|  |
| Customer Reviews: | | Average Customer Review:
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.
 Pretty good Aug 30, 2010
It's easy to say the shovel is perfect before using it in the real world, and I probably would have.
But after using it on a beach camping trip, I can't say it is perfect. First off, there are three different mechanisms in this shovel. The first is the telescoping handle. The second is the rotating shovel head. The third is the threaded lock so the shovel stays firm. All of these mechanisms work well if the shovel is clean, but after being used in a sandy condition, they deteriorate quickly.
The telescoping action grinds and is difficult to move. The other mechanisms have similar problems and there is no easy way of cleaning them out. Even after washing them out with water there is still grinding, and the shovel isn't meant to be disassembled. Maybe the tolerances are just a little too tight in this shovel.
The other thing that maybe is more annoying is the paint has already come off of the head of the shovel. This is just one weekend in sand, and it wasn't used in rocks or anything hard.
I still think it is a good shovel, but a simpler shovel might be in order for sandy situations.
 disappointed Aug 25, 2010
I read other reviews of this product and was excited to purchase it. What a piece of junk! It arrived already rusted from the interior bolts, the bolt that allows it to collapse was barely rotating around the threads and the teeth were fragile enough to break off in my garden dirt. It was complete junk.
For camping Aug 18, 2010
Handy mini-shovel for camping and backpacking. Very good quality for a great price. The back of the shovel also has a flat spot for pounding stakes. Comes in a handy bag. Would definitely purchase again.
4 of 5 found the following review helpful:
 Great shovel, Im happy, but better out there Jun 11, 2010
This is a great shovel, great price. Seems high quality. I use it around the campsite quite a bit. I have not dug anything more than a firepit with it, and wouldnt recommend digging any more than that with it. Great for clearing 'stuff' away for your tent placement, building or emptying a fire pit, that kind of stuff. Fits nicely in a pack too.
I hate doing this, but this is the #2 ranked shovel Ive owned, there is another, much better one out there. It is made by Glock. Yes, Glock, the people who make the pistols. Glock, Inc. started by making knives and shovels for the Austrian military, and the shovel and knife pre-date their pistols by several years. The knife, not so good, the shovel is AWESOME. Lightweight, sturdy, simple, folds up very small, even has a nice saw hiding inside the handle. While they are HARD to find, ordering one from a specialty store will be worth your while.
The Gerber shovel is great, no complaints, but its still ranked #2 in my book. One advantage, it costs about 1/2 as much as the Glock shovel.
3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
Excellent Little Pack Shovel Apr 01, 2010
This is a great and useful pack shovel and I've been really happy with it. It packs down extremely small and comes with a nice, heavy bag with drawstring and cord lock. You could easily stow this thing under the seat of your car or truck. The folded dimension is approx. 4.75" wide X 8" long. Unfolded, it becomes 15.75" long, so it really is a small tool and the handle gives you limited leverage. It is heavy for its size and is well made. Though the handle is plastic, it seems durable enough. The blade is stout and is not likely to deform from use. (anything is possible, of course!)
The blade is not sharpened, but I prefer this anyway; the edge of the blade can easily take an edge from a large metal file, grinder, or grinding wheel, if that's your preference, but I find it just dulls too quickly anyway and makes it unnecessarily dangerous. The dimensions of the blade itself are about 4.75" X 6". It is tapered to a nice point, is slightly cupped, and has a folded-over edge at the top in case you wanted to give it some oomph with the heel of a boot. It has a hammer function for use on tent stakes and such and is actually capable of performing that task without distorting or otherwise breaking the tool, unlike some other camp shovels I've used in the past. This one is heavy and well-made.
That said, this is an excellent and useful tool for car camping, camping with larger groups (where you have more backs to carry heavy little goodies like this), and for winter or desert duty with your vehicle where you may find a small shovel useful. (It's small enough to leave under the seat and forget it until you really need it, versus forgetting to take a larger shovel that you wouldn't otherwise carry all the time) When I'm backpacking, however, this baby is way too heavy. Instead, I take along a much smaller, lighter plastic trowel for sanitary duties.
|
| | |
Big T Calendars is UpFront
