If it doesn't survive you won't survive.

A throwback to Native America the humble hatchet is considered to be an essential part of gear here at BladeandGear. Why? Simply because there is no other tool that is as versatile, or as fast at processing wood. Whether you need to split a piece of ash into kindling or de-limb a branch for use in shelter the hatchet makes short work of it. Even felling a tree wouldn't be out of the realm of a hatchets capability. Try that with a knife and you'll be using up a ton of precious calories. Just as with any survival product, however, there is a huge difference in quality between hatchet manufacturers. Although we may include some tests later to tell you what hatchets not to buy, we'd like to talk here about the one you should- the Estwing Sportman's Axe. This is absolutely the toughest hatchet we have tested here. It's split literally thousands of pieces of wood and helped us make dozens of shelters. It has never missed a beat. It has held it's edge well and the handle looks as though we just bought it. It also comes with a handy tough leather sheath designed so that you can carry your hatchet on your belt. Truly a great tool. The best part- you can pick one of these bad boys up for under forty dollars right now at your local Home Depot. Don't miss out on this essential piece of gear, and remember if it doesn't survive you won't.