A good folding saw is one of those tools you may not appreciate until you really need it.

Whether you’re processing firewood at camp, clearing branches, building a shelter or putting together a practical survival kit, the best folding saws give you serious cutting ability without the weight and bulk of a full-sized saw or axe.

The challenge is choosing the right one.

Some folding saws are designed to disappear inside a backpack. Others sacrifice a little portability for the ability to tackle surprisingly large pieces of timber. And while a bushcraft enthusiast may prioritise durability and versatility, someone building a vehicle emergency kit may want something quite different.

We’ve narrowed the field down to six folding saws that stand out for bushcraft, camping and survival use.

Our Quick Picks

Best For	Folding Saw	Why We Like It
Best Overall	Silky Gomboy 240	Excellent balance of cutting performance and portability
Best for Bushcraft	Bahco Laplander	Rugged, proven and easy to carry
Best Value	Corona RazorTOOTH	Aggressive cutting performance at a reasonable price
Best for Firewood	Agawa Canyon BOREAL21	Folding bow saw capable of processing larger wood
Best Heavy-Duty	Silky BigBoy 2000	Long blade and serious cutting capacity
Best for Camping	Gerber Freescape Camp Saw	Compact bow-saw design suited to campsite use

If you simply want one versatile saw that can handle most situations, the Silky Gomboy 240 is our best overall choice.

For traditional bushcraft, the Bahco Laplander remains difficult to overlook, while anyone regularly processing larger amounts of campfire wood should seriously consider the BOREAL21.

Let’s look at each one more closely.

1. Silky Gomboy 240 – Best Overall Folding Saw

The Silky Gomboy has earned an excellent reputation among campers, arborists, bushcraft enthusiasts and outdoor users, and the 240 mm version hits a particularly useful sweet spot.

It’s large enough to deal with substantial branches and campfire wood while still being compact enough to carry in a backpack.

One of the characteristics that distinguishes Silky saws is their pull-cutting design. Rather than applying most of the cutting force while pushing the saw away from you, the blade cuts on the pull stroke.

This allows a relatively thin blade to cut efficiently with less chance of binding when used correctly.

The Gomboy 240 is particularly attractive if you want one folding saw capable of handling several roles rather than a specialised tool for a single job.

Use it around camp, take it bushcrafting, keep it with your outdoor equipment or add it to a preparedness kit.

Pros

• Excellent cutting performance
• Good balance between blade size and portability
• Comfortable handle
• Replaceable blade
• Suitable for a wide range of outdoor jobs

Cons

• More expensive than many basic folding saws
• Pull saws require the correct technique
• Thin blades can be damaged if forced during the push stroke

Who Is It Best For?

Anyone looking for a high-quality all-round folding saw.

Epic Prepper verdict: If we could choose only one conventional folding saw for general bushcraft, camping and preparedness, the Gomboy 240 would be our pick.

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2. Bahco Laplander – Best Folding Saw for Bushcraft

Few folding saws are as closely associated with bushcraft as the Bahco Laplander.

There’s a good reason for that.

The Laplander isn’t particularly flashy. Instead, it combines a manageable blade, comfortable grip, folding design and sensible price into a tool that works extremely well for typical woodland tasks.

If you’re building out your kit, our bushcraft pack list essentials guide covers other useful gear to consider alongside a folding saw.

Its relatively compact size also makes it easy to slip into a bushcraft pack without taking up much room.

The blade is designed to work on both green and dry wood, which is useful when you don’t know exactly what you’ll encounter.

That versatility matters in bushcraft.

You might use your saw to prepare firewood one day and cut poles for a camp project the next. A specialist pruning saw isn’t always ideal for that type of varied work.

The Laplander’s long-standing popularity also means replacement blades and information about maintaining the saw are relatively easy to find.

Pros

• Excellent bushcraft reputation
• Compact and lightweight
• Works with green and dry wood
• Good grip
• Sensible price
• Replaceable blade

Cons

• Smaller cutting capacity than heavy-duty alternatives
• Not the fastest choice for processing large amounts of firewood

Who Is It Best For?

Bushcrafters, hikers and campers who value portability and reliability over maximum cutting capacity.

Epic Prepper verdict: The Laplander remains one of the easiest folding saws to recommend for a dedicated bushcraft kit.

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3. Corona RazorTOOTH 10-inch – Best Value Folding Saw

You don’t necessarily need to spend a fortune to get a folding saw capable of cutting wood quickly.

The Corona RazorTOOTH is known for an aggressive tooth design intended to remove material rapidly, making it particularly useful when cutting branches and firewood.

Its curved blade is quite different from the straighter design of something like the Bahco Laplander.

A curved blade can help keep the teeth engaged with a branch as you pull through the cut, although some users find a straight blade easier for precise bushcraft work.

This is therefore less of a precision camp-building tool and more of a get-through-the-wood-efficiently option.

For a prepper putting together equipment on a budget, that’s not necessarily a disadvantage.

