Survival shovels

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rxavage

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Aug 16, 2014
Messages
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Any know of or can recommend a good shovel? I’m looking for one or 2 of quality. All my google search shows up are the same rebranded model.
 
rxavage said:
Any know of or can recommend a good shovel? I’m looking for one or 2 of quality. All my google search shows up are the same rebranded model.
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I have had the same Cold Steel shovel since the early 90s. I've used it to dig through snow, ice, snow berms, and every kind of dirt, soil, and clay. I only replaced the handle once in 25 or so years, and that was because my kids left it outside for a rainy week last year. It's a quality tool, it's worth keeping one in the car. It's heavy for packing unless you intend to do more digging than a trowel will handle. Though it's not an axe it can still cut branches and roots fairly well, which comes in handy digging through forested areas.

There were times when I wished for just a little bit more handle or head, and Cold Steel just came out with the Spetsnaz shovel, which meets both those criteria. I bought one and just put it through its first test fixing an irrigation pipe in an area too tight for a regular shovel. The edges on it are much sharper than I expected, call it axe sharp. It made short work of the root systems in the way, and I was happy with it overall. The Spetsnaz is less portable than the smaller Cold Steel shovel, but the work is a bit easier with it. Either one would be a good choice.
 
Looks like it’s the cold steel shovel. I was hoping there was a something a little more compact but it’ll have to do. Thanks fellas.
 
I usually have both the Cold Steel and a Glock shovel in my truck gear. The CS is tough as hell but sometimes you need the blade at a different angle.
 
If I were buying one, I'd get the Cold Steel version. I keep one of those little kids type shovels (downsized from regular shovels) in my my pickup all the time along with tow ropes, jumper cables, straps and so forth. It is there for emergencies. In the winter I change it to something flat and more appropriate for snow. In general, it never gets used but like a pliers based multi-tool, it is there should the need arise.

It would take a lot to push me into carrying a shovel hiking. I will have one car camping just in case but I carry a lot of stuff car camping.
 
I have a gerber shovel in the truck for emergencies. I also have a Becker BK 2 and a multitool in there as well. I have not used it except for testing. I have used the multi tool and BK 2 multiple times.
 
The glock shovel looks good. I’m wish there were more hard use reviews. I’d like to know how these things actual stand up to solid use.
 
I keep one in my trunk, comes in handy during winter months. I forget the brand. I'll probably buy the Cold Steel one and put my other one in my girls car. Definitely not a bad idea to keep one in vehicle if you get snow.
 
The trifold entrenching tool as used in Vietnam has a handle that is a loop with a grip at a right angle to the shaft. If you set the blade at a right angle to the shaft, the rig becomes very useful for pulling snow out from underneath a vehicle especially around the wheels.
 
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