Sea to Summit Pocket Trowel (for toilet duties)

[widu13]

Wrap the end in black nasty or sniper tape, alternatively put some pipe insulation around the end. I've tried both and whilst the insulation was more comfy, just the tape slimmed it's profile. It will dig in the chalk of the South Downs. Tried and tested.

 

[ADz-1983]

can't buy that. Its aluminium, its thin, its narrow, its only 24 cm, its uncomfortable to hold, and is it a snow one ? it would fail soon after hurting your hand.

Well you're just wrong. I know of many people who use this exact stake without any problems. Some wrap end in foam as a handle. I just leave it as it is so can double up as a stake if needs be.

 

[Aussiepom]

For crying out loud! Just use a stick. It costs nothing and weighs nothing.

 

[Globetrotter.uk]

How about a GNP they come in bright yellow so you won't lose it, has a place for loo paper too.

http://www.chennaibest.com/cityresources/construction/gnp.asp:D

Sent from my KFTT using Tapatalk HD

 

[Jackdaw]

For crying out loud! Just use a stick. It costs nothing and weighs nothing.

But what about when you're caught out on the Moelwyns and there are no sticks?

 

[cbr6fs]

But what about when you're caught out on the Moelwyns and there are no sticks?

Or above the tree line, or in vast areas of the lake district, peak district, Scotland, Wales etc etc etc

Over here i've been hiking for 5 days and have not seen 1 tree in that time.

A stick is also pretty much useless even if you find one, as the hot weather here makes them extremely brittle.
Brittle stick + really hard gound = not much use

As i say i've broken several plastic trowels in the past.
It's not bad once you've broken through the top layer, but breaking through that is extremely tough.

As a rough idea on how hard and abrasive the ground is here, on a recent 3 day trip i had a stomach bug so "went" 3 or 4 times a day.
Digging with a MSR Groundhog peg meant i'd worn away the peg so there was no longer any evidence it ever had a point.
That's around 3cm of aluminium lost from abrasion.

Hence the Titanium

 

[Blaidd]

Alternatively........pack it in, pack it out. Then you don't need to dig holes. Double bagged and put in a DIY container like the 'big wall' climbers use. More than 2/3 nights might be a problem though, depending on your "personal circumstances"

 

[tombear]

Been using a u-dig-it for years and years, also use it with the metal detector, to make gullys around tents and for gardening. 'Just like the quality of construction, really. 'Just noticed someone's finally importing the u-dig-it lite version so will indent for one of those. The kids all have the Chinese copies and they work Ok, the handles sometimes close up when using them a lot in the garden and the pouches are shoddily made. I did add a Fastex buckle to the flap on mine as I don't trust the Velcro.

I used to use a MoD model D back before I knew better, did the job fine and never harmed it.

atb

tom

And yes if the did a u-dig-it in Ti I would get one, victim that I am.

 

[British Red]

I'm ashamed of you Tom

 

[cbr6fs]

Alternatively........pack it in, pack it out. Then you don't need to dig holes. Double bagged and put in a DIY container like the 'big wall' climbers use. More than 2/3 nights might be a problem though, depending on your "personal circumstances"

Best solution.
I usually pack out my toilet paper and the dogs poop any ways.

Only problems are if you get diarrhea it can get a bit sloshy, plus on multi day trips it tends to get a bit less convenient.

Been using a u-dig-it for years and years, also use it with the metal detector, to make gullys around tents and for gardening. 'Just like the quality of construction, really. 'Just noticed someone's finally importing the u-dig-it lite version so will indent for one of those. The kids all have the Chinese copies and they work Ok, the handles sometimes close up when using them a lot in the garden and the pouches are shoddily made. I did add a Fastex buckle to the flap on mine as I don't trust the Velcro.

I used to use a MoD model D back before I knew better, did the job fine and never harmed it.

atb

tom

And yes if the did a u-dig-it in Ti I would get one, victim that I am.

Tried that one Tom, found that on tough ground the handle kept folding in, plus mine was around 170g with the pouch.
140g extra (compared to my current trowel) isn't the end of the world, and if it worked well i'd probably not bother about the extra few grams.

But a heavier solution that doesn't work well just tends to irritate me :tapedshut

 

[cbr6fs]

I'm ashamed of you Tom

All banter aside, i do think it's a bit daft for others to judge peoples kit choice when they're not partaking in the same activities.

140 gram weight saving might sound a bit daft for your homesteading stuff, but when you're lugging around you tent, sleeping bag, stove, food, clothes etc saving 140g here and 140g there adds up.

Throw in 15+ mile days with over 1000m of ascent and trust me you'd be as much a weight weenie as me.
For me personally i find that much above 14kg total pack weight and it starts to get a bit of a chore, if i can keep my total pack weight below 12kg i find i can cover more distance/height and feel slightly fresher at the end of the day.

So it might sound funny compared to the weight of some the tools you use around your home, but the reality is Titanium is more abrasive resistant than aluminium and is stronger so thinner material can be used to make it lighter than stainless steel versions.

I've tried rocks, sticks, boot heels, plastic, stainless, tent pegs, aluminium solutions and for the ground here in Greece they're either difficult to find above 1300m or they just don't work.

So although i enjoy the banter, there is some sound experience and thinking behind what might at fist glance seem a ridiculous choice.

