If you are really new to hawks then the wood-handled ones are a great way to see if you like them before dropping $150-250. Steer clear of the synthetic handle ones, though, if you want to throw; it sounds like they can randomly break and you can't easily make a new handle. The full tang, metal hawks handle a bit differently than ones with metal heads, so decide what you want it to do. I have a Tops Wolf Pax that I carry and use in the woods, and I quite enjoy it. I use a Boker Tomahook that I bought because of its eccentric look, and it was a real dog until I ditched the pathetic factory scales and hardware and made some wooden ones. Now I happily use it to prep wood for carving and occasional random destruction. If I was going to buy another, I am curious about the Rune because I want an RMJ hawk but can't justify the cost.