If your priority is simply being able to cut branches and manageable pieces of timber efficiently without moving into premium pricing, the RazorTOOTH deserves consideration.

Pros

• Strong cutting performance
• Aggressive tooth pattern
• Curved blade maintains contact with wood
• Good value
• Useful for firewood and general outdoor cutting

Cons

• Curved blade isn’t ideal for every bushcraft task
• More aggressive teeth can produce a rougher cut
• Less compact than some smaller alternatives

Who Is It Best For?

Campers and preppers who want strong cutting performance without paying premium folding-saw prices.

Epic Prepper verdict: A very capable option when performance per dollar matters.

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4. Agawa Canyon BOREAL21 – Best Folding Saw for Firewood

The BOREAL21 is quite different from the first three saws on our list.

Rather than simply folding a blade into a handle, the BOREAL21 unfolds into a full bow-saw configuration.

That means you get significantly more cutting capacity while retaining the ability to pack the saw down for transport.

Its 21-inch blade makes the BOREAL21 particularly useful when you’re dealing with wood that would make a small folding saw frustratingly slow.

This is where the distinction between carrying a saw and processing wood becomes important.

If you only need to cut the occasional two-inch branch, a Laplander or Gomboy makes more sense.

If you’re establishing a campsite and need enough firewood to last an evening or several days, the additional cutting capacity of a folding bow saw starts to become very attractive.

The BOREAL21’s automatically tensions its blade when opened, while its one-piece folding design means there are no loose frame components to assemble.

Pros

• Excellent firewood-cutting capability
• 21-inch blade
• Folds down for transportation
• Automatic blade tensioning
• Can tackle substantially larger timber
• Different blades are available for different cutting requirements

Cons

• Larger and heavier than conventional folding saws
• More expensive
• Overkill for lightweight hiking or occasional branch cutting

Who Is It Best For?

Campers, preppers and outdoor users who expect to process significant amounts of wood.

Epic Prepper verdict: If firewood is your priority, the BOREAL21 is a much more serious tool than a typical pocket folding saw.

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5. Silky BigBoy 2000 – Best Heavy-Duty Folding Saw

Sometimes you want serious cutting capacity but don’t want to carry a bow saw.

That’s where the Silky BigBoy 2000 becomes interesting.

With a 360 mm blade, the BigBoy is considerably larger than a typical folding saw. The BigBoy 2000 uses extra-large teeth designed for fast cutting and is suitable for both green wood and dry, hard wood.

Despite its size, the blade still folds into the handle.

That gives you something approaching the cutting capability of a much larger hand saw in a package that remains reasonably easy to transport.

The trade-off is obvious.

This isn’t the saw we’d choose for an ultralight backpack. It’s also unnecessary if most of your cutting involves wrist-thick branches.

But when larger timber is part of the equation, the additional blade length can make a substantial difference.

As with other Silky saws, technique matters. Let the teeth do the work on the pull stroke rather than aggressively forcing the blade.

Pros

• Long 360 mm blade
• Excellent cutting capacity
• Extra-large teeth
• Folds into its own handle
• Strong option for larger wood

Cons

• Large for a folding saw
• Premium price
• Too much saw for light camp tasks
• Pull-cut blade should not be forced

Who Is It Best For?

Bushcrafters and campers who regularly encounter larger timber but still want the simplicity of a conventional folding saw.

Epic Prepper verdict: An impressive middle ground between a compact folding saw and a full bow saw.

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6. Gerber Freescape Camp Saw – Best Folding Saw for Camping

The Gerber Freescape Camp Saw takes another approach to portable sawing.

Like the BOREAL21, it uses a bow-saw configuration rather than simply folding the blade into a conventional handle.

The frame folds down for transport and opens to provide useful clearance around the blade when cutting wood.

That makes it particularly well suited to campsite tasks.

The Freescape is less compelling for someone walking long distances and counting every gram, but that’s not really its purpose.

For car camping, base camps and vehicle preparedness kits, the ability to carry a compact saw that converts into a useful bow saw has obvious appeal.

A folding saw can also earn its place in a larger emergency setup; our guide to building a family bug out strategy covers the other essentials worth considering.

Another advantage is that the Freescape accepts standard 12-inch saw blades, making replacement relatively straightforward.

Pros

• Folding bow-saw design
• Useful cutting clearance
• Good campsite tool
• Packs down for storage
• Practical for vehicle emergency kits

Cons

• Bulkier than a conventional folding saw
• Not our first choice for lightweight backpacking
• Smaller folding saws are more convenient for quick jobs

Who Is It Best For?

Campers who aren’t overly concerned about carrying the smallest possible saw and want something capable of processing campfire wood.

Epic Prepper verdict: A practical addition to a camping or vehicle kit where cutting capability matters more than minimum weight.

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How to Choose the Best Folding Saw

There’s no single folding saw that’s perfect for everyone.

Before buying, think about what you realistically expect the saw to do.

Blade Length

Longer blades generally allow you to tackle larger timber and make longer cutting strokes.

