Best Folding Saw For Camping - Bahco Laplander Folding Saw

There are are so many camping saws on the market, but the single best tool that’s performed consistently year after year is my Bacho Laplander folding saw. After over 10 years of usage it still works as good as the first day I bought it.

So, what makes the Bahco Laplander the best folding saw for camping? Well, it’s a combination of design, build materials, and performance.

Let’s dive into why this camping folding saw works phenomenally well and is consider an essential camping equipment.

Article Contents

Key Features of the Folding Saw
How to Use the Folding Saw?
What is the Folding Saw Made for?
Where to Buy the Best Folding Saw?

Key Features of the Folding Saw

The key features of the Bacho Laplander are its incredibly simple design, as well as its top-notch build quality.

That combination allows the Laplander to saw through countless timbers and to stand the test of time.

Design & Ergonomics

From a design perspective, the Laplander folding saw is very simple. It consists of 3 parts – handle, blade, and locking lever.

To deploy the blade, push the lever and pull on the blade which nests inside the handle until it locks into place.
The blade teeth are designed to cut wood in both the push and pull strokes.
To retract the blade, push the same lever and fold the blade back into the handle until it locks into place.

The ergonomics of the handle are fantastic too. The textured and rounded handle is comfortable to grip, and the slight curve feels perfect in the hand.

The pack weight of the Bahco Laplander folding saw is 185 grams (0.41 pounds).

When folded the saw length is 23 centimeters (9 inches), and when unfolded the saw length is 40 centimeters (15.7 inches).

Build Materials

The sole reason the Laplader folding saw has survived all these years of constant use and abuse is because of the high-quality build materials.

Blade is made from heavy gauge steel with an anti-rust, low friction coating and the blade teeth are hardened for extra cutting power
Handle is made from durable plastic with a textured coating

Nothing about the materials feels cheap. It’s survived torrential downpours, hot summers, and freezing temperatures without faltering.

No chips, no rust, no damage at all. This camping folding saw will never become obsolete!

How to Use the Folding Saw?

The Bahco Laplander folding saw is extremely easy to deploy and use. Even novice and young campers can use the saw without much training or supervision.

Cutting Timbers

A single locking lever allows any user to open the saw and lock it into place. The 7.5-inch long blade is perfect for processing small to medium diameter timbers (0.5 to 6 inces).

The blade teeth allow cutting to occur on both the “push” and “pull” stroke. This makes the saw efficient at processing large quantities of wood.

Carrying

The folding saw is compact and small enough to slip into your pocket when walking through the forest. It comes with a built-in lanyard loop, and an included leather lanyard.

Personally, I replaced mine with a paracord loop with a small locking carabiner. This allows me to clip and hang the saw to my utility belt or to a loop on my pack.

Safe Storage

When not in use, the blade folds into the handle for safe storage. The blade teeth are safely tucked away and remain unexposed.

The locking lever keeps the blade from opening accidentally. This allows the folding saw to be tossed into a pack without risking it opening.

What is the Folding Saw Made for?

Most campers tend to bring an axe or hatchet with them if they go car or backcountry camping. However, a saw is a far more efficient cutting tool.

Camping, Bushcraft & Survival

Processing wood for a fire or gathering timbers to create a shelter are all essential activities depending on what type of camping you do. And whether it’s within an established campground, or at a backcountry site, using the proper tool to efficiently cut and shape wood is important.

A folding saw allows you to gather sufficient material quickly. This saves you time and energy, both of which are super important, especially in less than ideal situations.

Likewise, bushcraft is very important which helps to hone your survival skills. A folding saw lets you manipulate wood easily, allowing you to create critical tools and resources to improve your situation.

Saw is More Efficient Than an Axe

Saws are designed to cut and remove wood on both the forward (push) and backward (pull) stroke.

This dual action cutting is what makes a saw so efficient. With each stroke, wood fibers are continuously cut and removed by the blade teeth.

Very little “down” force is needed since the cutting action advances the blade into the remaining wood automatically.

Once the blade creates the cutting groove, there’s no need to maintain alignment. The saw will keep to the groove and cut down through the wood.

Comparatively, an axe requires an elevated level of hand-eye coordination to effectively lift, strike, remove and repeat the axe cutting motion. The learning curve for using an axe proficiently is a lot steeper compared to a saw.

Safer Than an Axe

A saw is much safer to handle than an axe or hatchet, both for the individual using it and everyone around them.

Using an axe safely and consistently requires a lot of practice. And, if used improperly, the risk of sever injury due to an axe is far greater than a saw.

Additionally, an axe requires the use of a sheath for safe carrying and transport. If that sheath is lost or forgotten, the blade is exposed allowing the edge to damage other equipment, rust, or injure someone!

Where to Buy the Best Folding Saw?

The Bahco Laplander is a very popular folding saw. Most major outdoor retailers like Cabela’s, MEC, REI, and SAIL all carry it.

You can also purchase the folding saw directly from Bahco. However, Bahco sells the folding saw as a set with a multi-purpose knife. I’m not too keen on the knife, so I recommend purchasing the saw alone.

Conveniently, you can purchase the Bahco Laplander folding saw on Amazon. If you’re lucky it is sometimes on discount up to 30%!

The saw comes in two colors, and I would highly recommend purchasing the orange colored model over the forest green.
It’s much easier to spot, especially in dense bush where there’s a chance for loosing it in the leave litter.

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