Best Folding Saw for Survival: A Comprehensive Guide

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A tool is only as powerful as the man who wields it, and while that statement is very true, we have little control over how simple those tools are to use.

Sometimes it’s difficult to use certain tools, and they’re not very compact or portable.

With these folding saws, you’re getting one of the most convenient and easy-to-carry tools that you absolutely need while camping and for survival.

5 Best Folding Saws Reviewed

1. AGAWA BOREAL21 Folding Saw

Starting with the frame, it’s incredibly lightweight, at only 1 lb. When closed, the entire saw measures 21.5 inches, and the largest part is about 2 inches thick.

The frame is made of anodized aluminum, which provides it with great durability, rust resistance, and strength that does not bend or twist, ensuring it holds solid during sawing operations.

On the grip, you’ll find a glass-reinforced nylon handle that is weatherproof and grippy for easier sawing. One great feature of the handle is that it is at the perfect angle for comfort and power when sawing.

If you’ve never seen a folding saw like this before, you’re in for a treat. The Boreal 21 can be deployed in seconds without needing to touch the blade. Every time you deploy it, the blade automatically tensions to the perfect amount for easier sawing.

The blade folds up in seconds without requiring your touch once you’ve finished sawing. The saw’s frame contains the folded saw blade, preventing damage to both the blade and your gear. You may have noticed the high clearance inside the blade and frame.

This geometry allows the saw to clear cut through logs up to 6 inches in diameter. If you rotate the saw around a log while cutting it, you can potentially cut logs up to 12 inches in diameter.

While the hardened steel blade on this saw will last a long time, all blades will dull with time and use. When it comes time to replace the blade, you won’t have to worry about chasing down any expensive specialty blades.

The BOREAL21 uses any standard 21-inch bow saw blade, meaning you have a lot of choice and variety as far as price and performance go. Instead of searching for blades for a specific model online, you can drive to the hardware store and pick your preferred bow saw blades to use with your saw.

Replacing the blade is also simple, requiring only a flathead screwdriver and 30 seconds of your time. Agawa offers a very fair warranty on these folding saws. Each tool is backed by a limited lifetime warranty that covers defects in materials or workmanship for the frame but not the saw blade.

I’ve also heard a few people say that their customer service is excellent to work with, which is a very refreshing phrase to hear.

The powerful blade, compact size, strong frame, and ability to fold and unfold in seconds without touching the blade are all promising. Being able to replace the saw blade in seconds without needing any special tools is convenient.

Having the option to choose any standard bow saw blade is also a plus, giving you plenty of choice and freedom as to how this saw will perform.

I’ve heard their customer service is excellent and very accommodating, indicating that this company truly believes in their product. There are many, many companies that can’t say the same without lying through their teeth.

Pros

• An aggressive saw blade chews through large logs.
• Automatically maintains perfect tension
• Quickly and safely deploys in seconds
• A sturdy frame can withstand tough jobs.
• Lightweight at 1 lb

Cons

• It is more expensive than other saws, but it pays off in the long run with blade replacement costs.
• Frames somewhat restrict the size of logs you can cut.

Product Information

• Dimensions: 21”/53”
• Weight: 17oz/480g
• Material: high-clearance aluminum frame, glass-filled nylon handle, stainless steel hardware

2. Gerber Freescape Folding Saw

Gerber’s Freescape camp saw is a more lightweight and portable version of the Boreal 21 but sacrifices a little bit of power.

If you only need a 12-inch saw blade and want to save the most space and weight possible, I’d recommend you check it out. It is a more portable and compact alternative to the BOREAL21 I wrote about above.

It sacrifices a bit of power but remains a mighty saw that will serve you well. Like the Boreal 21, the Freescape saw quickly folds and unfolds in seconds without needing to touch the blade.

When folded, the handle contains the blade, preventing damage to your gear and the saw blade. When folded, the saw measures about 12-inches in length and 1 inch in diameter at its thickest point, making it 9-inches shorter and an inch slimmer than the Boreal 21.

You’ll find a super-sharp and aggressively hardened steel blade that chews through logs up to 4 inches with ease. A hook near the handle manually tensions the blade. If you rotate the saw while cutting, you can potentially cut logs up to 5 inches with small strokes or up to 10 inches around.

The Freescape uses any standard 12-inch bow saw blade, giving you excellent flexibility and freedom to choose how your saw performs. When it comes time to replace the blade, there’s no hassle chasing down model-specific blades.

Simply select any type of 12-inch bow saw blade that meets your requirements, and it will fit this saw seamlessly. One feature I like about this saw is the high-visibility rubber handle.

Non-slip rubber helps with comfort and sawing during poor weather conditions. The high-visibility green plastic color ensures that if you drop your saw, you can spot it on the forest floor.

