Whether you’re a survivalist looking for the perfect tool to add to your survival gear or an outdoor fanatic planning a new adventure, you can’t do without a camping saw.
This handy cutting tool is compact enough to stash in your backpack. It’s also versatile enough to use for building shelters, clearing bushes, and making campfires.
Want to buy a camping saw but aren’t sure of where to start? We’ve got you covered. The following post highlights some of the best camping saws and a detailed guide to help you narrow down your options.
Types of Camping Saws
Bow Saw
If you’re planning a camping trip, one cutting tool that is highly recommended is the bow saw.
It’s a modern saw comprising a wide but thin blade, which is held in position by the tension of a metal frame. As implied in its name, the distinguishing characteristic of this saw is the fact that it’s shaped like a bow.
Also, you may find it being referred to using other names such as a Swede saw, bucksaw, or Finn saw.
Another point to note is that a bow saw is mainly used for making crosscuts - cuts made across the grain of the wood. As such, it comes equipped with crosscut teeth that operate by removing material through a push and pull system.
What makes bow saws ideal for camping is their compact and reasonable size. While they’re not small enough to fit in your backpack (see the best backpacking saws), they’re still light enough to carry in your hand. This size makes them perfect for cutting logs to use for your camping wood stove or fireplace.
Folding Saw
Again, it’s all in the name. This type of saw features a folding mechanism, enabling you to shrink it to half its size for easier portability.
The majority of folding saws you come across will have their blades hidden in a groove just beside the handle. Others are designed in such a way that the blades are stored inside the handles themselves.
Thanks to their compact structure, it’s very easy to carry one in your backpack. However, their cutting capability cannot rival that of a bow saw. Still, it’s better than what you get from a pocket chainsaw.
Pocket/ Hand Saw
If your main priority in a camping saw is a compact and lightweight design, consider investing in a pocket chainsaw. Since it’s a handheld saw, some people also refer to it as a hand saw.
The saw comprises a blade chain attached to two handles on either end. The length of the chain varies considerably so you’ll be able to pick one that meets your cutting needs.
If you anticipate doing a lot of sawing during your camping trip, look for a pocket chainsaw with bi-directional blades. This means the saw cuts both when it’s pushed and pulled, enabling you to get work done much faster.
Pole Saw
The saws we’ve looked at so far are named based on their designs, and this one isn’t any different.
This cutting tool comes in the form of a pole, with a saw attached to one end. It’s designed in this way to enable you to cut things that would otherwise be out of your reach.
And the best part is, some pole saws are extendable to about 20 feet. So no matter how high a tree or log is, you’ll be able to extend your pole and make the cut at your desired position.
How to Choose the Right Camping Saws
Size and Portability
Whether you’ve opted to buy a bow saw or pocket chainsaw, one thing remains true. The bigger the size of the saw, the longer its blade or chain will be, and this gives you more cutting power.
If you think you’ll have to cut very thick logs or pieces of wood, then you’re better off carrying big-sized camping saw. However, don’t forget to consider their portability. Ultimately, the camping saw won’t do you any good if it’s too big to carry.
For easy portability, consider investing in a folding saw, which can easily be folded flat
Quality and Durability
After size, the next factor you’ll want to check is the quality of the camping saw. This will depend primarily on the materials used in its build.
The best camping saw has both its blade and handles made of strong, quality materials to guarantee durability.
For the blade, look for materials such as hard carbon steel, tempered steel, or stainless steel. But keep in mind that stainless steel offers better resistance to rust and corrosion than carbon steel.
For the handle, heavy-duty plastic material is the best choice. Quality construction guarantees optimal durability.
Blade
Another feature you’ll want to pay attention to, to find the best camp saw is the blade. For the best results, invest in saws whose blades are constructed with high-quality steel. This guarantees that the blade will slice through wood with minimal effort on your part.
