A machete is good for...
- clearing a path in dense jungle
- cutting odd shaped pieces of sod when laying down a lawn.
- cutting shallow sprinkler lines when cutting the sod.
- cutting up people in movies (I guess you can do it in real life).
- cutting vegetation to make a shelter.
- waving in the air during a revolt or government overthrow

A machete is NOT good for....
- cutting fire sticks
- cutting food into smaller pieces
- splitting fire wood
- cutting string (it can do this, but not as good as a small SAK, or even scissors)
- cutting open the package of food
- whittling

If I was going BPing in southern Mexico or Ecuador or the Congo, I would bring a machete, otherwise, a large open blade knife is much better. If you are practicing LNT, then only a small knife is needed.

A hatchet is OK to split wood, or cut up branches. A light hatchet isn't. Leather gloves are much better at breaking up branches, plus they also let you pick up your hot pot of water, and keep your hands warm. A small saw is MUCH better than a hatchet, and lighter. I never buy a SAK without a wood saw on it.
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