Whether tactical or practical, there’s a tomahawk for the job
The history of tomahawks can be traced back to First Nations tribes along the East Coast and Great Lakes area before European exploration. What started as an everyday tool made of stone or antler evolved into a metal head with wood, metal, or synthetic handles that modern tomahawks now sport.
While they might look a lot different today, tomahawks still have similar purposes: utility and battle. Some have a single edge with nothing on the back of the eye, while others have an edge and a spike opposite, and others have an edge with a hammer poll behind the eye. Tomahawks can be used to chop, pierce, hammer, and pry and can even be effective as a throwing weapon. Whether you’re looking for a lightweight camp tool, a sport throwing hawk, or a more tactically oriented tomahawk, this list will help you find the best tomahawks to fit your needs.
Why It Made the Cut
Tomahawks have always been multipurpose tools, and the Gerber Downrange has the most versatility of any on this list. The pry bar built into the handle provides even more capabilities.
The Gerber Downrange Tactical Tomahawk claims best overall because it does all the things that a tomahawk should do and more. Not only can you use this around camp for chopping and hammering, but the integrated pry bar and solid one-piece design make this a great tactical tool as well. The pry bar can be used for digging, forced entry, and even rescue. At almost 20-inches long, it’s on the larger end of the spectrum, which allows for more chopping power and prying leverage. You can mount the sheath to a pack, belt, or MOLLE grids on the back of a seat or in a truck bed. The head also has a cutout big enough for your hand, so you can carry it that way as well.
The Downrange Tomahawk seems to be at home no matter where it ends up. G-10 handle scales provide a durable, secure grip whether you’re choked up on the handle and carving or out at the end for maximum swings. Its 420hc steel is popular in knives and provides a good balance of edge retention, toughness, and resistance to breaking. At 36 ounces, it certainly isn’t the lightest tool on this list, but you get a lot of utility for the weight.
Why It Made the Cut
The CRKT Johnson Kangee was designed by Ryan Johnson, who has been making tactical tomahawks for more than 30 years, and the Kangee was purpose built for breaching and combat.
The CRKT Johnson Kangee Tomahawk is designed for the tactical side of the range. While this would work as a camp tool, the spike is not as useful at camp as a hammer poll would be. But for breaching, rescue, or combat scenarios, the curved head and spike make it great for levering doors open and taking down obstacles. Also, nearly every edge on the Kangee’s head is sharpened. A portion of the beard under the main edge is sharp, as well as the entire top edge of the head all the way to the spike.
Certainly there are advantages to more sharpened edges if this is used in combat. The solid construction means that this tomahawk has serious strength and isn’t in danger of breaking. The ergonomic handle shape provides great grip in three different holds, and the palm swell at the bottom keeps your hand locked into place for full power swings. And you can remove the scales with a Phillips head, which is nice since screwdrivers are ubiquitous.
Why It Made the Cut
The Cold Steel Trail Hawk is a traditional style tomahawk and works great around camp or in the hunting pack. At less than $30, it’s hard to beat.
The Cold Steel Trail Hawk is patterned off earlier frontier style tomahawks, and the hammer poll and curved edge works great around camp. The 1055 Steel is pretty common for ax heads and is very impact resistant, though it still takes and holds a good edge. While it doesn’t come with a sheath, you can find them for cheap or even make your own (which I did). The trail hawk lives up to its name because it’s perfectly suited for life on the trail where low weight and reliability are important.
The hammer poll is hardened so it can drive nails or metal stakes, which comes in handy, and mine has stayed in my truck for the last six years. As with all traditional style hawks, the handle is easy to replace, and you can have several different length handles for different applications.
Why It Made the Cut
Estwing has been making tough hammers and axes for a long time, and the Black Eagle is no exception. It can handle anything you can throw at it—or throw it at.
There are other strong tomahawks on this list, but the Estwing Black Eagle is built like a tank. The point on the spike is not nearly as fine as others and doesn’t take damage like smaller ones. You can dig a trench around your tent for water run-off and not feel bad, or you can chop through a root with some rocks and not have to worry about chipping this one to shreds. And for high impact work, the rubber overmolded handle does a great job of absorbing the shock. While there are lighter options for hiking or hunting, this tomahawk provides reliable utility around the house and is perfect for those who are hard on tools. If your number one criteria is durability, the Estwing Black Eagle is the tomahawk for you.
Why It Made the Cut
The Browning Black Label Shock N’ Awe’s compact 10.5-inch overall length still retains a solid cutting edge and full sized spike.
Don’t let this one deceive you. This compact tomahawk from Browning still packs a punch. The shorter length makes this tool easier to pack than some of the other choices on this list, but it still retains its utility thanks to a full sized blade and spike. This tomahawk is still large enough to be handy around camp for making kindling or clearing small brush and branches, and the long, curved spike can do some serious piercing in an emergency situation. The finger grooves are not ideal for long term comfort but do offer immediate grip. With only paracord between your hand and the steel handle, this tomahawk is probably best used with a pair of gloves to soften the blows a bit. If space is at a premium in your pack and on your belt, the compact size of the Browning can help you make room.