The saw comes with a limited lifetime warranty that covers the frame. Gerber is a large and reputable company, so if you have any issues, they’re likely to take care of you and not leave you stranded.

Overall, I think the Gerber Freescape folding saw is a fantastic choice for people who want a little more portability than the BOREAL21 and don’t mind having a smaller saw. Being able to use any standard bow saw blade is a big plus that keeps replacing blades hassle-free.

We also appreciate the design, which allows you to quickly deploy the saw in seconds and adjust the tension as needed. It comes ready to go with you on any outdoor trip and can handle tough logs in your way with its sharp and aggressive blade.

Pros

• A sharp and aggressive saw blade chews through logs.
• It folds and unfolds swiftly and securely without requiring contact with the blade.
• Lightweight at 1.1 lbs
• Uses standard 12-inch bow saw blades
• Hi-visibility, non-slip rubber handle
• The frame has a limited lifetime warranty.

Con

• Can’t clear cut logs larger than 5 inches.

Product Information

• Dimensions: 17 x 5.5 x 1.2 inches
• Weight: 1.1 lbs.
• Material: rubber overmold grip

3. Bahco 396-LAP Laplander Folding Saw

Bahco’s Laplander folding saw is a classic saw and a crowd favorite among campers. Laplander’s low cost, low weight, power, and ability to handle tough jobs make it highly valued.

It’s a fantastic choice for people who want a low-cost traditional folding saw that delivers quality and has a long-standing reputation among backpackers and campers.

Starting with the blade, you’ll find a sharp and aggressive 7-inch blade that chews through wood with ease. You’ll also notice the Bahco Laplander doesn’t have a frame like the other folding saws on this list.

This implies that a frame does not restrict the size of logs you can cut through. A rust-resistant coating keeps the blade from rusting, preserving the hardened saw tooth’s edge.

This coating also reduces friction when sawing, meaning less work and faster cuts. Unfolding the blade is relatively easy. The blade locks in both the open and closed positions, so you’ll need to release the lock inside the handle to open and close it again.

I think this is a great feature that prevents the blade from opening in your pack and slicing your gear, potentially ruining it. While the hardened steel blade should last a long time, all blades will dull with time and use.

When you look at replacement blades for the Laplander, they cost almost as much as the saw itself. If you look hard enough, you may be able to find a deal on them somewhere, but you may be better off buying a new saw every time your old blade wears out.

The handle is solid, with an inner steel frame to keep it steady and secure when sawing. Non-slip rubber on the handle keeps your grip solid during all kinds of poor weather and muddy conditions.

Even during heavy sawing, the grip stays relatively comfortable to use and holds up to a beating. One thing I find bothersome is the color of the Laplander’s handle. If you dropped this saw or set it down somewhere and forgot it, dark green would blend into the forest floor.

I’d recommend possibly putting a piece of high-visibility tape on it so you can quickly locate it if you drop it somewhere. The Laplander comes with a limited lifetime warranty that covers the tool’s materials and workmanship.

Note that the warranty does not cover blade wear from regular use. If you’re after a field-tested and proven camping saw, the Bahco Laplander may end up being your best friend. The Laplander is a staple in many backpackers’s toolboxes, and for good reason.

A sharp and durable 7-inch blade cuts through logs with ease, and it can handle anything you have the patience to saw through. Whether it’s sawing wood for a campfire or clearing trees from a trail, the Laplander will be ready to help.

Unlike framed folding saws, this tool allows you to saw logs of almost any size. At only 0.9 pounds and roughly 7 inches long when closed, you’re getting an incredible amount of power in a small package.

I don’t like how expensive the replacement blades are, and for the price, you may as well just buy another saw. But if you want one of the best ultralight folding saws that is powerful, portable, and budget-friendly, I recommend you check out the Bahco Laplander.

Pros

• A super-sharp 7-inch blade easily cuts wood.
• The device safely locks in both the folded and unfolded positions.
• Rust-resistant blade coating helps prevent corrosion.
• There is no limit on the size of logs you can cut.
• Durable handle with a non-slip rubber grip
• The product has been field tested by many thousands of backpackers with great reviews.

Cons

• Replacement blades cost just as much as the saw.
• It might be hard to see on the forest floor if you drop it.

Product Information

• Dimensions: 7.9 x 7.9 x 11.8 inches
• Weight: 0.9 lbs.
• Material: stainless steel

4. Corona Folding Saw

If you’re looking for one of the best folding saws for the money and the Bahco Laplander doesn’t fit your fancy, consider checking out Corona’s RazorTOOTH 10-inch folding saw instead.

One of its best features is its super-sharp saw blade, which chews through trees and logs like butter. The curved blade shape allows you to cut more wood with less effort by pulling and pushing.

This saw’s triple-sided razor-sharp teeth have been impulse-hardened for a harder edge that lasts longer, resulting in sharpness.

