From darts to axes: The latest craze of axe-throwing in bars

A murmur goes through the bar when Aron Lack picks up something that would make a Viking warrior proud: a double-sided axe, nearly a metre long and weighing more than a kilo.

The muscular man, a recreational entrepreneur, lifts the axe and with a powerful swing, sends it hurtling into a wall, where it lands with a thud.

Escape rooms, black light mini golf, trampoline jumping - there are always new leisure trends in German cities.

The latest craze is axe-throwing bars. Here, patrons swap darts for axes, aiming at wooden targets shaped like tree trunks.

From the Vikings to Germany

Several companies offer this new axe-throwing experience. WoodCutter, a company spearheading the trend, has just opened a new location in Cologne.

Lack and his colleague Martin Dencker, managing director for Germany, showcase this traditional yet thrilling pastime.

"Axe throwing came from the Vikings via Canada to Europe and also to Germany," he explains. The new bar is located on the ground floor of a large hotel.

Already popular elsewhere

The United States and Canada have been gripped by the axe-throwing trend for quite some time, which isn't surprising given their strong lumberjack traditions.

So you might wonder: Could axe throwing work in Germany - a society known for its love of order and safety?

The sport is accessible to all, with a range of axe sizes and comprehensive safety measures, including fenced lanes and mandatory briefings.

Contrary to some stereotypes, axe-throwing is about finesse rather than brute strength, making it a popular choice for a diverse crowd, from stag parties to date nights.

Dencker refutes preconceptions and stereotypes. Women in particular are "extremely good" at throwing axes because it has nothing to do with violence.

"It's more to do with finesse and body movement," he reports. The axes are not weapons, but standard stuff from a regular DIY or home improvement store.

Still, he describes the double axe admiringly as "top class."

An analogue antidote to 21st-century digital leisure

In some metropolitan locations, people have been known to leave their desk jobs during their break to go to the bar to slam a few axes at targets in their business suits. Then, they return to work.

Hamburg futurologist Ulrich Reinhardt believes that the Viking hobby represents an "antithesis to everyday leisure activities" which he says revolve more around media use and activities done in the home.

Axe throwing is different, he says. There's the adrenaline it provides, but also the community when people post their axe activities on social networks. Despite its growing popularity, the hobby remains niche.

A safe mix: axe throwing and alcohol?

Axe-throwing expert Dencker, who is on a first-name basis with everyone in the room, says that drinking beer in the bar is a "side effect."

The rule is: You can throw as long as you are still allowed to drive. "However, when you've finished throwing axes, you are welcome to enjoy a beer."

For those looking to expand their skills, Dencker assures that the fun doesn't stop with axes: "If you can throw it, you can throw it here."

The range of throwable objects includes everything from coasters to playing cards and even spades.