OKC SP-16 SPAX

Is confident cutting merely the beginning? Are you ripping, repairing or rehabbing a shelter or cabin? Does river running mean fixing on the fly, from oars to ice chests? SPAX is no stranger to hard things nor does the product’s medieval look keep it from anticipating the future. Quarter-inch steel, powder coated in black, it’s flat tapered with a secondary flat bevel. The benefit? Power combined with penetration. An orange handle and wrist thong maintain control of 57-59, made-in-USA hardness. Active Junky valued the triple-snapped leather and Cordura sheath with wide, D-ringed belt loop. Built from 1095 carbon steel, SPAX carries 13.1” overall length with a 5.2” blade. 

Pros: Argh. Grrr. SPAX turns nasty work into chopping, prying, splitting and wrench glory for pure productivity even in tough conditions.

Cons: Challenging to sharpen. Sheath bothersome but essential. Not for everyone.

Tester Comments: "Tear out a dock. Shred hardwood pallets for quality fire wood. Dig, bulldoze and build with a tool that’s more firefighter than flyweight. With a camping hatchet’s form factor and the determination of a rescue axe, we’re christening this The Unstoppable One."

Key Attribute: Durability

Best For: Use as an outsized multi-tool in camp, paddle-in and float trip use along with ready access at the cabin; defer to OKC’s extremely capable RD Hawk Pick – part of the Ranger Series – if a more conventional (but still radical) hatchet is a better fit