Needed Gear...THE TROWEL!

[busere]

So, I was looking for a trowel to add to my backpacking gear. I noticed that on all the camping gear sites they cost from $5 - $21. I thought this was a little steep. So I went to Walmart. In the gardening section they had poly trowels for $.99 MUCH BETTER! and they weigh almost nothing. Just thought I'd share. :D

[immortal_ben]

Re: Needed Gear...THE TROWEL!

I still just use a stick or a knife :P

[Hikenhunter]

Re: Needed Gear...THE TROWEL!

Sticks for me and then I throw a handful of leaves on top to help it deteriorate faster.

[Robert.R]

Re: Needed Gear...THE TROWEL!

I take my knife and carve out a hole in the ground and pull up an intact chunck of ground, then when i'm done just replace the chunk and move on. Never thought of using a trowel. I would almost think of it as extra weight, in another piece of gear to carry.

[Hikenhunter]

Re: Needed Gear...THE TROWEL!

I take my knife and carve out a hole in the ground and pull up an intact chunck of ground, then when i'm done just replace the chunk and move on. Never thought of using a trowel. I would almost think of it as extra weight, in another piece of gear to carry.

True, but a poly trowel weighs next to nothing and using your knife puts unneeded wear and tear on the blade.

[Awtted]

Re: Needed Gear...THE TROWEL!

i use an E.T. that I bought from a military surplus store

[Robert.R]

Re: Needed Gear...THE TROWEL!

Hiken, I've always had little nicks and such in my knife. Never been a big deal to me, since I use the same knife to clean fish, dress game and watever else I can find to use it for. I've carried the same good gerber knife my grandpa gave me, on all my outdoors trips. Maybe not the best thing to do with my knife but its what I've always done.
Awtted whats an E.T.? I'm not following.

[tplife]

Re: Needed Gear...THE TROWEL!

ET: Entrenching tool, a folding shovel. The current USGI version is really nice and usually a Gerber product. Not cheap, but worth every penny in my opinion. I want one of those in my trunk!

[Robert.R]

Re: Needed Gear...THE TROWEL!

thx tp. makes sense now, I have an old one w/case sitting in my closet that fits on this old military issue ruck sack I have.

[busere]

Re: Needed Gear...THE TROWEL!

The only problem with an ET, is weight. My polly trowel weighs...2-3 ounces and works just as well.

[Robert.R]

Re: Needed Gear...THE TROWEL!

Exact reason I quit carrying my ET. To much weight and didn't do anything I couldn't do with my knife. I might look around walmart see if I can't find a poly trowel. The girlfriend doesn't like using my knife much. Its one of those things I'm learning as we backpack more. Like the dog also gets to sleep in the tent, even when I don't.

[busere]

Re: Needed Gear...THE TROWEL!

I picked mine up at the Navy Exchange. But they should have poly trowels at Home Depot or Lowes for a $1 or 2. Mine was $.99

[Mike]

Re: Needed Gear...THE TROWEL!

So, you cats are bringing tools with you for the specific purpose of digging a poop hole?

In the anonymity of the internet, I confess that just two days ago, I pooped in the forest without digging a hole - just covered with leaves, sticks, dirt, and grasss. I don't think anybody will be the wiser.

[Bigdog57]

Re: Needed Gear...THE TROWEL!

Hehehe...... if the bears do it...... ;-)

I do usually carry a poly trowel too - much less bulk and weight on the bike. Or if I'm hunting, I have my old Kabar knife - digs a cathole as well as a trowel.

[Soled-out]

Re: Needed Gear...THE TROWEL!

On one of my first backpacking trips with my husband (AKA "I just use a stick"), I brought a trowel. He ended up using it quite a bit.