http://www.cleverscampcamp.com/hudson-bay-camping-axe/
Choosing A Camp Axe For Backcountry Canoe Trips
Anyone who has ever been to Algonquin Park in Northern Ontario can immediately see the importance of practicing “Leave No Trace” camping. Many of the Portages on heavily used canoe routes there can resemble a parking lot. Campsites that are devoid of vegetation are sometimes the rule rather than the exception. The amount of use that parks like Algonquin see in a year is simply mind boggling. There is a very real danger that Algonquin can’t recover from the damage we inflict on it year after year. If we don’t practice LNT in these high use areas, places like this will be destroyed very quickly.
There are however areas of backcountry in Ontario that see very little or no usage. It is areas such as these that “Sustainable Use” takes on a slightly different meaning. I grew up in Northern Ontario, where a lot of people’s livelihoods depended on the backcountry. I was taught to respect the land and only take from it what you needed. This was our definition of sustainability.
When I am guiding a backcountry canoe trip in high use areas like Algonquin Provincial Park, I pack a portable stove and leave my axe at home. To me this is just common sense, since finding wood for a cooking fire may be difficult and time consuming, if not impossible. But in lower use areas where it is sustainable to do so, we often do have a campfire. It is these times that I wouldn’t dare be with out a decent camp axe.
So what is a “decent” camp axe? Ask that question to any backcountry guide and you will most likely get a different answer from each one. But generally there are a few qualities that they all have in common. They should be fairly light, usually weighing somewhere between 1¾ to 2¼ lbs. And they will be made of high quality steel that that can be sharpened relatively easily with a file or honing stone (read: soft enough) and yet stay sharp with prolonged use (read: hard enough). The length of the handle and the shape of the head are all matters of personal preference.
I have owned several camp axes over the years, but my favorite is a 1¾ pound Hudson’s Bay Pattern made by Norland. Sadly the original Norlund company is no longer around. There is still a company making axes under the Norlund name, but everything I have read about them suggests that the quality is inferior to the older ones. Because of this the older ones are hard to find, and can fetch a hefty price. Try to buy an vintage Norlund on EBay and you will see what I mean.
As I stated above the length of the handle (also known as the “haft” ) is a matter of personal preference. Most people using an axe in the backcountry prefer a haft length between 20 and 28 inches. I find that a handle length of 24 to 26 inches is just about perfect. This length will allow for comfortable two handed swings, but is still light and compact enough to pack on a backcountry trip. I know some of you out there will argue that a shorter handle on an axe is more dangerous, and I would agree. However, it is also my opinion that anyone who hasn’t been trained to use a camp axe properly, has no business using one in the first place. Take a saw instead, it’s much more efficient anyway.
If you are in the market for a camp axe, and have read the above, I can only offer one other piece of advice. Get the best quality you can afford, with the exception of loss or misuse, a quality axe will last you a lifetime or even several lifetimes. My Norlund has served me well for over 35 years now. Like any other tool, better quality usually means higher price. Some companies worth looking at are Gransfors, Wetterlings, and Snow and Nealley
Don’t forget to keep your axe in a sheath when it’s not being used. A sheath not only protects you from the axe, it also protects the cutting edge on your axe from getting dull or damaged, and that will minimize the number of times you have to sharpen it or have it re-ground.
About the Author
Andy Tonkin is a backcountry guide and the Owner of Treks in the Wild a Wilderness Adventure Company based in Brantford, Ontario.
He has been exploring the outdoors for the last 35 years. Growing up in Northern Ontario has instilled a love of nature and the outdoors.
He is an avid rock climber and mountain biker, and has been canoeing, kayaking and backpacking all his life.
In his spare time, he is a volunteer member of a Search and Rescure Team in Southern Ontario, the Canadian Red Cross Disaster Response Team, and a Cub Leader with Scouts Canada. He is also a Trail Director for the Grand Valley Trails Association
He currently resides in Brantford which is located on the Grand River in Southern Ontario and is home to world class paddling and incredible trails.