When it comes to throwing axes, there’s no single axe that is the best fit for everyone. The ideal throwing axe depends on your skill level, preferences, and intended use. In this guide, we’ll explore the best throwing axes of 2025, including standout options for different purposes.
Official Competition Throwing Axe Regulations
If you plan to compete, it’s critical to understand your league’s guidelines before purchasing an axe. Below are key regulations for the World Axe Throwing League (WATL) in Hatchet, Duals, and Big Axe competitions:
Hatchet Regulations
These regulations are for sanctioned Hatchet and Duals leagues.
- The maximum specifications for all hatchets are:
- Weight- 3lbs/1.36kg total
- Length- 19 inches/48.26cm (as measured from the top of the eye)
- Bit- 4 inches/10.16cm (as measured tip to tip in a straight line)
- Axes may only have one sharp bit. No sharpened bits, spikes, or blades are allowed opposite the intended scoring area of the axe.
- Axe Heads must be held securely to the handle. Axe heads that are in danger of coming off the handle or have a head that is easily removed (ie. heads that are clamped or held into the handle by a screw or pin) are not legal for sanctioned events unless otherwise approved by WATL®.
- Illegal Axes for Competition
- Any axe that infringes on design patents and trademarks held by any organization or are direct copies or replicas of other individuals’ or businesses’ intellectual property, unless special dispensation has been granted. Warriors Axes are not permitted for WATL® competition use.
- Use of illegal axes may result in the loss of points, position and prize money. At WATL’s® discretion, further action may be taken.
Big Axe Regulations
Big Axe regulations follow the same Hatchet/Duals specifications with the following changes.
- The specifications for all big axes are:
- Weight- minimum 3lbs/1.36kg, maximum 4.25lbs/1.93kg total
- Length- minimum 23in/58.42cm, maximum 30in/76.2cm (as measured from the top of the eye)
- Bit- 4 5/8in/11.7602cm (as measured tip to tip in a straight line)
For more details read the World Axe Throwing League Rules
1. Best Throwing Axe Kit for Beginners: The Ultimate Starter Kit
Are you new to axe throwing? The Ultimate Starter Kit is a perfect choice for beginners, offering all the essentials to set up a target, practice, and maintain your axe for optimal performance. This kit is designed to make starting your axe-throwing journey easy and enjoyable.
What’s Included in the Ultimate Starter Kit
- WATL Stencil – Easily create regulation targets on wooden boards for consistency and accuracy.
- WATL Marker Kit – Ensure precise markings for a true competition experience at home.
- Hatchet of Your Choosing – Select a hatchet from WATL’s range to match your style and skill.
- Three 36″ Cottonwood Boards – The preferred wood for axe throwing, these cottonwood boards are long-lasting with a forgiving texture that helps axes stick with ease.
- Whetstone – Keep your hatchet sharp for cleaner, more effective throws.
This kit delivers unbeatable value, with everything you need in one package—including free shipping. Perfect for beginners and seasoned throwers alike, it’s an investment in your skill development and enjoyment.
The Ultimate Starter Kit
2. The Best Throwing Axe for Casual Throwers: The Lieutenant
The Lieutenant is an excellent choice for casual throwers, offering a reliable and affordable option for frequent use by novice and experienced throwers alike. Its American Hickory handle is easily replaceable, making maintenance simple and cost-effective, while the easy-to-stick blade provides a satisfying experience for all throwers. This axe delivers great value without sacrificing quality.
Specifications:
- Head: 1045 Carbon Steel
- Handle: American Hickory
- Blade Finish: Brushed Steel
- Handle Length: 18 inches
- Blade Length: 3.98 inches
- Head Weight: 1.65 lbs
- Total Weight: 2.35 lbs
The Lieutenant Throwing Axe
3. The Best Throwing Axe for Beginners: The Kill Shot
The Kill Shot is the ideal throwing axe for Beginners and Venues alike, offering both affordability and durability. Its sturdy fiberglass handle and steel head ensure long-lasting performance, even with constant use while the thrower works on consistency and technique. Designed to withstand the demands of high-traffic axe-throwing locations, the Kill Shot delivers the perfect combination of quality and cost, making it a top choice for both beginners and venue owners.
“A fiberglass handle that is built to last”
Specifications:
- Head: 1045 Carbon Steel
- Handle: Molded Fiberglass
- Blade Finish: White Semi-Gloss Paint
- Handle Length: 17 in
- Approx. Blade Length: 3.5 in
- Approx. Head Weight: 1.65 lbs
- Approx. Total Weight: 2.25 lbs
The Kill Shot Throwing Axe
4. The Best Throwing Axe for Big Axe Leagues: The Colossus
The Colossus is the ultimate choice for Big Axe competitions. With a massive 4.525-inch blade coverage, offers a generous scoring area that can make all the difference in competitive settings. It’s lightweight design ensures effortless sticking, even with minimal force.
“Massive 4.525” blade coverage”
The Colossus combines precision engineering with a thin blade profile for unparalleled accuracy and ease of use. Its design, inspired by WATL’s top-performing hatchets, ensures optimal performance in high-stakes competitions.
