Using your axe on the trail

Only time I've had a need for an Ax was while camping so I don't keep one on the truck.

Now a full size shovel, that stays mounted on the bedrail 24/7. I've used my shovel twice in the last several months to get my ass back to civilization.

 

Brought mine over from Novy Sacz a few months ago when i went to visit home

 

I carry a halligan vs. an axe. As it is designed for extrications. With my last rig I’d carry a small chainsaw on spring off-road trips. But I’m still protecting the paint job on my gen iii.

 

My parents had one of those under the bed, never knew wtf it was.

 

What do you need a haligan for?

 

Dynamic breaching of a locked shitter door, for when that bean burrito you had for lunch is trying to extract its self from your gut.

 

We overland in groups of three.

One guy has the winch, strapping and cribbing. The winch fits in 2” hitch receivers both front and back on all our Tacos. (I can use my HiLift if needed for slow self recovery if they ditch me for being an ass-wipe. )

Truck two carries the “beers and broads”, the wife’s generally ride together.

I carry the first aid, fire and extrication gear and skills to use them. This includes a wilderness first aid jump kit, additional extinguishers and hand tools. MyHiLift has the extrication base attached and the halligan is my tool of choice to quickly open a rolled or entrapped driver when time is of the essence.

 

You seem extremely prepared. Is this just-in-case stuff? Or is it stuff you have needed in the past?
I hope you are not encountering too many rolled vehicles!

 

I use an axe pretty frequently when camping, and to rid of the occasional downed tree.

You don't need a splitting axe. A more general purpose axe does just fine. The one I got at the Cal Ranch store for $6 has been the best $6 purchase I have made. That thing has been unprotected in the bed of my truck for 2 years, and has like 1 small rust spot on it.

 

Also, have you seen what you can do with a halligan tool? It's like the ultimate portable shit fucker-uper-er.

 

Like the others, only used when camping for the most part. It's more of a general purpose axe, but I would like to get a heaver splitting maul. Also added a chainsaw to my carry for downed trees, etc.

 

I don't pack mine where it can be seen and it's a short axe, but with fallen branches on trails it kicks ass to have along, also nice for getting firewood ready for a nice fire.

 

As one who is coming at this thread with no actual trail driving / overlanding experience, take my input for what's it's worth. Given my profession in the homebuilding world, I'm seeing WAY more battery operated tools that are legitimately powerful. There's a pretty large contingency of people that use battery-powered chainsaws for gang-cutting large quantities of lumber and have found the new tools to be virtually on par with gas powered units.

So...if you're looking for something that can get the job done on the trail and at camp, you might want to consider something along these lines. Here's a link to a Makita unit. (I think Milwaukee might have a comparable unit?)

 

As someone who wheels in the PNW a lot, we always have someone along with a chainsaw, although I don't really like packing it. But it's kinda nice because even if you run out of 2 stroke fuel it'll run absolutely fine on whatever the truck takes and some 10w-30 albeit smokier. Would be interesting to try that... wonder if it could have made it through this though...





We had to hack quite a bit of fallen tree material to get this trail wide enough to fit a vehicle again, even one as small as a 1st gen tacoma

@Digiratus.... I stole your beautiful imagery

 

Ah, a man who understands.
A modern day cudgel.

 

haha. Tweaker giving you lip at the gas station? Pull this out, and watch them retreat!

 

We are both prepared and stupid. The most annoying off trail event is the sideways mud/ice slip in spring into a ditch. The most frequently seen rollover on side is a 23 year old and his fancy new stock pink Jeep.

 

Sometimes you don't even need an axe as long as you've got a tow strap.I've encountered down trees that were to big to be moved by hand but were just right for a tow strap.

 

having hunted and driven quite a few roads less traveled, there is a place for an axe. I bought my truck and got a new axe for the cool factor. It sits in my bed when we go off roading. Someday I’ll mount it to the rails. But I used it the second time I went out. Works good for clearing branches on small logs or trees leaning to far into the trail. Easier to clear a few branches and drive over the small log then cut a chuck out and move it. That’s my .02 worth.

 

I actually have an electric chainsaw and love it. I’ve cut up a few trees in my yard and it just goes & goes.