I have a small hatchet I carry in winter. Weighs exactly 1 pound and has a nice wooden handle. Handle could be a little longer, but shorter might be safer for more occassional use. It doesn't get used for much as I use mostly squaw wood for my Kelly Kettle, but if I ever needed an emergency shelter and fire it would be very effective in the sort of brush we have. I also bring a few small nails rather than tent pegs and the hatchet is handy as a hammer. Again, I hardly use the nails, but they are very versatile when needed. I brink along a small sharpening stone, but not a file. My main campknife is just a cheap opinel#7, but I like it. In theory I could also use the hatchet for chopping a hole in ice for fishing or for water but I haven't done this. To be honest, I don't really think a hatchet is justified when you go solo, but for a larger group it would make sense to have one. I just like how it feels and all my other stuff is pretty light.