Specifications:
- Head: 1045 Carbon Steel
- Handle: American Hickory
- Blade Finish: Brushed Steel
- Handle Finish: Clearcoat Finish
- Handle Length: 27.5 in
- Approx. Blade Length: 4.525 in
- Approx. Total Weight: 3.2 lbs
- Approx. Head Weight: 2.35 lbs
The Colossus – Big Axe
5. The Best Big Axe for Casual Throwers:
The Patriot
The Patriot is a standout choice for casual throwers who want a big axe that’s both affordable and durable. This axe combines a sturdy design with excellent balance, making it ideal for a wide range of throwing scenarios.
“A big axe that’s both affordable and durable”
The Patriot is built to last, with a durable fiberglass handle and sharp blade that delivers consistent performance. Its affordability makes it accessible for casual throwers, while its solid construction ensures it holds up to repeated use. Whether you’re a beginner or just looking for a reliable axe, the Patriot won’t let you down.
Specifications:
- Head: 1045 Carbon Steel
- Handle: Molded Fiberglass
- Blade Finish: White Semi-Gloss Paint
- Handle Length: 26 in
- Approx. Blade Length: 3.94 in
- Approx. Head Weight: 2.5 lbs
- Approx. Total Weight: 3.55 lbs
The Patriot: Big Axe
Top 5 Best Throwing Axes for Hatchet Competitions/Leagues
1. The King of Diamonds:
The King of Diamonds, one of the most popular axes in WATL’s Royal Lineup, is a premium throwing axe that is designed for professional competition use. Following the 2023 WATL US Pro-Am Tournament, we’ve moved this axe up to the #1 spot as it was the axe of choice for both the Pro Hatchet Champion Brett Jariabek, and the Amateur Hatchet Champion Erik Rimblas.
The King of Diamonds has a weight of 2.25lbs and a handle length of 17”. The axe head is made from high-quality carbon steel, which provides excellent durability and edge retention. The axe’s unique shape and added weight towards the back of the axe head ensures the axe is buried deep in the target. The straight handle is crafted from high-quality American hickory wood, and the shape allows for easy release and consistent throws. This axe is also available with a square or round handle. Square handles are praised among professional axe throwers as they provide an additional grip point of reference, allowing for throws to be replicated even more consistently.
The King of Diamonds has an extremely thin blade profile and a tapered base at the back of the head, designed specifically for the sport of axe throwing. This thin blade profile allows the axe to stick in the board with ease while providing more space for an additional axe to land next to it when throwing the Duals discipline. The tapered back of the head also redirects a throwing partner’s axe instead of landing in the handle or the back of the head. This versatility is one of the reasons why we recommend this axe for experienced throwers who demand the best performance from their equipment.
“Designed for professional competition use”
Specifications:
- Head: 1045 Carbon Steel
- Handle: American Hickory
- Blade Finish: Brushed Steel
- Handle Finish: Clearcoat Varnish
- Handle Length: 17 in
- Approx. Blade Length: 3.93 in
- Approx. Head Weight: 1.70 lbs
- Approx. Total Weight: 2.25 lbs
The King of Diamonds
2. The Ace of Spades:
The Ace of Spades, the first throwing axe released in WATL’s Royal Lineup, is extremely popular within the axe throwing community. More commonly referred to as “The Ace”, it features a patented design with an easy-to-stick curved blade. A curved axe blade improves sticking ability by reducing the initial contact area when the axe strikes the board. With less surface area making contact, the force of impact is concentrated on a smaller section of the blade. This increased pressure per square inch allows the blade to penetrate deeper into the wood, improving the likelihood of a solid, secure stick. This professional-grade throwing axe is designed for competition use. It has a weight of 2.35lbs and a handle length of 17”. A 17” handle is suitable for almost all throwers, but also allows for the handle to be cut down if you prefer a shorter handle.
The Ace of Spades is also available in a square-handle variant. Square handles are praised among some of the best axe throwers in the world as the flat edges provide an additional grip point of reference, allowing for a straighter, more easily replicable throw. The axe head is made from high-quality carbon steel, which provides excellent durability and edge retention. This axe was the axe of choice for 2021 World Champion Mike Philabaum.
“Patented design with an easy-to-stick curved blade”
The handle of the Ace of Spades is straight and crafted from American hickory wood. A straight handle allows for an easy and accurate release, where the axe simply slides out of the hand. The Ace has an extremely thin blade profile, requiring less strength to stick in the target, reducing muscle fatigue during a long league night or tournament. This tried and tested axe is easily one of the best throwing axes for experienced throwers who want a top-performing axe.
Specifications:
- Head: 1045 Carbon Steel
- Handle: American Hickory
- Blade Finish: Brushed Steel
- Handle Finish: Clearcoat Varnish
- Handle Length: 17 in
- Approx. Blade Length: 3.93 in
- Approx. Head Weight: 1.70 lbs
- Approx. Total Weight: 2.35 lbs
The Ace of Spades: 3rd Generation
3. The Queen of Hearts:
The Queen of Hearts stands as a high-quality throwing axe built for competitive use. It weighs 2.20lbs, making it slightly lighter than the King of Diamonds, and its 17-inch handle can be cut down to customize the axe for your throw. Its high-quality carbon steel axe head delivers excellent durability and edge retention. The Queen of Hearts has the same blade profile as the King of Diamonds, making it an excellent alternative for throwers who enjoy the King of Diamonds but prefer a lighter axe.
