Machete or hatchet for camping?

Question

For a survival kit or camping use, which would be more appropriate a machete or a hatchet. I live and go camping in temperate climated forests.

Answer 1

The hatchet is good for making kindling if needed and is excellent for pounding in tent stakes. I wouldn't leave the trailhead without one.



Unless you're going off-trail in very thick brush or understory growth, I can't see much use for a machete, and you shouldn't be going off-trail unless you're a very experienced hiker.



So, I'd say the answer on the machete is that if you don't KNOW you need one, then you don't need one. In other words, if you have to ask, carry a hatchet. Of course, as someone already noted, you could carry both, but I'd really consider the machete unnecessary weight - and a lot of it. A good one is fairly heavy.

Answer 2

I would choose a the hatchet. But I could easily survive without either a hatchet or machete, using a good knife and a folding saw instead. The weight and bulk I save in my pack adds up to 4 to 8 servings of uncooked rice or beans plus 4 to 6 ounces of jerky; enough food for two to four days, depending on how much I stretch it and what else I can gather off the land.



I do keep a hatchet in the Jeep, along with a 24" folding Sven Saw. A smaller 15" Sven Saw rides in my pack when backpacking or hiking. These saws rip quickly trough wood with much less effort than either a machete or hatchet. I only use the hatchet for quickly removing limbs from large branches or trunks (always on down wood, of course). I also use my axe for pounding in and removing tent stakes and poles.



I've never carried or used a hatchet in the forest, and have never once wished I had. When I was a youngster there were thousands of acres of undeveloped woodland nearby, and I hiked and camped on as much of that as possible. In the intervening years I've traveled to many other parts of the country to hike and camp in less frequented areas. Following the path of least resistance that puts me closer to my goal has always worked best for me. Hacking my way through brush and brambles with a machete takes more time and effort than simply finding a better path, and also spoils the beauty for those who might follow, including myself on a subsequent visit.



I imagine that if you got dropped into a never before visited forest with heavy undergrowth, a machete would be an important piece of gear. But other than that, if you feel the need to carry one or the other, I'd suggest the hatchet is the more versatile tool.

Answer 3

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Answer 4

Camping Machete

Answer 5

A machete can perform almost every task that a hatchet can except for pounding in tent stakes, rocks seem to perform that task quite well. A machete weighs much less than a hatchet and can be used as a spatula to turn pancakes, it's also a better digging tool than a hatchet. I've always preferred a lettuce knife to the traditional machete, much lighter and less expensive. If you take a file and put a small notch on the top of the blade, works really well to lift pots off the fire/grill if it has a wire type handle. A machete is part of my car camping and canoeing gear, not part of my backpacking gear. When backpacking I carry a Victorinox with a very intimidating 1 1/4 inch blade, scissors and tweezers. In over 40 years of backpacking, haven't ever needed anything else.

Answer 6

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RE:

Machete or hatchet for camping?

For a survival kit or camping use, which would be more appropriate a machete or a hatchet. I live and go camping in temperate climated forests.

Answer 7

I have been fine for decades with neither. You need to determine through your experiences in the forest whether you need to carry either. It depends on your strategies for survival. Chopping wood and using a campfire is a huge waste of energy if you can apply different strategies to be comfortable, such as a stove and sufficient rating sleeping bag as well as appropriate layers of clothing during daytime activities. If you feel the need to carry one, then many outdoor "survivalists" prefer a hatchet. Personally, I would feel comfortable with a bow saw, but only carry a Victorinox pocket knife. Therefore, your own strategic decisions are most important. Look on "You Tube" to get a sense of HOW different people use different strategies. "Nutnfancy" has great reviews on outdoor survival gear if you think that you need the stuff. Consider how long you anticipate the need for "survival" mode before rescue. I plan for rescue within a few days and need light gear because I backpack. Therefore, I go light on equipment and carry neither a hatchet nor a big knife.

Answer 8

WHY ?

WHY ? WHY? do you think you need ether?

One they are added weight in you pack!

Secondly will you be able to light fires as Smokey bear will not be very happy!

Or in other word do local fire regulations permit camp fires to be lite!

And normal if you cut wet wood it will not burn well!

Dead wood found on the forest floor is normally fairly dry!

As for building a shelter !

If you wish to play at being a Native American-Go Ahead ( Note nearly said RED Indian) Remember they took for the most part tents with them except making WIGWAMS which we call benders in the uk!

These are NOT A QUICK THING TO MAKE!

So use a tent you know it makes sense!

Besides remember the old adage when you leave a camp leave it just as you found it!

Hacking the plant life about just to please your wishes is not doing that!



I am willing to bet if i took a look in to half the survival NUTs Packs there are at least two thirds of the items not needed be cause they have been watching idiots like EYE level Grills and the such like who SURPRISE SURPRISE are also well in to merchandising unnecessary products to people who haven't a clue to what proper survival is!

Answer 9

If a woodsman ye be than trust your hatchet, if in the jungles swinging with Tarzan go with the machete. You can have both you know.

Answer 10

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