True, a longer handled synthetic axe might be able to get close to my combo's weight, but a part of the line of thinking I've developed here is that I don't really consider the hatchet to be a necessary piece of my gear. Largely, I find it is nice to have for some uses (especially as a hammer ), but that it really is non-essential (to the point that I really question bringing it along when I evaluate things, like now).

For that reason, I still think I'd favour a knife/saw combo over a long handled axe. The combo is not only lighter (and significantly so), but I would still bet that it would be easier/safer/more efficient to process wood with the saw & knife than it would be with the axe.

Or maybe the combo of folding saw & hatchet might be worth looking at too (I always though the Roselli axe would be nice to have). It would be a bit heavier than most knife/saw combos, but I think the benefit of having the saw is more than worthwhile.

Now that I think about it, I guess that's really my bottom line. If I'm carrying more than a knife, I want a saw to be a part of the picture somehow