Trail Shovel

Jeepman56 · **Posted:** Wed Nov 21, 2007 11:31 am

I am looking for a dependable trail shovel that I could also use for camping. It must be able to fulfill a variety of tasks including extracting my Jeep from snow and mud to digging fire pits. Size is not an issue as I can mount it on my roof rack. Just wondering what you guys use for this or would suggest.

I looked briefly and found this...
http://www.arrowheadtradingpost.com/campoutdoor.html?src=overture&OVRAW=folding%20pick%20shovel&OVKEY=folding%20shovel&OVMTC=advanced&OVADID=2016688021&OVKWID=18970011021

specifically...
http://www.arrowheadtradingpost.com/images/foldshovel.jpg

daspes · **Posted:** Wed Nov 21, 2007 11:54 am

Same style that I was issued and still use. Great for convenience due to its size, however believe me it can be back breaking if you have to do any serious digging with it.

dog_party · **Posted:** Wed Nov 21, 2007 12:11 pm

I have a three-stage folder for hiking/biking/canoeing camping. But for Jeeping, I have a spade shovel (rounded tip) with a D handle like this...

Trust me, your back and hands will lift you up in praise if you ever have to dig a lot of sand. Like you said, space is not an issue for Jeep camping. Keep the folder for hiking.

I like the type that has foot treads and a non-wood shaft. The foot treads allow you to dig into a wider range of material. And the non-wood shaft is just a little more maintenence-free when mounted out in the weather.

Jeepman56 · **Posted:** Wed Nov 21, 2007 2:18 pm

Thank you very much for the input so far. Just wondering though, the folder has the pick option, I could see how that would be usefull but i am new to off roading so I am not sure if it is necessary?

JeepinMaxx · **Posted:** Wed Nov 21, 2007 2:54 pm

Jeepman56 wrote:

Thank you very much for the input so far. Just wondering though, the folder has the pick option, I could see how that would be usefull but i am new to off roading so I am not sure if it is necessary?

The pick can be helpful around camp

I've been checking out the Hi Lift Hand-All multifunction tool

KeswickDave · **Posted:** Wed Nov 21, 2007 2:55 pm

I have one which appears to be identical to the one you posted with the pick... I would tend to agree with dog_party, it would not be much fun to do any serious digging with it, and I'll add that given the length of the shovel and the guage of the steel, I don't know that the pick would be of much use either.

It does however fit into the box I keep permanently in the Jeep, so I always have it if needed. I would be tempted to take a "real" shovel/spade on a more adventurous trip though.

Dave

itsajeepthing · **Posted:** Wed Nov 21, 2007 3:05 pm

Jeepman56 wrote:

http://www.arrowheadtradingpost.com/campoutdoor.html?src=overture&OVRAW=folding%20pick%20shovel&OVKEY=folding%20shovel&OVMTC=advanced&OVADID=2016688021&OVKWID=18970011021

I had the pick shovel shown in your link as well. The handle is not strong enough for digging in hard soil or breaking through small roots. It snapped on my last camping trip. I'll def. be buying something stronger.

dog_party · **Posted:** Wed Nov 21, 2007 3:12 pm

purl=http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=13480&memberId=12500226]This is the Tri-fold camping shovel that I have.[/url] It's a great little emergency/packable shovel. But it's only with me when I can't logically take the bigger stuff. A folding shovel is not something that you want to PLAN to use. It's something you want to have with you in the emergency situation that demands a shovel. The single-fold wooden handle one is not my favorite because the wooden handle can break (see above), and the pick is virtually useless because the length and weight of the thing aren't condusive to "picking."

I'm digging that Hi-Lift Hand-All multifunction tool (please pardon the pun). Thanks for posting that up!! I have to do some more research on that!

KeswickDave · **Posted:** Wed Nov 21, 2007 3:20 pm

itsajeepthing, did you get yours at Canadian Tire too? I'm getting this feeling you're following me... you're not outside the office right now or anything, are you? ;-)

That Hi-Lift set looks sweet. A quick search puts it in the $140-$160 range - steep, but might be worth it for the serious expedition vehicle!

Landy · **Posted:** Wed Nov 21, 2007 3:51 pm

$8.99 at Home Depot which is good if someone steals it. It has a vinyl covered handle and mounts nice to the roof basket mounts. A small shovel will do in a pinch but it will work you 1/2 to death.

itsajeepthing · **Posted:** Wed Nov 21, 2007 5:27 pm

KeswickDave wrote:

itsajeepthing, did you get yours at Canadian Tire too? I'm getting this feeling you're following me... you're not outside the office right now or anything, are you? ;-)

lol thanks for the chuckle! Yeah I sure did. Crappy Tire special :wink:

By the sounds of things, we may be needing this kinda shovel by sometime tomorrow:

Tokyojoe · **Posted:** Wed Nov 21, 2007 7:43 pm

Landy wrote:

$8.99 at Home Depot which is good if someone steals it. It has a vinyl covered handle and mounts nice to the roof basket mounts. A small shovel will do in a pinch but it will work you 1/2 to death.