 

[tombear]

I must have a good un as its never folded up on me in 9 years, whaling it into baked ground and using it as a lever! I will admit that I don't carry it if I'm going light weight but since I'm mainly on day trips these days it don't signify. In use I've found all the pressure of digging forces the thing open. Same as I've never had a penknife close on me ( except once when I didn't use the ring on a opinel , but that's more of a case of bad technique with a lock knife ). Each to their own

atb

Tom

 

[janso]

I've found a purpose made shovel like a 'U dig it' invaluable for multi day ventures; why carry out when it's completely feasible to bury body waste unless you still think you're manning forwards obs posts or still on long range recces!!
As long as it is buried and not just covered, seen it a few times in Scotland when the snow has melted and there's lots of deposits melting at the base of crags, etc!
And toilet paper? Burn it in said hole folks!


Sent from my hidey hole using Tapatalk... sssh!

 

[ADz-1983]

All banter aside, i do think it's a bit daft for others to judge peoples kit choice when they're not partaking in the same activities.

140 gram weight saving might sound a bit daft for your homesteading stuff, but when you're lugging around you tent, sleeping bag, stove, food, clothes etc saving 140g here and 140g there adds up.

Throw in 15+ mile days with over 1000m of ascent and trust me you'd be as much a weight weenie as me.
For me personally i find that much above 14kg total pack weight and it starts to get a bit of a chore, if i can keep my total pack weight below 12kg i find i can cover more distance/height and feel slightly fresher at the end of the day.

So it might sound funny compared to the weight of some the tools you use around your home, but the reality is Titanium is more abrasive resistant than aluminium and is stronger so thinner material can be used to make it lighter than stainless steel versions.

I've tried rocks, sticks, boot heels, plastic, stainless, tent pegs, aluminium solutions and for the ground here in Greece they're either difficult to find above 1300m or they just don't work.

So although i enjoy the banter, there is some sound experience and thinking behind what might at fist glance seem a ridiculous choice.

Well said!

 

[petrochemicals]

never really had a problem with a fixed trowell, you can get them in aluminium too. The ti one looks a little feeble and flimsy, I stand to be corrected.

 

[Aussiepom]

Or above the tree line, or in vast areas of the lake district, peak district, Scotland, Wales etc etc etc

Over here i've been hiking for 5 days and have not seen 1 tree in that time.

A stick is also pretty much useless even if you find one, as the hot weather here makes them extremely brittle.
Brittle stick + really hard gound = not much use

As i say i've broken several plastic trowels in the past.
It's not bad once you've broken through the top layer, but breaking through that is extremely tough.

As a rough idea on how hard and abrasive the ground is here, on a recent 3 day trip i had a stomach bug so "went" 3 or 4 times a day.
Digging with a MSR Groundhog peg meant i'd worn away the peg so there was no longer any evidence it ever had a point.
That's around 3cm of aluminium lost from abrasion.

Hence the Titanium

Granted, there may be occasions when a stick is unsuitable or unavailable. I was merely posting in generic terms, since the OP wasn't specific about the location. For those few occasions, (maybe not so few in your chosen place of travel), when a stick won't suffice, I think I'd still rather improvise than carry a trowel.

 

[ADz-1983]

Granted, there may be occasions when a stick is unsuitable or unavailable. I was merely posting in generic terms, since the OP wasn't specific about the location. For those few occasions, (maybe not so few in your chosen place of travel), when a stick won't suffice, I think I'd still rather improvise than carry a trowel.

I would rather carry a trowel.

When I need to go I need to go and you won't find me messing around trying to find a suitable stick and then trying to dig a hold with it. I just grab my trowel and make a deposit. Nuff said.

 

[cbr6fs]

Granted, there may be occasions when a stick is unsuitable or unavailable. I was merely posting in generic terms, since the OP wasn't specific about the location. For those few occasions, (maybe not so few in your chosen place of travel), when a stick won't suffice, I think I'd still rather improvise than carry a trowel.

You get similar temps in many areas of Aus, i'm sure you must have hard packed ground as well in many areas?

As i say i've tried many solutions, biggest problem i have with trying to find something to dig a cat hole with is, when i want to "go" i really really really don't want to be faffing around looking for a stick or trowel shaped stone.

I keep my toilet bag in the side pocket of my rucksack, when i get the urge i look around for a appropriate spot, drop the rucksack, grab my toilet bag, dig a hole, fill it with a bit of water and drop the kids off in the pool.
I then fill it in again using the trowel and place a stone on top.

No messing about and a few mins from start to finish.

One word of caution though, if you have to "go" in the morning and you're not on the highest ground, always glance upwards.
It tends to be a bit errr off putting when your crouched trousers round ankles and the local hang gliding club decide to fly above you

 

[cbr6fs]

never really had a problem with a fixed trowell, you can get them in aluminium too. The ti one looks a little feeble and flimsy, I stand to be corrected.

In my experience is absolutely pointless judging a item as "feeble and flimsy" 100% from a picture.
Fortunately my main criteria is how it performs rather than how it looks in a photo.

With regards to real world performance, (rather than forming an opinion from a picture) i can say so far so good

 

[presterjohn]

I guess if every bit of weight counts then they are a viable option. I am not hardcore enough to have needed anything more than my plastic trowel so far. Spending £20.00 would make me weep a bit though.