The Sven Saw is an ideal camping saw. I grew up watching my Dad use one to make short work of the tree limbs I dragged through the woods to the campsite. Now I take mine on every backpacking trip. It makes gathering firewood easier, because you don't have to search for logs you can break or hack through. Larger logs left by others or downed trees that you'd never be able to hack down or break are fair game. I leave my hatchet at home, because this saw is so efficient and well-designed. I've used mine extensively for almost ten years without replacing the blade. It's also great for pruning tree limbs and taking care of downed wood at home.

The original 21" saw weighs less than a pound and folds down to 24" x 1 3/4" x 5/8", which slips easily (and safely) along the inside of an internal frame backpack. A 15" version is now available, which saves even more weight on long treks.

[Note: While similar to the previously reviewed ultra-portable Fiskars Pruning Saw, the slightly less packable Sven comes with a significantly longer blade capable of tackling larger logs at the cost of added weight and size. — OH]

–Greg Schneider

Sven Saw

$30

Available from REI

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