Shovels, Folding

If you’re camping, backpacking or bugging out, a shovel has many uses. Can you live without one? Probably yes, but they make digging a depression or clearing a lumpy space to sleep in or on, fire pits, putting fires out, burying human waste and garbage easy.

Finding a durable, compact and light weight one is always a compromise. Normally light weight means a weak and not a robust shovel. A heavy one means a robust one but back packing it will cost you a lot of energy.

I have noticed two folding shovels that are popular today. One is the Glock Field Spade with a straight handle and the other is the (Gerber) Fiskars Folding Spade with a “D” handle.

The Glock is the lightest at 23.6 oz. but the light weight comes with a loss of overall strength. It folds up into a 10 inch long package.

The Fiskars weighs in at 36.5 oz. a better choice for durability and a more comfortable “D” style handle. It folds up into a 9½ inch package.

I like to look to Military Surplus for high durability hardware like a folding shovel. Myself, being from the Viet Nam era brings me to the Army Issued “1965, Pioneer Folding Shovel”. This is one stout folding shovel. Everything about it is extreme heavy duty. It’s all riveted construction, the hinge components are made from 3/16 thick steel, there’s nothing to fall apart or get loose and nothing to compare to it on the market today. A large easy to grip locking nut firmly secures the blade and/or pick ends in place.

The 1965 Pioneer is heavy and 52 oz and only the shovel head folds against the handle to an overall length of 20 inches. It also offers a ‘Pick’ end for working tuff ground, none of the others do. Packing this shovel may be more than you want but if a strong, compact shovel is needed in your plans then this is the one you should look into.

I found mine for $30 at a gun show. They can be found most anywhere Army Surplus is sold or at military/gun shows.

Here are some photo’s of the 1965 Pioneer Folding Shovel: