i've been splitting wood for years with a 3lb felling axe on a 28" handle. i place the wood up on a large round about thigh high. i'm so comfortable with this setup, that i could split a sliver in half without missing.
but i kept reading all of the glowing reviews on fiskars axes. so i went out and picked up an x27. spent a day splitting with it. and hated it. i couldn't get used to the balance or the plastic handle. brought it back to the store, and have since split many cords with my felling axe. maybe if i had kept it for a few weeks i could've grown to like it, but then i wouldn't have been comfortable anymore with my felling axe. i think muscle memory is an important factor in being able to split wood well.
if i ever do try one again, i'll go for the x25. if you know what you're doing, the axe doesn't ever end up near your feet.