Getting into camping, bushcraft, or survival will inevitably lead you toward trying to find a high-quality hatchet or ax. These can be expensive purchases when you’re investing in the right gear, so knowing where to buy a hatchet or an ax is key.
You can always buy a hatchet or an ax at a big box store like Walmart, Dick’s, or Lowe’s. But always go local or specialized when looking for quality craftsmanship. Companies focusing on survival gear tend to have the best of the best, whereas big stores want more bang for their buck, not yours.
The best axes and hatchets can be bought across the web, but ideally, you want to find someone who knows they’re selling high-quality merchandise and backs it with a solid guarantee.
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List of Where to Buy a Hatchet or Ax
To get the ideas flowing, here’s a list of retailers selling axes and hatchets.
| Retailer | Type | Online | Brick and Mortar |
| Sportsman’s Warehouse | Outdoor | X | X |
| Cabela’s | Outdoor | X | X |
| Bass Pro Shops | Outdoor | X | X |
| Gerber Gear | Manufacturer | X | |
| Amazon | Everything | X | |
| Self Reliance Outfitters | Survival | X | X |
| Survivalgear.us | Survival | X | |
| Major Surplus and Survival | Survival | X | X |
| Sophos Survival | Survival | X | X |
| Survival Supply | Survival | X | X |
| Walmart | Everything | X | X |
| Academy Sports | Sporting goods | X | X |
| Dick’s Sporting Goods | Sporting goods | X | X |
| Moosejaw | Outdoor | X | |
| Black Ovis | Outdoor | X | |
| Optics Planet | Outdoor | X | |
| Campsaver | Outdoor | X | |
| Outdoor Gear Exchange | Outdoor | X | |
| Army Surplus Stores | Survival | X | X |
| REI | Outdoor | X | X |
| Harbor Freight Tools | Hardware | X | X |
| Lowe’s | Hardware | X | X |
| Home Depot | Hardware | X | X |
| Ace Hardware | Hardware | X | X |
Check out our top picks for the best survival axes and hatchets!
Best Places to Buy an Ax or Hatchet
Here is more insight into some of the best stores or types of stores where you can buy a hatchet or an ax.
1. Self Reliance Outfitters
Sometimes you get lucky and find some great online retailers that not only provide you with a direct route to buy a hatchet or an ax but they tell you the best way to pick one as well.
Self Reliance Outfitters is one of the best out there for providing helpful information along with a way of actually buying the product you decide is best.
2. Survivalgear.us
This site provides an incredible array of different axes and hatchets that are all of a high caliber. Even the lower-priced items they offer are some of the best brands out there that you won’t find in many big box stores.
3. Buy Directly from the Source
Often it’s best to get rid of the middleman and find your way directly to the manufacturer’s website. You can do the research to find the best axes and hatchets for survival or bushcraft, then find them directly on the brand’s site.
However, this can have its drawbacks, as larger online retailers work with brands to lower prices and can often get you a hefty discount.
4. Amazon
While looking for a hatchet or an ax, you may find yourself on Amazon. That’s because they have solid systems that will get you lower costs than many other retailers.
What you should do, though, is go to Amazon knowing what you want to buy. Many reviews and ratings can be skewed by fraudulent items that have paid reviews and cannot be relied upon.
On Amazon, you’ll always find the cheaper brands and some of the higher-caliber models, which can always be helpful when trying to decide and put them side by side.
5. Army Surplus Stores
Army surplus stores can be found all around, in almost any city in the US. These shops are great for getting an ax or hatchet. Other tactical shops will likely carry axes and hatchets that will work incredibly well in survival situations, making them a great option too.
6. Local Outdoor Shops
Some local outdoor shops may sell survival gear, but you’ll want to research first. Try looking for outdoor shops that specifically talk about selling camping or survival gear rather than outdoor sports stores that are more focused on selling new running shoes and tennis rackets.
7. Big Box Sporting Goods Stores
Some sporting goods stores will often have a decent selection of hatchets and axes for camping purposes, but many of them will have quite a limited selection.
Shops like Cabela’s, Sportsman’s Warehouse, Dick’s, REI, and even the sporting goods section of Walmart will have commonly-found brands like Fiskars, Gerber, and sometimes Hults Bruk or Adler (if you’re lucky).
These are the shops to go to when the purchase doesn’t matter much to you. You might find something worthwhile, but you’ll likely be settling for something that might be a bit overpriced and less likely to perform as well as something of the same price but of higher quality elsewhere.
8. Hardware Stores
Hardware stores fall into a similar category as sporting goods stores. Since most of the axes and hatchets you’ll find in hardware stores are meant for tasks around the house, they may lack other features you would want in a survival scenario.
Sometimes, you’ll find camping axes that will work quite well, but they aren’t always available in-store, so you may go online anyway. If you’re online, it may be worth heading to another retailer to see what they offer and picking up something more specialized for use in survival or bushcraft scenarios.