But they also increase the overall size and weight of the saw.

For general bushcraft and camping, a medium-sized folding saw such as the Gomboy 240 offers an excellent compromise.

If you regularly process substantial firewood, something larger such as the BigBoy or BOREAL21 makes more sense.

Tooth Size

Large, aggressive teeth remove wood quickly but aren’t necessarily the best choice for fine or controlled cuts.

Smaller teeth generally produce a smoother cut but can be slower.

Consider the type of wood you’ll normally encounter as well. Some saw blades are optimised for green wood, others for seasoned wood, while versatile outdoor saws attempt to handle both.

Straight vs Curved Blades

Straight folding saws are extremely versatile and often easier to use for bushcraft projects.

Curved blades help keep the teeth engaged with branches and can be extremely effective for rapid cutting.

Neither is automatically better.

Your intended use should determine the choice.

Replacement Blades

A quality folding saw shouldn’t necessarily become rubbish simply because the blade becomes damaged or worn.

Check whether replacement blades are readily available before buying.

That’s especially worth considering when choosing equipment for long-term preparedness.

Handle and Locking Mechanism

A saw becomes considerably less pleasant to use if the handle creates hot spots or becomes slippery.

Look for a secure grip and a reliable blade-locking mechanism.

Remember that you’re repeatedly moving a very sharp blade close to your other hand. A secure grip isn’t simply about comfort.

It’s a safety feature.

Folding Saw vs Axe: Which Should a Prepper Carry?

Ideally, these tools shouldn’t be viewed as direct competitors.

They perform different jobs.

A folding saw is usually far more efficient when cutting branches and logs across the grain. It’s quieter, requires relatively little energy and produces predictable cuts.

An axe or hatchet is better for splitting wood, chopping and many tasks where impact is required.

For a lightweight bushcraft kit, a folding saw paired with a good survival knife can handle an impressive range of jobs

At a permanent campsite or in a vehicle preparedness kit, combining a saw with a hatchet or axe gives you considerably greater capability.

If weight is limited, however, a good folding saw provides a lot of cutting ability for relatively little space.

Folding Saw Safety Tips

Folding saws may look less intimidating than chainsaws or axes, but their teeth are extremely sharp.

Always keep your free hand away from the direction of the cut.

Make sure the blade is fully locked before beginning. Use controlled strokes rather than trying to overpower the saw.

With pull-cutting saws such as the Silky models, avoid aggressively pushing the blade into the cut. Allow the saw to cut primarily as you pull.

If the blade begins binding, stop and reposition the wood rather than twisting the blade sideways.

Finally, fold or cover the blade before placing the saw back into your pack.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best folding saw for bushcraft?

For dedicated bushcraft use, the Bahco Laplander remains an excellent choice because it is compact, versatile and capable of cutting both green and dry wood.

For someone wanting greater cutting performance in a premium all-round saw, we’d choose the Silky Gomboy 240.

What is the best folding saw for camping and survival?

It depends on how you’ll travel.

For backpacking and general survival equipment, the Silky Gomboy 240 or Bahco Laplander makes more sense because of their portability.

For vehicle-based camping or a more substantial emergency kit, the BOREAL21 provides much greater wood-processing capability.

How big a branch can a folding saw cut?

That depends heavily on blade length.

A compact folding saw can comfortably deal with branches several inches thick, but just because a saw can cut something doesn’t mean it’s the most efficient tool for the job.

Regularly cutting large timber is a good reason to move to a longer saw or folding bow saw.

Are folding saws better than hatchets?

For cutting wood across the grain, usually yes.

A saw generally requires less effort and gives you greater control.

A hatchet is superior for splitting and chopping, which is why the two tools complement each other so well.

Are expensive folding saws worth it?

That depends on how often you’ll use one.

For occasional camping, a good budget saw may be perfectly adequate.

If you regularly bushcraft, process firewood or depend on the tool as part of a preparedness kit, paying more for better blade steel, cutting performance, ergonomics and replacement-blade availability can make sense.

Final Thoughts

The best folding saw isn’t necessarily the biggest, most aggressive or most expensive model.

It’s the one you’ll actually carry and that can comfortably handle the wood you’re likely to encounter.

For most people, our best overall folding saw is the Silky Gomboy 240. It offers an excellent combination of portability, blade length and cutting ability.

The Bahco Laplander remains our choice for traditional bushcraft, while the Corona RazorTOOTH provides impressive performance for buyers watching their budget.

When serious firewood processing becomes the priority, step up to the Agawa Canyon BOREAL21. The Silky BigBoy 2000 offers substantial cutting capacity in a conventional folding design, while the Gerber Freescape makes a practical camp and vehicle saw.

Whichever you choose, don’t simply put it in your emergency kit and forget about it.

Learn how it cuts. Learn how the blade behaves. And use it enough that when you genuinely need it, the tool already feels familiar in your hands.

That’s when a folding saw stops being another piece of gear and becomes a genuinely useful part of your preparedness kit.