I'm new to this site and was doing some research on bog wood and was directed here, and I know I'm responding to a thread that is 4 years old.
I have many years of experience in camping, hiking, kayaking, mostly California mountains and Colorado river area. I have abandoned the use of camp axes, hatchets and hawks. they are just too heavy and are not versatile enough to carry on a long hike or a boat trip. For a while i strapped a machete to the back pack but that really wasn't particularly convenient, so for the last decade I have used a kukri strapped to my leg. It is conveniently available, doesn't get lost if I'm dumped in the river, and has handled every every task I've put it to from chopping through an 8 inch diameter tree to clearing scrub to digging holes to pounding tent stakes to starting a fire and cooking. Now I wouldn't go hiking without it.