I've browsed many posts on this topic in this forum and have seen a definite preference for the x27. After hefting the x27 and x25 at the store, I was considering the x17 (23"). I'm a 5' 7" 53 y/o lady. Used a 6 lb maul 20 years ago and am just getting back to splitting. Arm strength isn't my forte and the x27 felt pretty heavy to me. Am I making a mistake by going with the shorter ax? We buy our wood already split so it's not like I have a mountain of wood to get through. Still, we scrounged quite a few rounds and bigger branches of oak after the big Halloween blizzard here.