On the same note, check whether the blade has a coating layer. Most manufacturers will add a coating to prevent the blade from corroding, rusting; and in so doing, extend its life.
The special coating also aids in the blade’s cutting efficiency. It minimizes friction, making it possible to cut faster and with a high level of precision.
Handle
There are a couple of things you’ll want to check when it comes to the handle. First off is the material it’s made of.
Most camping saws have either wooden or plastic handles. Plastic handles are great because they don’t add to the weight of the saw. Plus, they provide a firm grip.
Wooden handles are bigger and heavier, but they give the saw a kind of rustic charm that you don’t get from the plastic varieties.
Another feature you should inspect is the mechanism used to attach the handle to the camping saws. The majority will either be welded to the blade or connected with screws.
If the handle is screwed onto the saw, then ensure that they’re tightly bolted. You don’t want to run into the risk of having the handle detach from the saw in the middle of a cutting job.
A handle that’s welded to the blade offers better security. But in the event that it comes off, it will be much more difficult to reattach than if it had been screwed.
Ease of Use
The whole purpose of going camping is to help you relax and connect with nature. For this reason, you don’t want to spend a whole hour trying to slice through a tree limb. Instead, you’ll want to spend as little time as possible so you can move on to other fun camping activities.
To achieve this, invest in the best camp saw equipped with user-friendly features. One such feature is a two-way cutting mechanism.
As we mentioned earlier, this is a saw that can cut in both directions of a stroke, contrary to one that only cuts when you pull it towards you.
The tensioning system is another element that makes camping saws easier to use. Opt for saws whose tensioning mechanism is automatic; this saves you time and energy.
Thickness
A commonly asked question by campers is, "how thick should a camping saw be?" Unfortunately, there’s no straightforward answer to this, as it all boils down to individual preferences.
Generally, the plate of a saw blade has a thickness ranging between ⅛ and ¼ inches. The thinner the plate, the lighter the saw will be; hence easier to carry. However, thin blades are highly prone to heating and wobbling, meaning they don’t make the most precise cuts.
If precision is an important factor, you’re better off investing in camping saw with a thick plate. Sure, it will weigh slightly more. But the advantages it offers - with regards to the blade’s stability and precision- significantly outweigh this con.
Reviews of the Best Camping Saws
1. Gerber Freescape Camp Saw
Are you looking for camping saw that achieves the tri-factor effect of form, function, and safety? If so, the Gerber Freescape Camp Saw is the best camping bow saw for you.
In terms of form, the saw can be folded flat to save on storage space. It measures 17 by 5.5 by 1.2 inches at full length. However, its exceptional design allows you to fold it, all while keeping all its elements intact.
This Freescape Camp saw doesn’t disappoint in functionality either. You get a generous 12-inch cutting surface and four pivot points, which make slicing through any big piece of wood very easy.
When it comes to safety, Gerber designed this saw with bright green accents to increase its visibility. This way, you won’t have a hard time figuring out where your folding saw is, and this eliminates the risk of injury.
We also like the flexibility offered by Gerber Freescape Camp saw. If you accidentally lose the blade, you can replace it with any other 12-inch blade.
Pros
Cons
If you’ve opted for a folding saw, another model you can look at is the Agawa Boreal21. Though designed by a lesser-known manufacturer, it’s proven time and time again that it's reliable.
The first thing you’ll notice about this camp saw is its exceptional folding mechanism. It has a one-piece foldable design that doesn’t call for any extra tools to piece it together or even screws to tighten.
If you want to use it, all you need to do is open it up, snap the joints together to form the bow-shaped saw, and get started cutting. This gives you a generous 21 inches of cutting surface to work with.
Apart from the simple unfolding system, another thing that makes this saw user-friendly is the tensioner.
Contrary to other saws that require manual tensioning, the Boreal21 boasts an automatic blade tensioner.
As a folding saw, one of its most attractive features is its space-saving structure. But this camping saw takes things a notch higher by packing a ton of features in an ultra-lightweight structure.
