Originally Posted By: hikermor
I just don't "get" batoning. I have built countless fires, using the local resources, and I have never, ever had to baton anything, not even close. Several of these have been under what could charitably termed adverse circumstances. Stomping wood with your boots or dropping a rock on a branch and gathering up the pieces works every time. Maybe it is an excuse to purchase a nice manly blade.

Nowadays, for the weight of the axe, hatchet , or knife, I can carry a stove and enough fuel to go for at least two days, if not more.

Neither do I, but I wonder if it's based on both of us living in SoCal? I imagine most of your experiences are in the Sierra Madre, Sierra Nevada, Yosemite, Sequoia areas?

In which case, dry fuel is usually abundant, pine cones make great "starter" wood, half the time we can't make a campfire anyway.

I imagine if I went camping in WI with my wife's family, the constant rain and nuclear-mosquitoes would make getting a fire started a tad more difficult - green wood more common, rain more often than not in summer, or socked under snow (this winter being the exception).