15" Sven saw. Still on my first blade after tons of cutting.

+1 on the Sven saw; reasonably light and effective. I have used one on SAR operations, usually when we had to whack out a helispot or clear a trail for a litter.

But for normal recreational backpacking? Little if any need for a saw. I do have a saw blade on my Leatherman Wave, and I have used it for tasks like preparing a hiking staff. That is about all you need for recreational use, and even then it is not critical gear.

NightHiker,

That looks a lot like the larger version of the Wyoming Saw which I have used for years. Since I use mine mostly for dressing large game, I don't use the wood blade much. It works as well as the Sven or Sawvivor. Which is to say it should be a good one.

The best,

Jerry

One serious consideration:

Can it be assembled and used one handed?

Plus one for the Bahco Laplander.

I find this style of saw a bit more usable than the triangular sven type saws because you can get the blade into some tight spots to cut branches. There is no fiddly setup or bits to drop. Its compact and cuts quickly.

Best suited for hard wood up to about 12cm or 4 inches I think, maybe a bit bigger if you have a softwood. Perfect for firewood and most jobs

The Laplander seems to be perpetually out of stock everywhere.

The appropriate tool depends on the basic assumptions -- what is this saw supposed to achieve?

If it's emergency use, fuel and shelter, then the old school sierra saw is enormously effective. I use several of the $8-10 Coghlans jobs for pruning of my (hundred+) shelterbelt and fruit trees; they are both sturdy and effective. For backpacking, I would ditch the handle and pack the blade by itself, with a guard taped over the bottom third (details on request) -- two ounces tops, for a lot of capability.

On the other hand, if it's rough terrain where you expect to clear the trail -- or chop up standing deadwood for warmth -- or thin out small, live evergreens for shelter/bedding -- a genuine swede/bow saw is a workhorse that never quits. Even a 12" job can move mountains.

BTW, I own and use all of the above (except the Laplander, which is intriguing but pricey). My philosophy is simple: I'm just not willing to schlep stuff I don't need up a mountain pass. Call me lazy if you will.

I have several Sierra folding saws in various packs and vehicles. I like the smaller folding version. Had one for almost five years now and still going strong. I use it all the time while camping and sometimes at the shooting club when an IDPA "prop needs croppin'" Me thinks when it finally gets dull, I'll make a toothbrush outta it.

right you are, leigh. i smashed my shoulder this summer, and it was useless for months. that's when the sierra earned it's spot. unfold it and you're ready to go. no screws to fiddle with.

A good folding saw gets my vote, though in the spirit of full disclosure, they are the only ones I have used to date. A bow saw is mighty handy to use at home though so I am looking into one of the collapsible bow saw-types as well. For one-handed use it would be hard to beat a good quality folding saw like Buck or Gerber or the aforementioned Sierra. No affiliations and YMMV.