Review of the Woox Volante
There is a new player in the axe throwing world. Italian company Woox has designed and released their first axe designed specifically for the sport of axe throwing.
The Woox company philosophy is " Designed to Perform" and this is exactly what they have done with the "Volante". Woox sent us a prototype to test out and we were quite impressed. We have thrown it thousands of times, even allowing all skill levels from professional throwers to greenhorns to have some fun with it.
Right off the bat, the look and overall design of the Volante is quite unlike any other axe in the axe throwing market. The head is crafted with C45/1045 steel. This hard steel has held up exceptionally well to the testing. After numerous throws and drops we have yet to feel the need to re-sharpen or fine tune the blade edge. For aesthetics the head features a blue polished finish that features the Woox "X" etched into it. The handle is crafted and shaped with select American Appalachian Hickory that ensure the handles durability is unmatched. The handled is finished with the Woox logo and then coated with a waterproof finish. The look and feel of the handle is very unique compared to most axes with a simple natural wood grain finish.
How does it Throw?
The weight, balance and feel are all exceptional in the Volante. This axe is on the lighter side of the scale of axes that meet competition requirements with a 600 gram head weight. This means you will need to throw just a bit more force than you would with a heavier hatchet. But the thinness of the blade profile ensures the head has no issue with penetrating and staying in the board long enough to be judged for scoring.
The water proof finish on the handle gives the perfect amount of grip without the worry of slipping during the throw. This finish eliminates the need to add tape or chalk for added grip of the axe. The biggest criticism we have found with the Volante is the heel of the handle. The heel of the handle is designed to ensure the hatchet does not slip out of the hand while in use. When throwing however it has a tendency to cause the axe to over-rotate before reaching the target. The adjustment was easy to make however, as many of our testers used the heel as a place to index the hatchet within the hand by placing two fingers on either side of the heel peak. This ensured the grip was the same with each and every throw, which helps with consistency and ultimately accuracy.
Conclusion
Overall, the Woox Volante is a great everyday thrower! Being very similar to the Prandi German Style Hatchet that is very popular among axe throwers, the transition to the Volante will be an easy transition. This axe is perfect for anyone looking for a great, durable thrower with a look and feel unlike any other hatchet in the axe throwing world.