A pocket chainsaw, or hand chain saw as it is also often referred, is a small yet effective tool for cutting branches or even larger trees, and has been specifically designed with the survivalist or prepper in mind and most will come with a handy pouch or tin for storing the coiled blade which is ideal for stashing in your emergency pack.
That being said, the pocket chain saw is regularly used by homeowners who want to stop their yards from becoming overgrown and who want to avoid spending a lot more money buying a regular chainsaw, makes sense if you ask me!
Table of Contents
| Best Pocket Chainsaws | Details |
|---|---|
 | Sportsman Pocket Chainsaw 36 Inch Long Chain
 |
 | Chainmate CM-24SSP 24-Inch Survival Pocket Chain Saw
|
 | LivWild 26" Camping Pocket Chainsaw
|
However, forget proper chainsaws, gas, or electric, you are in a SHTF type situation, there is no power and there is no gas to be found, but you still have wood to cut up or a tree to fell, what do you reach into your best bug out bag for?
The answer is a saw, obviously, but what type of saw should you have stashed in your emergency gear?
Well you have three options; the folding hand saw, the folding bow saw, and the pocket chainsaw. Now all three are useful to have as all three have their benefits, but do you really need to have all of them in your emergency bag?
Of course you don’t, you want to keep the weight of your pack down as much as possible and having three types of survival saw is a little excessive. So which survival saw will be your best option?
In our opinion, a folding hand saw like the Bahco Laplander is always going to be the best choice as a primary survival saw, it can be used with just one hand, cuts efficiently and quickly, stays sharp for an extremely long time, and in most cases, is just as easy to use cutting through bone and gristle as it is through wood, green or dry.
However, as good as folding saws may be, we also believe that for the sake of adding just a few more ounces to your pack whilst at the same time occupying very little space, a pocket chainsaw makes the perfect back up or alternative, and in a lot of cases, is better equipped for cutting through thicker limbs. That’s wooden limbs by the way!
The hand chain saw couldn’t be any simpler in design; it consists of a couple of handles, that are attached to either end of a chainsaw type blade, needless to say, the user will be replacing the powered motor!
As simple as they are, they are definitely the most strenuous of the three saws to use and you will expend a lot of energy using one, being physically fit will definitely be an advantage when using a pocket chain saw which is another reason why they are not our primary choice of survival saw. You may need to conserve as much energy as possible in a survival situation.
There are two types of survival saws, that fall into the pocket chainsaw category, those that use a blade that closely resembles a chainsaw blade, and those that use a strengthened serrated wire, called, funnily enough, a wire survival saw.
It is our opinion at Alpha Survivalist that if we were going to put our faith in a pocket saw, by that I mean entrusting our well being in it, it would have to be an extremely reliable and a very efficient piece of equipment, wire survival saws do not fit that description!
We understand wire saws do have a fan base and that they may well be very small and lightweight, ideal for stowing in your pack, and that they do look pretty cool (another word for gimmicky) but in reality, wire saws take a painfully long time to cut through wood, they are awkward to use, they clog and snag frequently, and most of the examples we’ve had experience of break too easily when put under any real stress.
Needless to say, we shall not be advising our readers to rely on a wire saw; even if they are cheap as chips. But you can always check one out without breaking the bank if you really want to.
So, having ruled out wire saws as a viable option we will only concentrate on pocket chainsaws and the following are our choices for the best pocket chainsaws currently available.
What to look for when buying a pocket chainsaw?
You obviously want to buy the best pocket chainsaw possible and knowing exactly what you need to look for will help you make the correct decision.
When it comes to quality, materials used, and ergonomics of any product there will always be cases where the differences between those products being compared are minimal, when this is the case the final decision will always be made by the end user based on aesthetics or on a gut feeling, pocket chainsaws fall into this bracket.
Many of the pocket chainsaws you will look at will be very difficult to separate from others you may have looked at, so finding a stand out performer is never going to be easy. This is why checking out user reviews is important as they will often highlight quality issues making your final purchasing decision a lot easier.
Here are the main things you need to consider when checking out a pocket hand chain saw.
- Chain Material – The metal used to make the chain is obviously extremely important and needs to extremely strong and durable so you should always choose saws made with high carbon steel over those that do not. They will be rust resistant too.
- Cutting Teeth – Unlike normal chainsaws where the blade is designed to cut in one direction only, a pocket chainsaw chain will have bi-directional cutting teeth so your saw will cut in both directions. If it doesn’t then you should avoid it, you do not want a manual saw where half the energy you spend cutting is wasted.
- Length of Chain – Lengths of chain vary from 24” to 48” and the choice of chain length is very much a personal preference. Our preference is to opt for chains of between 24“and 36” as opposed to the longer lengths, but again it is a personal preference.
- Chainsaw Handles – The quality, strength, and type of handle connected to the chain are extremely important issues. Most of the chainsaws we have looked at have had very few, if any issues with the quality and strength of handles. If your pocket chainsaw is going to have a weakness it will most likely be where the handles connect to the chain, so make sure you check this specific area. The main decision is whether to opt for a pocket chainsaw that has straps or sold grip handles. Both types of handle have their advocates. Straps are preferred by many as you can put your hands through the loops and use your wrist and arm to use the saw instead of using your grip, which is less tiring. This may seem like a good idea until you realize that you are actually tying yourself to the tree you are cutting down! If the tree falls suddenly you will struggle to get free and out of the way quickly, again, this is a personal decision.
Best Pocket Chainsaw Reviews
Sportsman 36” Pocket Chainsaw Review
The ‘Sportsman’ is one of the most popular pocket chainsaws available at the moment and when you check it out and then start to use it you instantly understand why that is the case.
