The subject of machetes comes up ever year. I take care of a nature preserve and for trail maint., machetes aren't allowed. They tend to leave a mess of trimmed branches and more than one volunteer has managed to gash themselves. We use lopers, both long and short handled for trimming. For backpacking, machetes are even more useless unless you are hacking through soft tropical jungle....which we don't see around here. The things are best left at home.
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paul, texas KD5IVP