Why It Made the Cut
The Condor Bushcraft Tomahawk is one of several knives and tools designed by bushcraft and survival expert Joe Flowers. The blade shape is an ax/tomahawk hybrid that makes this perfectly suited for extensive carving and chopping.
The Condor Bushcraft Tomahawk is aptly named. Its blade shape and extended beard provide a wider cutting edge and opportunity to grip the handle behind the edge for greater control, but the handle design is classic tomahawk with a rounded cross section and friction fit up top. If you spend more time chopping, carving, or making some of the best fire starters at camp this is the one for you.
The hardened poll will allow you to drive nails and metal stakes, which is a nice touch not found on all hammer polls. One of the best things about this tomahawk is the beautiful welted leather sheath and sling. It’s designed to go over your shoulder and hang at your waist on the other side. And it’s not cheap pleather, which is great at this price point. Condor is well known for quality tools at reasonable prices, and this is no exception.
Why It Made the Cut
For young people who want to learn how to use an ax or tomahawk, the Mouse Hawk is the perfect size for those with smaller hands to learn how to throw.
If your young one is looking to learn how to throw, the Mouse Hawk is one of the best tomahawks for the job. The handle is both thinner and shorter than a traditional full-sized tomahawk. Replacement handles are readily available, but with the hickory handle you won’t have to replace them often. The width of the blasé on these hawks is about the same as many full-sized hawks, but it’s proportionately balanced. As for throwing, it requires good spin timing because there is no spike in the back. The handle is well suited for small hands and is easy for them to hold. The Mouse Hawk is also good for those looking to save some weight and still retain the usefulness of a chopping tool.
Why It Made the Cut
The SOG FastHawk has a reputation of toughness and reliability when it comes to throwing. The Drilled holes in the blade make it light yet strong, and the GRN handle can handle tons of impacts and keep going.
The SOG FastHawk was designed for throwing, but that’s not to say that it isn’t handy around camp or in combat. However, I wouldn’t use it for prying, since the head is bolted to the handle. It’s a strong enough joint for throwing and resists impact well, but I don’t think I would trust it for breaching a door. That being said, it’s surprisingly strong and holds up to throwing exceptionally well.
The FastHawk is only 19 ounces, which makes it easy to control and quick to throw. With a little practice, you’ll be sticking this one on every throw. The handle’s grooves provide a good balance of grip for throwing, but when it’s wet, the lack of knurling or palm swell can make the grip feel a little less than secure. Otherwise, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better tomahawk for throwing.
Most tomahawks are designed for specific applications, so you’ll want one that’s best suited for your needs. A lightweight, streamlined tomahawk that’s designed for throwing will disappoint you if you try to use it as your primary bushcraft tool and vice versa. Still, there are some that do an adequate job at a variety of tasks. Figure out the main tasks for your tomahawk, and you’ll quickly narrow down your options.
The most important thing to consider is how you plan to use your tomahawk. If you are in a professional setting such as military or a firefighter, your duties will likely dictate which one you need to buy. A traditional, hickory handled tool won’t be the best choice for high stress or extreme conditions like a full tang or one-piece option. If you’re using this around the house or campsite, a more traditional design will work better because the hammer poll will be more useful than a spike.
There is definitely a learning curve when it comes to throwing or using tomahawks, and it can be dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing. If you won’t be taking lessons from an expert, make sure you wear protective gear and have one of the best first aid kits nearby. It’s not uncommon for tomahawks or axes to bounce back at you if they strike the wood just right. If you’re throwing too hard or too close, a bounce back can ruin your day in a hurry. There are resources out there for learning proper techniques that can help you before you sling your slick new tomahawk downrange.
The hawks on this list range anywhere from about $25 up to $250, and there are plenty that cost more. Traditional Hawks tend to cost a little less than tactical designs.
A tomahawk has a narrower blade and a spike at the rear of the head that make it more suitable for battle and throwing. They also have a thinner blade stock than axes and hatchets, which allows them to have deeper penetration. While the best camping axes are designed for chopping and splitting, a tomahawk’s geometry is not optimized for those tasks. Tomahawks are also lighter and generally have thinner handles. Traditional tomahawks also have a floating head which is easily removable and not wedged onto the handle like axes or hatchets.
Yes, depending on the model, tomahawks are good for bushcraft. They will all do bushcraft type tasks, but not nearly as well as an ax. The thinner, narrower bits on tomahawks are usually not as well suited for splitting and chopping like axes or hatchets, which are the two main uses for bushcraft. However, there are some designs that work very well for bushcraft and blur the line between ax and tomahawk. If you want a tomahawk for bushcraft, look for a model with a thicker handle and a wider cutting edge. The Condor on this list is a great crossover tool that works well for bushcraft.
The best tomahawks excel at a variety of cutting, throwing, or chopping tasks, while others are application specific. Whether you need a multipurpose tool or range throwing tomahawk, you’ll be hard pressed not to find one on this list.
Drew Conover is a contributor at Outdoor Life. He writes mostly gear reviews and how-to articles on survival and navigation. He lives in Upstate New York with his wife, two daughters, and a goofy dog.
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