Wouldn't you want your shovel head pointing forward? Here's why I say this. If the brackets/clamps came loose, the shovel could slide through and then slam into the vehicle behind you , if on the highway. With the shovel head pointing forward, it wouldn't slide through and would probably make a lot of rattling noise and give you time to pull over and fix before the clamps gave way completely.

Just my thoughts on this. If I am looking at this wrong, please correct me.

snowsport · **Joined:** Tue Oct 18, 2005 11:52 pm **Posts:** 1211

If you have enough room to store a full size spade, get one of those. If you ever have to do any serious digging, those little foldable camping shovels will just p1ss you off. I carry a regular spade and lay it crossways in the cargo bay. I've had to use it twice and I would not want anything smaller to move dirt with.

Landy · **Posted:** Wed Nov 21, 2007 8:02 pm

I thought the same thing and it would make a nasty torpedo wouldn't it. Now that you've got me thinking about it, I think I'll mount a safety cable to it.

All the pics that I have seen show the shovel mounted as I have it and the one caption I read somewhere said the wind would catch the blade with it pointed forward. Plus, not all roof baskets have the little loops like the OEM Mopar does. BTW, I do check those brackets often, I've never had one come loose and the chance of both of them coming loose at the same time? Some ding-dong could loosen them for you while you're in a parking lot.

Great topic. So, what's the best way to haul a shovel on your roof basket, pointed forward? Or pointed to the rear?

Hi-Lift's are supposed to be mounted on the passenger side (USA) so if the fall off, odds would be they'd go off the edge of the road. :shock:

Hi-Lifts however mount with the weight to the rear, similiar to the way I have the shovel in the pic.

Could you imagine one of those heavy things coming at you 65 mph?

RkyMtnKJ · **Posted:** Wed Nov 21, 2007 8:10 pm

you can pick up some good ones on at the military surplus stores in your area...i have a really nice wooden handle 3-n-1 shovel thats only about 14 in. long and is foldable to a shovel, pick, and spade...and only 20 bucks..really great build quality as well

C co Crusader 2/127 · **Posted:** Thu Nov 22, 2007 2:33 am

just go with the military e-tool(entrenching). From personal experience the thing is indestructable and has more the just one use. you can use it as an ax in either the straight or 90 degree config, shovel(didnt really have to mention that), pan for cooking, hammer, baseball bat, golf club, tie down point for almost anything, pick, chisel, paddle, machette, im sure there's more than that but those are the things ive used it for. AN like i said its indestructable. Out of all the things that i actually used in the field while i was deployed that and my rhino 130 are the only things that lasted the entire year. I went through 4 cameras, 3 60-80 gig mp3 players, 4 pairs of oaks, part of 1 m16, 4 pairs of boots, 3 cell phones, 2 xbox 360's, 2 psp's, 2 laptops(one was a squad issue one i bought), 4 hmmwv's, well anyway you get the picture. Besideds a bit of matte black paint now and again its worked like it was brand new everytime. Ive got one im my camping gear and another in y truck and my wife's car.

C co Crusader 2/127 · **Posted:** Thu Nov 22, 2007 2:33 am

just go with the military e-tool(entrenching). From personal experience the thing is indestructable and has more the just one use. you can use it as an ax in either the straight or 90 degree config, shovel(didnt really have to mention that), pan for cooking, hammer, baseball bat, golf club, tie down point for almost anything, pick, chisel, paddle, machette, im sure there's more than that but those are the things ive used it for. AN like i said its indestructable. Out of all the things that i actually used in the field while i was deployed that and my rhino 130 are the only things that lasted the entire year. I went through 4 cameras, 3 60-80 gig mp3 players, 4 pairs of oaks, part of 1 m16, 4 pairs of boots, 3 cell phones, 2 xbox 360's, 2 psp's, 2 laptops(one was a squad issue one i bought), 4 hmmwv's, well anyway you get the picture. Besideds a bit of matte black paint now and again its worked like it was brand new everytime. Ive got one im my camping gear and another in y truck and my wife's car.

C co Crusader 2/127 · **Posted:** Thu Nov 22, 2007 2:34 am

forgot to mention that its about half the size of your average box of cereal too so it fits almost everywhere

dog_party · **Posted:** Fri Nov 23, 2007 9:59 am

You should mount the shovel with the head at the rear, like you have it Landy. Gear should be secured so as not to fly forward in the event of a collision as much as, if not more than, it's secured against the forces of the wind that you're driving through.

Being able to tie it down uber-securely is actually one of the reasons that I'm a big fan of the D-handled spade shovel for trail use. It's a bit shorter, and it has that nice big hole in it to run security cable through it.

callaway · **Posted:** Fri Nov 23, 2007 8:34 pm

wouldnt a flat headed shovel be better for moving snow/sand?

like the guy on the bottom...

seems like the pointed shovels would be better at digging holes, but for moving material the broader head would be best. maybe?

Trail Shovel

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