The Sportsman 36” pocket chainsaw looks and feels like a quality product and that’s because it is! The 36” chain is made with 65mn high carbon heat treated steel and has a bi-directional cutting tooth on every third link which can be sharpened with a 5/32 round chainsaw file when needed. The chain is also self cleaning and is rust and corrosion free.
Unlike many of its competitors, the Sportsman pocket chainsaw comes ready to use out the box, it’s extremely durable as one would expect, and its rugged handles are permanently connected to the chain with hardened metal brackets. This may not seem like a big deal but it really is huge because the connection between the handle and chain is a notorious weak spot in many other pocket chainsaws, but not on the Sportsman!
Maintenance on the Sportsman is pretty straight forward, sharpen occasionally and oil after use then store in its front clipping nylon pouch that also has a belt loop for attachment onto a belt and it’s ready to go for next time.
if you’re wondering about extra weight in your pack then don’t because this powerful little saw is only 4.8 ounces!
Sportsman Industries offer a 100% money back lifetime guarantee on their pocket chainsaw which is great because it backs up their belief that their product is well made and durable, which it is!
Not only does Sportsman offer a lifetime guarantee, they also throw in a bonus free gift of a Ferro rod magnesium fire starter with every pocket chainsaw purchased. The Ferro rod is both, water resistant, and shatterproof, ideal for getting a fire started in wet and windy weather conditions and a nice added bonus to go with a great hand chain saw.
Our View
If you are looking for a saw that cuts efficiently and quickly then you can’t go wrong by choosing the Sportsman 36” pocket chainsaw. Looks good and works even better!
Chainmate Survival Pocket Chainsaw Review
I am not going to spend an awful long time reviewing the Chainmate pocket chainsaw as it is not massively different to the chainsaw offered by Sportsman Industries which was reviewed above. However, there are some minor differences and we will cover them here.
The Chainmate is made by American company Green Mountain Products Inc. based out of Norwalk Connecticut and is available in three sizes 24”, 36”, and 48” and as with all the pocket chainsaws we pass judgement on we will advise our readers to opt for the 36” version as it is an easier length of chain to use and will provide a quicker cut, 
but should you decide to go against our advise you can pick up the 24” version for around $10 which is an absolute bargain.
The chain is made with special patent carbon steel and has diamond tip teeth. The 24” chainsaw weighs about 4 ounces, the 36” about 6.2 ounces, and the 48” about 8.6 ounces.
The Chainmate is supplied with a tough nylon storage pouch that is closed with a plastic clip and has a belt loop on the back.
Our View
Good reliable no thrills pocket chainsaw, does exactly what it is supposed to do. Must be pretty good as it is the best selling pocket chainsaw on Amazon and has over 87% of reviewers (1,600 reviews) that have given it 4 stars or better!
Livwild Camping Pocket Chainsaw Review
This 26” pocket chainsaw by Livwild has the same feel and look about it as the Sportsman and Chainmate previously reviewed here, because it is made with heat treated carbon steel and comes with a nylon pouch with a buckle and belt loop, but there is one major difference.
Whereas both the Sportsman and the Chainmate have a cutting tooth every third link, the Livwild chainsaw has one on every single link. Having so many cutting links has, in theory, three effects, one positive, two not so positive.
Firstly, the positive, If you have three times as many cutting links logic suggests that you will be cutting three times as fast as a pocket chainsaw with a cutting link every third link.
Now for the not so positives!
Logic also suggests that with three times as many cutting links resistance will also increase threefold making the chainsaw much harder to use, requiring greater strength and a lot more energy to use. Plus, with more cutting teeth the chances of the chainsaw snagging and sticking in the middle or towards the end of a cut increases dramatically. Regular pocket chainsaws already require a certain level of strength and fitness so they can be used efficiently, the Livwild will require much greater strength and fitness levels to make it comfortable to use.
The Livwild pocket chainsaw is made in China which obviously seemed to worry quite a number of reviewers on Amazon when, after opening the packaging, they realized that the saw had actually been made there. However, any fears about sub-standard merchandise or performance went straight out the window after they put the saw to use and the chainsaw has received a healthy 96%, 4 stars or higher rating from reviewers ever since!
Unlike the two previous chainsaws we’ve reviewed the Livwild has bright orange handle straps, which does make it easier to find when on the ground.
The Livwild does seem to be heavier than the other two chainsaws here at about 9 to 10 ounces, perhaps as a result of having more heavier cutting links, it’s still relatively light though.
The Sportsman isn’t the only pocket chain saw that comes with a bonus gift; you will also receive a Mylar emergency blanket and a link to download a free wilderness survival eBook which has some pretty useful info in it!
At just over $20, the Livwild costs about the same as the Sportsman and the 36” version of the Chainmate, but you do get three times the cutting teeth!
Our View
Another tough, durable little saw with a backlog of very happy users to back up our inclusion of it on our list of best pocket chainsaws. It’s down to you!
Summary
We will stand solidly by our own advice, which is to invest in a good quality folding saw as your primary saw, which is both easier to use and much more efficient. Pocket chainsaws are harder to use, take longer to make the same cut as a good folding hand saw, and take more energy to achieve the same goal, but still, they are great to have stowed as a back up and take up so little room.
As we mentioned earlier in this post there is little to choose between most of the pocket chainsaws that tick all our ‘what to look for boxes’, but the three we’ve outlined above are all well priced and provide the quality and reliability we would expect from a survival tool.
To be honest, we could easily have added two or three more pocket chainsaws to this list as they are all very similar, but we’ve stuck with our three personal favorites to put forward for the title of best pocket chainsaw.
