Outdoors & Fitness · Head-to-head
Silky Gomboy Professional 240 vs Bahco 396-LAP Laplander
Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, pulled from our full The Best Folding Saws: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
The Gomboy has the finest published tooth geometry here, a chrome finish and a blade that locks in two sawing positions and for storage. The Laplander is the pick when you want a shorter, tougher saw that locks both open and closed.
Silky Gomboy Professional 240
Buy itThe Japanese pull saw that every other folding saw is measured against: chrome finish, induction-hardened teeth, 10 teeth per 30 mm.
- 240 mm blade with 10 teeth per 30 mm (8.5 TPI), a taper-ground, chrome-plated blade and a triple-edge, non-set tooth design.
- Induction-hardened teeth that Silky pitches for pruning as well as dry, hard timber; replacement blades are sold separately.
- Non-slip rubber-clad handle, a blade that locks in two sawing positions and locks again for storage, and a limited lifetime warranty against defects.
- With a 240 mm blade and a 270 mm folded length it is long for a backpack saw and feels oversized for small camp chores.
- At about 285 g it is the heaviest of the backpack-sized saws here.
- Replacement blades are a real running cost, so it pays to avoid binding the blade in a kerf.
Bahco 396-LAP Laplander
Buy itThe classic bushcraft folder: a 190 mm blade, a lock that works both ways, and teeth for green and dry wood alike.
- 190 mm blade with XT hardpoint teeth at 7 TPI, rated by Bahco for green and dry wood, plastic and bone.
- Safety lock secures the blade both open and folded, so it cannot swing free in a pack.
- Two-component grip with a leather strap and a rust-protective low-friction coating on the blade.
- At 7.5 inches the blade is short for logs; you will stroke more often than with a 240 mm saw.
- Hardpoint teeth cannot be resharpened; when they dull you buy a replacement blade.
- The coarse 7 TPI cut is rougher than a fine Japanese blade, which shows on finished pruning wounds.
Side by side
The 7 criteria below are the ones our full comparison judged every product on, narrowed to these two.
| Silky Gomboy Professional 240 Our pick | Bahco 396-LAP Laplander | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | Backpackers, hunters and gardeners who cut green wood often and want the cleanest pull saw in the category. | Bushcraft, hunting and trail kits where a compact, lockable saw that shrugs off dry wood and occasional plastic or bone beats raw speed. |
| Price tier | $$$ · premium | $$ · mid-range |
| Blade length / teeth | 240 mm, 10 per 30 mm | 190 mm, 7 TPI |
| Teeth | Medium, non-set, induction hardened | XT hardpoint, green and dry wood |
| Open / folded size | 270 mm folded | Compact (not verified) |
| Lock | Locks in two sawing positions and for storage | Locks open and closed |
| Blade replacement | Replaceable | Replaceable |
| Materials | Chrome finish, impulse-hardened | Rust-protective low-friction coat |
| Best for | Clean cutting, green wood | Compact bushcraft and all-around use |
Which one is right for you?
Pick the Silky Gomboy Professional 240 if
backpackers, hunters and gardeners who cut green wood often and want the cleanest pull saw in the category.
Know before buying: with a 240 mm blade and a 270 mm folded length it is long for a backpack saw and feels oversized for small camp chores.
Pick the Bahco 396-LAP Laplander if
bushcraft, hunting and trail kits where a compact, lockable saw that shrugs off dry wood and occasional plastic or bone beats raw speed.
Know before buying: at 7.5 inches the blade is short for logs; you will stroke more often than with a 240 mm saw.
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the Silky Gomboy Professional 240 - The Japanese pull saw that every other folding saw is measured against: chrome finish, induction-hardened teeth, 10 teeth per 30 mm. Choose the Bahco 396-LAP Laplander instead if bushcraft, hunting and trail kits where a compact, lockable saw that shrugs off dry wood and occasional plastic or bone beats raw speed.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Folding Saws: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).