The Best Folding Camp Saw for Camping
Over the years, we’ve tried a bunch of folding camp saws searching for the best one - a camping saw that is ergonomic, easy to use, and above all effective! But every folding camp saw we’ve tried has had some glaring weakness or drawback that kept it from being the ideal saw for camping - that is, until we found the Agawa Canyon Boreal 21.
In this post we’ll walk you through the 3 primary types of folding camping saws, covering the pros and cons of each, and discuss what makes the Agawa Canyon Boreal 21 the best folding camp saw on the market.
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Three Primary Categories of Folding Camping Saws
Folding Chain or Wire Camping Saw
This type of folding camp saw utilizes either an actual chainsaw type blade or razor wire fixed between two handles. You then wrap the camping saw around the piece of wood you wish to cut and move the blade side-to-side by pulling on the handles.
PROS:
Extremely compact
These fold up very small (approximately 4” when collapsed) and take up a fraction of the space other folding camping saws do
Lightweight
Generally weighing less than 1lb
CONS:
Inefficient
These camp saws are slower and generally require more physical energy than other folding camping saws to accomplish the same amount of cutting
Uncomfortable
In our experience, because the handles are usually little more than nylon straps or even simply two key-chain-like metal rings, they are prone to creating blisters - even with mild to moderate usage.
Requires Both Hands to Operate
This makes stabilizing the wood you’re cutting more difficult as compared to other types of folding camping saws that allow for one-handed operation
Folding Hand Saw
This type of folding camping saw uses a folding blade similar to a pocket knife. You simply unfold the blade to the open position and begin sawing by applying downward pressure in a forward-backward motion.
PROS:
Compact
Most measure between 7 and 12 inches long when collapsed
Fairly Lightweight
Typically under 1lb
One-handed Operation
CONS:
Moderate efficiency
With the majority of models having a blade length of only 7 to 8 inches (though there are 10” and 12” models as well), and cutting teeth that usually only cut in one direction (typically on the backward draw of the blade) - it takes far more blade passes to accomplish the same cut as other folding camping saws
Uncomfortable
This type of folding camp saw requires more downward pressure while cutting. This, combined with the short blade length, results in faster hand and muscle fatigue as compared to other options available
Folding Bow Saw
This type of folding camp saw utilizes a collapsible handle design and a tensioned steel blade, which is drawn across the wood in a forward-backward motion with little to no downward pressure.
PROS:
Highly Efficient
With most folding bow saw blade lengths being 17 to 21 inches you get more cut with each forward-backward cycle of the saw, plus the tooth design cuts in both directions further increasing efficiency
Less Strenuous to Use
Due to the highly efficient cut of a folding bow saw, and the fact that it requires no downward force you’ll be able to cut faster, and for longer periods of time, than other folding camping saws
One-handed Operation
Leaving your other hand free for stabilizing the wood you’re cutting
CONS:
Less Compact
A caveat to the longer blade length you get with a folding bow saw is that they are the largest folding camping saw option, even when fully collapsed - though we feel the trade-off is well worth it
Blades
Due to the tension placed on the blade with this type of folding camping saw, there is a slightly higher probability of breaking a blade during a log pinch, or if the blade is otherwise abused
The Best Folding Camping Saw
After trying various models in all three categories, and weighing the pros and cons of each - we were able to narrow our search to the folding bow saw category due to their high cutting efficiency and ease-of-use compared to other folding camping saws.
So we began researching which model might be the best within this category, and one folding bow saw kept standing out - the Agawa Canyon Boreal 21 folding bow saw. So we decided to give it a shot, and we’ve never looked back! Here’s what makes it the best folding camping saw on the market:
It’s Lightweight & Compact
The Agawa Canyon Boreal 21’s has a 21” blade and it measures appx 21” x 1.5” when collapsed. Plus it weighs just slightly over 1lb!
It’s Efficient
Agawa canyon offers 4 blade choices (all-purpose, dry, aggressive - even a bone saw for hunters), all hand sharpened swedish steel with hardened blade points adding strength and longevity. And with the extra-aggressive “Sidney Rancher” blade, it’ll saw through an 8” log in under a minute! A task that would have taken at least 3 times that long with other folding camp saws we’ve used.
It’s Durable
The anodized aluminum frame and stainless-steel hardware give this folding camp saw a quality build and feel. Plus the auto-tensioning blade system ensures you won’t burn through blades as fast due to user error.
It’s Ergonomic & Easy to Use
The glass-filled nylon handle offers plenty of grip while remaining comfortable during extended use - I’ve never gotten a blister using this saw. The auto-tensioning blade makes setup fast and user-friendly, and when needed, blade replacement requires no special tools and is easy to do at camp.
We liked the Agawa Canyon Boreal 21 folding bow saw so much it even made the #1 spot in our 10 Best Truck Camping Accessories post. So if you’re looking for the best folding camping saw, look no further!
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As always, thanks for reading!
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