It really isn’t suited for demolition and extraction jobs, and that is where tomahawks get the most use. That’s not to say it can’t, but because it’s so thin it can’t chop away at the material as quickly. But when the chips are down, and all I have standing between me and an attacker is a tool, here’s hoping it’s this tool. $300 seems like a small price to pay if it is for the confidence of owning this tomahawk.

Hardcore Hardware Battle Tomahawk review
I hacked through a 4 inch thick piece of concrete right outta the box. I had to reprofile the handle as they slip easily after many swings. The Hardcore Hardware Australia LFT01 Tactical Tomahawk Coyote G-10 is heavy, but the weight helps get through materials faster.

But to be honest unless im breaking through a wall and thats my main concern and to stick in an urban environment this tomahawk is not going to be used. Its is not thin enough to chop wood effectively and itll tire you out in a survival situation very quickly. It is also pretty short compared to most tomahawks. But all in all if its about defense, you could hit with the sheath on and seriously do damage.

Smith & Wesson Extraction & Evasion Tomahawk review
This is a top-notch, SOLID piece of well-designed equipment. It is NOT a toy or for screwing around on the weekend. NOT a camp axe–but in answer to the other reviews which say that it is “too heavy to carry:” you need to get off the couch and do some pushups or shoulder raises. Same to those who say it is “too heavy” in terms of swinging/deployability: do some physical exercise.

The Smith and Wesson SW671 Extraction and Evasion Hatchet grips are cushioned and comfortable–if you think your hand is going to “slip,” buy a glove. The handle offers 3 positions so you can “choke up” if need be. Not a “light combat ‘hawk” but, really folks, you aren’t Hawkeye, and this isn’t “Last of the Mohicans.” Which, honestly, makes this axe the best option vs. its competitors’ priced from $200-$500–come on guys, really? Stop living in that fantasy world.

Condor Tactical Rescue Tomahawk review
I received my Condor Tool and Knife TRT (Tactical Rescue Tomhawk) and it has met and surpassed my expectations. I was a but apprehensive about a hollow tube for the handle on a tactical tomahawk, but this this beast is made of THICK steel. It’s sturdy as hell! The paracord makes a very good grip on it and it has a very good balance.

Mine was razor sharp out of the box and the edge has a mirror polish to it. A car door would not stand a chance against the Condor Tactical Rescue Tomhawk. The real leather sheath is outstanding as well. I have 6 other name brand tomahawks and my Condor TRT is just as good or better than any of the others. I have no negatives on this purchase.

GG&G Battle Hawk review
Nice features for the money. My wife got this for me for valentines day a while back and I was quite surprised. Crucible Particle Metal S7 is a premium shock resistant steel that still has a high RC edge holding ability and is a good choice for this type of implement. Many of the knife steels out there lack the toughness and have too brittle of an edge under extreme impact force. It’s also part of what makes this expensive.

The GG&G 1280 Battle Hawk Tactical Tomahawk comes with a well thought out tek lok kydex sheath. The checkered G10 handles also add strength to the one piece full tang construction and the metal in the handle is thicker than the axe part. No weak link here. The handle is comfortable to use and the shape lends itself to good grip retention in a high, low, or two handed grip. The flares keeps your hand from slipping which is vital in my opinion. There is also a lanyard hole.

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