Tipping the scales at just 530 grams, this cutting tool is perfect to carry to a camping or backpacking trip because it doesn’t weigh you down.
This folding saw also prides itself on durability. The frame is constructed using anodized 6063 aluminum, which adds to its strength without compromising on portability. The blades are not only made of stainless steel but they’re also hardened and coated to improve their longevity.
Pros
Cons
For a camping saw that offers you the best versatility without taking up much space in your gear bag, check out Skyocean’s innovative pocket saw.
Right off the bat, you’ll notice that it doesn’t have the usual nylon handle that most pocket saws are equipped with.
Instead, it has a paracord handle, which pulls double duty as an emergency rope. Once you untie the knots on the handle, you’re able to unravel the rope and stretch it to a length of 23 feet.
To add to this, this emergency rope has a load capacity of 220 pounds. This makes it very useful for campers who like to go hiking or rock climbing.
The conspicuous green-colored handles not only look stylish, but they’re also very comfortable to hold. As such, you don’t have to worry that you’ll get fatigued fast if your cutting job goes on for an extended period.
Speaking of cutting, this pocket saw gives you a decent 36 inches of cutting length. Factor in the 16 heat-treated steel links and you’ll be able to slice through anything.
If you’re the type of camper who has a tendency of losing tools, Skyocean has got you covered on that front too. They’ve included a handy nylon case, to store your pocket chainsaw during transit.
Pros
Cons
Folding camping saws aren’t created equal. There are those that are risky to carry because they unfold unexpectedly. If you’re worried about the safety (or lack thereof) of this cutting tool, consider Bahco Laplander Folding Saw.
This camping saw features a very unique design that allows you to lock it both in its open and closed positions.
So if you’ve opened it but don’t intend to use it for an immediate task, you can lock it into position to avoid accidents. Similarly, once you’re done cutting, fold then lock it into position, and it will be safe to carry around.
The Bahco Laplander folding saw offers a solid cutting performance. One thing you’ll notice is that it feels very light in your hands, enabling you to cut accurately, smoothly, and fast.
The saw gives you a 7 ½ inch blade to work with. It has 7 teeth per inch, meaning it falls in the category of medium-toothed blades, making it suitable for slicing wood and general-purpose cutting.
What we love even more about its medium TPI is that it strikes a good balance between speedy, aggressive cutting and slow, accurate cutting.
Furthermore, the blade is made of stainless steel. Compared to the likes of carbon steel, this material stands up better against rust and corrosion.
The handle is another stand-out feature of the Bahco Laplander folding saw. It comprises two parts- a plastic handle and a leather strap. The handle offers a firm grip while the strap makes it easy to secure to your camping backpack.
Pros
Cons
If a great deal of your camping trip will involve clearing bushes, trimming trees, or having to create shooting lanes, the Hooyman Pole Saw is just what you need.
This cordless cutting tool comes equipped with a high torque in-line motor, offering you a decent amount of power to work with.
It also has a 40v lithium battery, giving you ample flexibility. It means you don’t have to plug it into a socket to power it. And the best part is the saw also has a battery level indicator, so you can keep tabs on the charge level and recharge accordingly.
According to Hooyman, the pole saw can easily tackle both large and small-sized limbs with incredible ease.
In fact, it's fitted with an extendable pole that can be stretched up to 16 feet. Then once you’re done cutting, simply retract the pole and store the saw in the provided 48-inch carry case.
Pros
Cons
Wrap Up
In our opinion, Gerber Freescape is among the best camping saws on the market. A highly recommended outdoor and survival tool, this saw works with a 12-inch blade, giving you a decent cutting length. And once you’re done cutting, it folds down flat to save you some storage space.
Thanks to its vibrant green accents, Gerber Freescape camp saw is not easy to lose. And, its handle is made of rubber, guaranteeing a firm grip regardless of the weather conditions.