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.