You’ll find a chrome-plated coating on the exterior of the blade, giving it outstanding rust resistance while also reducing the friction of sawing. As a result, your saw will spend less time stuck in wood and more time moving onto the next log in your sights.

Another thing I like about this saw is its ergonomic shape and red nylon handle. Grasping it in your hand provides a great power position, allowing you to quickly saw without any hand strain or awkward wrist positioning.

The non-slip rubber on the handle’s exterior also makes gripping the saw easier. Non-slip rubber helps you keep a sturdy grip on this saw even in wet and nasty conditions.

Even though the handle rubber is black like the Laplander’s, the bright red handle and chrome blade make this saw simple to spot on the ground in case you drop it or happen to misplace it.

I can honestly say you’re a lot less likely to lose this saw compared to the Laplander because of its hi-viz color scheme. Like the Laplander, this saw also has a lever-operated locking system that secures it in both the open and closed positions.

Some prefer saws that lock closed for the peace of mind and safety they offer, knowing the blade won’t come open on you in your hand or in your pack. Others dislike the design since it’s more cumbersome to open.

We prefer saws that lock closed because we don’t want the saw to accidentally open and shred any of the gear in my backpack. Speaking of backpacks, this saw can easily fit into a backpack or truck toolbox without taking up too much space or weight.

It has a total length of 12 inches when closed and weighs only 0.8 pounds. It’s a compact package, especially when compared to hatchets that would be at least 2-inches longer at the minimum, weigh a pound more, and still not have as much power as this folding saw.

Corona warranties these folding saws with a limited lifetime warranty that covers material quality and workmanship, but not normal blade wear and tear.

Whether you’re working in your yard, on the trails, or in the middle of the bush, the hardened, super-sharp saw blade should last you for a long time. The chrome coating, which inhibits rust and keeps the saw from becoming stuck while sawing, is particularly appealing to me.

Unfortunately, with time and use, all blades dull, and no blade can last forever. If you want to replace the Corona RazorTooth blades, you may be better off just buying an entirely new saw. Everywhere I’ve looked, the blades have cost just as much as the saw itself, if not more.

The Corona RazorTooth is a powerful folding saw that’s perfect for making firewood while backpacking or clearing branches and trees, whether you’re in your yard or along the trails. It’ll fit comfortably in your pack without weighing you down or taking up too much space.

Pros

• A super-sharp blade chews through wood.
• The long service life of tempered steel ensures its sharpness.
• This tool is great for cutting logs from 5? to 6? in diameter.
• Curved blades help saws cut faster with less effort.
• Chrome blade coating reduces friction and protects from rust.
• It locks in both open and closed positions.
• An ergonomic rubber-lined handle provides a comfortable and sturdy grip.
• Limited Lifetime Warranty

Cons

• The curved handle exposes a few teeth when closed, creating a small gap.
• The saw blade goes through the area where the cord would thread through the lanyard hole, meaning it could cut any lanyard cord used.
• Replacement blades cost just as much as the saw itself.

Product Information

• Dimensions: 1 x 2.7 x 12 inches.
• Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Material: impulse-hardened steel

5. Sven-Saw Folding Saw

If you want a unique folding saw that packs a big punch in a small package, look to the Sven 21” folding saw. It boasts a razor-sharp, hardened steel blade that can effortlessly cut through wood, and it conveniently folds into a slim and compact package.

If you want a serious folding saw that cuts through wood like a hot knife through butter, the Sven folding saw is a good choice. It’s got a tempered steel bow saw blade with razor-sharp teeth that chew through wood for breakfast while keeping their edge great over time.

You’ll discover that it’s highly useful for challenging tasks, and it performs even better when you use two hands to operate the saw. Even though the saw blade has a long lifespan, it will eventually require replacement.

When it’s time to replace the saw blade, you can just use any old saw blade, like the Boreal 21. Sven sells their own special bow saw blades with a threaded bolt neck attached to one end of the saw. This allows the wingnut to grab on to the side to secure and tension the saw blade.

The wingnut is an integral part of how the saw operates. When the saw folds, the aluminum frame houses the blade, and the wingnut secures it at the end. To unfold the saw, you must remove the wingnut, bring out the saw blade, pass the bolt through the frame, and tighten the wingnut to secure and tension the blade.

When you screw in the wingnut in the unfolded position, you increase your blade’s tension. This gives you a great choice when sizing up the log you’re going to saw, and it also ensures the highest level of precision when sawing.

It’s possible that you may lose the wingnut. Although it might not be catastrophic, the saw will remain unusable until you locate another 5/16 inch-18 thread wing nut in your garage or a hardware store.

Another downside of the wingnut is that it will score the aluminum frame when you’re tightening it down. If you keep a washer with your saw and wingnut, you can prevent this cosmetic damage.

