6 Best Log Tongs For Moving Small Logs That Save Your Back
Move small logs without the back strain. Our review of the 6 best log tongs covers key features like grip and leverage for safer, easier lifting.
There’s a familiar ache that comes with processing firewood, and it usually starts in the lower back. Bending over dozens of times to pick up log rounds from the ground or drag stubborn branches is exhausting work. It’s the kind of repetitive strain that can put you out of commission for days, turning a productive weekend into a painful one.
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Why Good Log Tongs Are a Back-Saving Tool
The real value of log tongs is simple ergonomics. Instead of bending at the waist and lifting with your back, tongs let you stand upright and lift with your legs and arms. This simple change in posture transforms the entire task. It shifts the load from the small, vulnerable muscles in your lower back to the large, powerful muscles in your legs.
Think about moving a dozen 16-inch rounds of oak from your splitting area to the wood rack. Without tongs, that’s a dozen deep bends and awkward lifts. With a good pair of tongs, you can grab, lift, and walk without ever compromising your posture. It’s not just about comfort; it’s about preventing the kind of chronic injury that can make farm work impossible.
Beyond saving your back, tongs make you safer and more efficient. You get a secure, one-handed grip on wet, muddy, or irregular-shaped logs that would otherwise be difficult to handle. This means fewer dropped logs, less fumbling, and a much faster workflow when moving wood or loading a splitter.
LogOX 3-in-1: The Ultimate Forestry Multi-Tool
The LogOX isn’t just a pair of tongs; it’s a complete system designed to handle logs from stump to stack. Its main function as a log hauler uses a long handle to provide incredible leverage, making it feel like you’re lifting only half the weight of the log. This is a game-changer for moving larger rounds without straining.
What sets the LogOX apart is its versatility. With a few quick adjustments, the tool converts into a cant hook for rolling heavy logs or a timberjack for lifting a log off the ground. Getting a log elevated for bucking means you can cut the entire piece without your chainsaw bar digging into the dirt, which saves your chain and your time.
The trade-off for this functionality is price and complexity. It’s a significant investment compared to a simple pair of tongs. But if you process a lot of firewood from whole trees, the combined utility of a hauler, cant hook, and timberjack in one package is hard to beat. It replaces three separate tools.
Timber Tuff TMW-02: Heavy-Duty Steel Tongs
Sometimes, you just need a simple tool that does one job exceptionally well. The Timber Tuff TMW-02 is exactly that. These are classic, no-nonsense lifting tongs made from heavy-gauge steel with a comfortable, ergonomic handle.
Their strength lies in their simplicity and powerful grip. The sharpened points dig into logs securely, giving you confidence when lifting and carrying. They are perfect for grabbing rounds from a wood pile, pulling them off a log splitter, or quickly clearing smaller logs from a trail.
These tongs aren’t designed for skidding long distances or rolling massive logs. They are a dedicated lifting and carrying tool. For the price, their durability and straightforward function make them an essential piece of equipment for anyone who needs to move rounds of wood by hand, period.
Bahco 1428 Tongs: Top-Notch Swedish Steel
Bahco has a reputation for making exceptional steel tools, and their log tongs are no exception. The Bahco 1428 model is a premium tool built for longevity and performance. The quality of the steel means the points stay sharp and the tool resists bending or warping under heavy use.
The design is focused on user comfort and efficiency. The handle is specifically shaped to reduce hand fatigue, which you’ll appreciate after moving a half-cord of wood. The action is smooth, and the tongs bite into wood with minimal effort, providing a secure hold on both green and seasoned logs.
This is a tool for someone who processes firewood year after year and is willing to invest in quality. While more expensive than basic models, the Bahco’s durability means you won’t be replacing it anytime soon. It’s a buy-it-for-life kind of tool.
Ironton Swivel Tongs for Easy Log Skidding
Skidding tongs are designed for dragging, not lifting. The Ironton Swivel Tongs excel at this task because of one key feature: the swivel. This allows the log to rotate and twist as you drag it over uneven ground or around obstacles without breaking your grip or tangling your chain.
Imagine trying to pull a log around a tree stump with fixed tongs. The log binds, the tongs lose their grip, and you have to stop and reset. The swivel eliminates this frustration entirely. It makes dragging logs with an ATV, tractor, or even by hand a much smoother and more efficient process.
These tongs are typically sold without a handle, featuring a ring for attachment to a chain or skidding arch. They are a specialized tool for moving logs from where they were felled to your processing area. If you need to drag logs more than a few feet, a swivel tong is a non-negotiable piece of gear.
Woodchuck Timberjack: A Versatile Log Lifter
The Woodchuck Timberjack is another excellent multi-tool that gives the LogOX a run for its money. It functions as a timberjack, cant hook, and log lifter, all built around a sturdy, long-handled design. The dual-foot design of the timberjack provides a very stable platform for lifting logs for cutting.
Like the LogOX, the primary benefit is leverage. The long handle makes lifting and moving heavy rounds significantly easier on your body. It allows you to pick up a log and walk with it in one fluid motion, keeping your back straight and the strain on your arms and legs.
Choosing between the Woodchuck and the LogOX often comes down to personal preference on design and specific features. The Woodchuck is known for its robust, simple construction. For anyone felling trees and bucking them into rounds on-site, having a tool that can roll, lift, and carry is invaluable.
Felled Skidding Tongs: Simple, Reliable Grip
If all you need is a brutally simple and effective way to drag a log, Felled Skidding Tongs are the answer. These are pure skidding tongs, designed with sharp, opposing points that dig deeper the harder you pull. There are no handles or complex mechanisms—just two steel arms joined at a pivot with a ring for a chain.
Their effectiveness comes from physics. As tension is applied to the ring, the arms are forced together, driving the points securely into the wood. This creates an incredibly strong grip that is ideal for skidding logs of various sizes with a vehicle or winch.
These are not lifting tongs. They are a component of a skidding system. But for their intended purpose, their simplicity is their greatest strength. They are affordable, nearly indestructible, and provide a reliable grip that won’t let go until the tension is released.
Choosing Tongs: Jaw Opening and Handle Type
Picking the right tongs comes down to matching the tool to your wood and your work. Two factors are most important: jaw opening and handle type. Don’t just buy the biggest tongs you can find; a tool that’s too large for your typical logs will be clumsy and ineffective.
First, measure the diameter of the logs you handle most often. Tongs work best when they can open wide enough to grab past the halfway point of the log. Check the maximum jaw opening listed by the manufacturer and ensure it aligns with your needs.
Second, consider the handle and your primary task.
- Short T-Handles: Best for one-handed lifting and carrying of smaller rounds, like when loading a splitter or a wheelbarrow. (e.g., Timber Tuff, Bahco)
- Long Handles: Ideal for two-handed lifting and moving, providing excellent leverage that makes heavy logs feel lighter. (e.g., LogOX, Woodchuck)
- Attachment Rings: Designed strictly for skidding. These have no handle and are meant to be connected to a chain for dragging with a machine or by hand. (e.g., Ironton, Felled)
There’s no single "best" tong, only the best one for the job you need to do. Matching the tool to the task is the key to working smarter, not harder.
Ultimately, investing in a good pair of log tongs is an investment in your own physical longevity. It’s one of the most effective ways to reduce the back-breaking strain of processing firewood. Choose the right tool for your needs, and you’ll spend less time aching and more time enjoying the satisfaction of a well-stocked woodshed.
