Walking around town with an axe in your hands is, typically, not a very convenient move for most throwers. Unless you live in some sort of hard working, everyone-is-a-lumberjane scenario, you'll need a way to carry your axes about in a functional (and hopefully fashionable?) manner.
When I first started, the opportunities for transport were fairly limited in as much that nobody at my axe house had a really great way of doing it. AND it didn't seem to be something that was easy to find answers to. So, for the sake of leaving this sport better than I found it, here are a few suggestions from a guy who is never satisfied with having a single bag for a single task.
OPTION 1: LEFTOVER BACKPACK/DUFFLE BAG
Chances are you have a backpack lying around, and boy howdy that'll work in a pinch for your hatchets. Prices can be as low as free and as high as a $300 assembled-by-angels-in-Norway model, so it's up to you.
Pros:
Can be very affordable
Lost of extra room for sharpeners/other axe-adjacent stuff
doesn't call attention to itself
Cons:
You can't fit your big axe in there without the handle sticking out
Axes will potentially clank around (unless you do something to stop that shit)
OPTION 2: GUN CASE/BAG
I've seen this one suggested by lots of folks online and it's a pretty great option. Big enough to carry your big axe and hatchets, padded for protection, straps to keep axes from jumbling around. The price can vary between ~$40 to up to ~$250 bucks or so, as can the variety of quality.
Pros:
Lots of variety (backpack style, hard case, etc.)
Typically comes with padding and strapping
Kinda feels like you're a specialist? Like, there's a cool factor that can also be an ick factor.
Cons:
Takes up a fair amount of space
Can lead to awkward conversations with people/authorities who recognize what it is.
And just think about that conversation for a minute.
"Hey bud, why are you walking around with a gun case downtown?"
"Oh, it doesn't have guns in it, haha."
"Oh I see, haha, my mistake."
"It's full of axes!"
"..."
OPTION 3: WEIRD STUFF
I'm be remiss to not share all the opportunity out there to make your axe bag something clever and weird. For instance: my current bag is meant to carry tripods. It's padded, has internal straps, and cost like 30ish bucks.
It takes a little bit of lateral thinking, but if a bag has the features you want and can fit your axes in it, well, there you go partner.
Pros:
Variety of options
Can be very low cost for something that works exactly like you want
Cons:
You gotta be careful when purchasing: make sure if you intend to hold big axes in there that you get measurements. It's easy to think something will work only to get it and discover a dimension is off.
Axes are heavy, and things not meant to carry them can wear down pretty damn quick.
OPTION 4: AXE-SPECIFIC BAGS
There are of course axe-specific bags of varying intents and qualities. These get pricy though, and might not be the best choice for someone who is just trying to walk from their car to the front of their axe house.
Still, there is a certain amount of satisfaction, I imagine, in having a bag that's specifically designed for the purpose you're employing.
Pros:
Designed specifically for purpose
Often (not always) long-lasting
It's like a merit badge for the sport Or maybe like the merit-badge sash for the sport?
Cons:
Can be pricey
Typically can't be re-used effectively for other purposes
I'm sure there are lots of other options out there that I don't even know about, so feel free to let me know what those are and I'll update the list. Otherwise, I hope this little list helped get your brain bits working on what you might like to use!
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