Simply keep the washer beneath the tightened wingnut and hope you never drop it along the ground somewhere. The wingnut gouging the aluminum caused minor cosmetic damage, but despite this, the frame is very strong and ideal for tough jobs.

Anodized aluminum can take a beating without the heavy weight that comes with steel. The result is a very light saw, weighing only 1 lb overall. What makes this saw even more portable than its 1 lb weight is the small space it takes up when folded.

Its dimensions measure 23” x 1-1/2”, making it quite the small and slim package that can easily fit into a truck toolbox or camping backpack. Speaking of raw power, this saw will have no problem blasting through tough-grained logs or thick branches measuring up to 7 inches in diameter.

The tough yet lightweight aluminum frame is well-suited to handle raw power and can even be two-handed for more muscle when sawing logs. I find the wingnut design a bit worrying, especially since you could drop it in the woods and render your saw completely useless.

I estimate that at least a few people have given up and had to find an alternate way to get firewood for their campfires. Rest assured, however, that once you get back to your garage or find a hardware store, you can easily replace it with any 5/16-inch-18 thread wing nut.

If you’re looking for one of the best folding saws and want a great-quality Swedish tool that doesn’t mind looking after the wingnut, this saw offers great power that will cut through anything in your way.

Pros

• The saw blade quickly and easily folds and unfolds.
• When folded, the frame completely encloses the saw blade.
• The wingnut makes it simple to adjust tension to the desired level.
• A high-strength aluminum frame withstands tough jobs.
• A super-sharp tempered steel bow saw blade effortlessly slices through tough logs.
• It is portable, measuring 23? x 1-1/2? when closed.

Cons

• The wingnut doesn’t have a washer and tends to gouge the aluminum when tensioned.
• There is a risk of dropping and losing the wingnut during the unfolding process, rendering the saw useless until you find a replacement.
• I need to buy specialty replacement blades.

Product Information

• Dimensions: 5 x 5 x 5 inches
• Weight: 1 lb.
• Material: Tempered Swedish steel blade

Things to Consider and Reasons to Buy Folding Saw

There are many reasons to choose a folding saw over a more conventional tool, such as a backpacking hatchet or axe.

The primary reason is that they weigh less but can get a whole lot more work done. Take Agawa’s backpacking saw, for example. This monster of a saw can clear cut through trees, logs, and branches up to 6 inches thick with relative ease.

You simply can’t cut wood with an axe as fast as with a powerful folding saw. Plus, carrying around an axe powerful enough to compete with a folding saw will mean carrying around a significantly heavier tool.

One indirect benefit of a folding saw is the calories saved from work, too. You’ll use much less effort sawing through a branch than chopping through it with an axe, saving you precious calories and energy that you need when backpacking.

This comes in handy when you’re already burning calories like crazy while backpacking, especially if you’re using your saw in the winter.

1. Size

When choosing a folding saw, aim for a tool that is no heavier than 2 lbs. This shouldn’t be too difficult of a task, as most folding saws weigh around 1 lb. or less. Folding saws also take up very little in terms of volume.

Most saws will take up no more than 24 cubic inches of space. Compare that to even small hatchets, which take up many times that size, and you’ll see that folding saws really take up a minute amount of pack space.

When choosing a blade size for your needs, you’ll have to use your own best judgment. We’d recommend a minimum 7-inch blade, like the Bahco Laplander.

Any smaller blade will result in significant power loss, as well as minimal savings in terms of pack space and weight.

Choose a saw like the Gerber Freescape with a 12-inch bow saw blade or the Boreal 21 with a 21-inch bow saw cutter if you anticipate a lot of heavy work and want to be ready without sacrificing pack space.

2. Cost

You can pick up a decent folding saw for a relatively inexpensive price. For budget backpackers, you’ll want to choose the time-tested and proven Bahco Laplander folding saw.

It can stand up to many tough jobs without breaking the bank. Replacement blades cost nearly as much as the saw itself, but the hardened steel blades last a super long time.

Once your old saw wears out, a new one may be worth the money, depending on the price. If you want more power out of your tool for sawing larger trees, we’d recommend the Boreal 21.

It costs a bit more than the Laplander, but it offers significantly more power while only weighing a few more ounces. One benefit of the BOREAL21 is its potential for long-term savings.

Instead of needing to buy special replacement blades, you can choose to replace its blade with any standard 21-inch bow saw cutting edge.

This means no worrying about expensive blades or needing to track down special replacement blades online. Choose any dry-wood bow saw blade that suits your taste, and your saw will be ready for your next camping trip.

Wrap-Up

Consider factors like blade quality, handle comfort, and portability to find a saw that meets your specific needs. 

With the right folding saw, you’ll be well-equipped to tackle various tasks in the wonderful outdoors, ensuring a safe and successful experience. 

Happy adventuring!