We have recently seen a number of friends posting pictures of an outing that we had never heard of before. You too may have seen these posts. The event? Axe Throwing.
As I began seeing more and more people I knew having participated in this unknown experience, I thought to myself, "If I never go axe throwing, I would be totally okay with that."
Ironically, Nazari had just blocked off a Sunday evening in our schedule for a surprise date. We were meeting up after separate activities, so he sent me the address and requested I not look up where we were going that evening ahead of time. He disclosed that my attire should be something "athletic" in the sense of it being what I would play ping pong or foosball in.
Well, on this rainy Sunday evening, I arrived at my unknown destination in Millvale, PA to none other than LumberjAxes Axe Throwing (in jeans and open toed sandals). I half laughed, half groaned to myself as I reluctantly got out of my car.
Naz's enthusiasm quickly got me more on board and I braced myself for an evening of throwing an axe at a target.
We arrived at the very end of the walk-in availability which ended at 7 (We were told that the closer we came to the 7pm mark, the better chance we would have of getting a "booth" to ourselves - which we did!)
It's a very straightforward process. You pay. You get your guide. You get your booth. And you get started! Our guide demonstrated the throwing technique for us, and then we dove right in and discovered axe throwing is an interesting blend of darts and bowling.
During our tutorial, we learned that axe throwing is a BIG deal in Canada, and has been slowly spreading to the US (and has even turned into a professional sport!). The Millvale location we visited just opened in September (which is likely why we are just now seeing friend's event posts), and is the largest axe throwing space on the eastern side of the country!
General, good to know info:
You must be at least 18 years old
You need closed toed shoes! Otherwise, just comfortable clothes that allow movement and range of motion
It's actually very safe (they assured me there have never been any casualties ;)
You get an instruction and practice session that goes over safety and technique as well as critiques your form which is SUPER helpful
Price:
$20.00 per person walk in rate for 1 hour
$35/per person in a group of 6-12
Note: Walk in Session are only available Wednesday and Thursday: 5p - 9p, ]and Sundays: Noon – 7p. Friday & Saturday: you can call or email for availability
For Groups of 6-12, you can make a reservation any day of the week between 11am-11pm.
PROS:
It's a lot of fun.
It's competitive
The people running it are awesome - great customer service!
It is BYOB. A beer would definitely be a nice addition to the rustic outing. (They enforce one drink per hour, which we applaud, as inebriation and axe throwing don't seem like a great mix....)
You get a little bit of a work out (definitely feel it in your upper back!)
It is great as a one on one date, but would also be a blast with a group
CONS:
If you are a walk in, it is not guaranteed that you will get your own booth and could be paired with other people (which for some, could be a pro!)
It's competitive. When I was missing the target a lot, it definitely got frustrating.
The hour goes pretty fast.
It's moderately pricey and doesn't include food or drink
Our verdict?
Lis: 7.5
Naz: 8
It was a ton of fun to do as a couple. We both got to try something new and it had just the right amount of competition. While neither of us discovered a new found passion to become a competitive axe thrower, we would both definitely do it again, but would add a meal before or after, and bring a beer or two.
You can check out more information and book your lumber jack experience here!
