Gear Review: Garrett Wade Leather Axe Holster

Carrying an axe or hatchet when trekking around the woods has always been a challenge for me. I've tried carrying hatchets inside my belt ala' Jeremiah Johnson (rather uncomfortable), sticking them in my pack (comfortable, but tedious to access), or just carrying them by hand.

There hasn't been much on the market for axe users in the way of holsters or sheaths (unless going the expensive custom route), so it was nice when I discovered that Garrett Wade was selling leather axe holsters on their site.

Handmade in Ontario, Canada by a seasoned canoeist and wilderness trekker, the holster is simple, well-made, and works as advertised. It features heavy leather construction, treated with a weather-resistant protectant, and keeps the axe in place with a simple mil-spec 550 paracord loop that's fastened with an Ellipse-style cord lock. The holster itself is fastened together with heavy rivets. Overall quality seems high.

Here's a promo video from Garrett Wade's website showing the holster in use:

To field test the holster, I tried it with a variety of traditional axes from my collection, including a Gransfors Bruks Wildlife Hatchet, Wetterlings Large Hunting Axe, Wetterlings Forester's Fine Axe (shown in the main photo at the top), and the Gransfors Bruks Scandinavian Forest Axe. All axes were held securely in place, and it made for an easier way to carry the axe while out bushcrafting.

 (click to enlarge)

Additionally, I tried some larger 3/4 axes in the holster just to see if they fit. In particular, I tried the newer 26" Husqvarna Forest Axe (made by Hultafors) and the 26" Best Made Hudson Bay Axe. Both fit well in the holster, but are definitely at the upper limit of what I would consider comfortable to use in this type of holster.

Conclusion

If you've been looking for a simple, well-contructed holster that allows you to carry your axe or hatchet in a more convenient, comfortable and secure way, definitely check out Garrett Wade's leather axe holster.

For info visit www.garrettwade.com/product.asp?pn=77A02.01