Hot Lee Valley Folding Trail Saw

While hikers, snowmobilers and ATV riders rely on this type of rugged portable saw for clearing trails, this one’s long reach and aggressive cut cover a much wider range of tasks. You can almost think of it as a manual chain saw; it makes fast work of cutting timber up to 11″ in diameter, but without the noise and smell of a bulky gas-powered tool.

It leaves a surprisingly clean cut in both green and dry wood, so it’s also suitable for pruning trees or trimming lumber. Well balanced, the saw is 52″ long overall and has a 24″, 5 tpi Japanese-style blade that cuts on the pull stroke, tapered from haft to tip to reduce binding. Replacement blades available separately.

To allow compact transport and to shield the teeth when not in use, the blade folds into the handle, which has a tough non-slip coating for grip. Weighing only 1kg (just over 2 lb), it comes with a nylon shoulder holster to carry it hands-free. An impressive saw!