The Queen’s straight handle is crafted from extremely durable Genuine American Hickory. A straight handle, as mentioned, allows for an easy release and consistent throws. Furthermore, this axe also is available with a square handle design, many professionals prefer a square handle as the flat edges give them another point-of-reference for a more consistent and accurate throw.
“High-performance axe at a reasonable price”
The Queen of Hearts has an extremely thin blade profile designed for axe throwing, this allows it to stick in the board with little force. We recommend this axe for experienced throwers who want a high-performance axe at a reasonable price.
Specifications:
- Head: 1045 Carbon Steel
- Handle: American Hickory
- Blade Finish: Brushed Steel
- Handle Finish: Clearcoat Varnish
- Handle Length: 17 in
- Approx. Blade Length: 3.93 in
- Approx. Head Weight: 1.65 lbs
- Approx. Total Weight: 2.20 lbs
The Queen of Hearts Throwing Axe
4. The Jack of Clubs:
The Jack of Clubs is a versatile and highly praised throwing axe that is perfect for competition use. Its blade is made from durable 1045 carbon steel, and its handle crafted from high-quality American hickory wood. It has a weight 2.25lbs of and a handle length of 17”. A 17” handle is suitable for most throwers, but also allows for the handle to be cut down to meet individual preferences if you prefer a shorter handle.
A unique feature of the Jack of Clubs is that its blade extends above the top of the handle. This design can benefit throwers who tend to throw too low or struggle with over-rotation. The extended blade increases the chances of making contact with the board at the right angle, improving consistency and stickability. Furthermore, the axe features the same trusted blade profile as the King of Diamonds and Queen of Hearts.
“Designed to be used by beginners and advanced throwers”
The Jack of Clubs, like the other members of the Royal Collection, features an extremely thin blade profile, allowing the axe to stick in the target with little force required. This axe is also available with a square handle. The Jack of Clubs is designed to be used by both beginner and advanced throwers, making it a great choice for anyone looking to improve their axe throwing skills.
Specifications:
- Head: 1045 Carbon Steel
- Handle: American Hickory
- Blade Finish: Brushed Steel
- Handle Finish: Clearcoat Varnish
- Handle Length: 17 in
- Approx. Blade Length: 3.93 in
- Approx. Head Weight: 1.70 lbs
- Approx. Total Weight: 2.25 lbs
The Jack of Clubs Throwing Axe
5. The Newest Throwing Axe of 2025: The Berserker
The Berserker is the latest addition to WATL’s axe lineup, and it’s quickly becoming a favorite among throwers. With a sleek design and top-tier performance, it’s ideal for both competitive and casual use.
Specifications:
- Head: 1045 Carbon Steel
- Handle: American Hickory
- Blade Finish: Brushed Steel
- Handle Finish: Clearcoat Varnish
- Handle Length: 17 inches
- Blade Length: 3.98 inches
- Approx. Head Weight: 1.63 lbs
- Approx. Total Weight: 2.24 lbs
The Berserker’s balanced weight and sharp edge make it incredibly easy to stick, whether you’re aiming for precision in competition or enjoying a laid-back session on your home target. With a 3.98 inch blade, the Berserker optimizes its design for accuracy providing almost the maximum allowable blade length. With increase blade length to maximize scoring area and the carbon steel durability, this axe ensures that you achieve the best performance every time.
“Patented design allows for an unprecedented amount of coverage”
The handle of the Berserker is crafted from hickory wood and is straight. A straight handle allows for an easy release and consistent throw. The Berserker sports a razor-sharp edge that easily sticks in the target with minimal force. Its axe head, forged from high-quality carbon steel, delivers excellent durability and edge retention. We strongly recommend this axe to Throwers looking to elevate their skills.
The Best Throwing Axe for Duals Leagues: The King of Diamonds
When it comes to Duals Leagues, the King of Diamonds reigns supreme. This axe stands out not only for it’s exceptional quality but also for its unique design tailored specifically for Duals competitions. Favored by championship-winning teams, it’s the trusted choice for partners aiming for victory.
The King of Diamonds features a distinct axe-head shape with a thinner profile that minimizes the chance of hitting your partner’s axe during a throw. If two axes collide, their tapered heads glance off each other, reducing damage and increasing the likelihood that both axes land successfully. This innovative design makes it the top-performing axe in Duals leagues.
“Favored among top duals teams“
During the 2022 World Axe Throwing Championship, the King of Diamonds was a favorite among top duals teams. Its unmatched performance, combined with its reputation for durability and precision, makes it the go-to axe for competitors who demand the best.
The King of Diamonds
In Summary:
From beginners to seasoned competitors, there’s a perfect axe for everyone in 2025. Whether you’re looking for an all-in-one starter kit, a durable option for casual throws, or a high-performance axe for league play, these top picks have you covered.
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