Thom,
That trowel/spork combo you mention isn't far from another BPL'er comment. I wish I could recall who, but someone was talking about using the cookpot for a urine containment device instead of grabbing boots and a flashlight to take care of business in the middle of the night.
I'd say to search the forums, but that alone is worth laughing at.
Chris

Curious what you use when the ground is snow-covered and/or frozen solid?

> Curious what you use when the ground is snow-covered and/or frozen solid?

One Of Steve's carbon fibre /titanium ice axes!

cheers

I don't use or take a trowel.

I feel like I can dig a hole with a stick. So, I win the lightest rowel contest - it's zero!

> I feel like I can dig a hole with a stick.

I wouldn't think that would work too well in frozen soil even with a large, pointy stick, but I suppose you've managed to make it work.

From a woman's point of view, I'd have to agree that the Montbell trowel is sexy!

Ummm Mike, not above tree line. What would you use, a rock?

I made my own from sheet Ti. It don't weigh much. Got to put a rock on it so it don't blow away in the wind.

Works pretty good as a combo spoon, shoe horn and snow/sand stake.


My potty trowel.

Edited by redleader on 07/06/2009 23:16:25 MDT.

MSR Snow Stake for me. Light, durable, digs well around roots and rocks, and I didn't have to make it.

Sticks just don't work well enough in areas with roots and rocks, or else there just aren't stout enough one lying around that will do the job in the stuff I usually encounter.

This is on the heavy side (3.3 ounces) but after snapping one of the straight orange trowels in hard ground, I started using a Fiskars plastic garden trowel. Very durable and digs well. $4

The snow stake allows a little bashing with a stick or rock which virtually none of the other trowel options will endure. I wrapped mine with some light line to give some grip and protect my hands, not to mention giving an emergency line supply. A little duct tape would work too. If you really trash one they are cheap and 100% recyclable. In a pinch it can be used for a tent stake :)

I am with Pamela... I use a shaped stake (.4oz). Besides being a trowel it's used as a stake :-) I make it a luxury item by using a small plastic "t-joint" (.4oz) as a handle. This lets me press down hard without worrying that I will hurt my hand. The t-joint is also used to push in stakes when the ground is being troublesome. I found my stakes last longer this way rather than using a rock as a hammer.

--mark

Another stake user here. Mine is a 1-oz. aluminum semicircular stake left over from some tent or other many years ago. It works just fine. Since my dog also uses it (or rather, I use it for his leavings), he gets to carry it! Only fair since he does his thing twice daily while I need the stake only once a day.

I have also used my shoe heel or trekking pole points, but I've found that the stake is far more effective.

I've found that those cheap plastic trowels are completely useless unless the ground happens to be soft and soggy. After a month of no rain in Pacific Northwest summers, a plastic trowel won't even scratch the surface of the ground.

Here's my version...

MSR snow stake with CCF cushioning the handle (wrapped with cloth bicycle handlebar tape). Stronger, lighter and more comfortable than most solutions...and it can still be used as a tent stake!

34 grams on my scale (1.2 oz.).

I use a Montbell Trowell as well.

For snow I would consider a Coghlan's Back Pack Trowel.

I don't carry a trowel. I'm just selective about my choice of spots and use the back of the heel of my boot to dig a hole.

"I don't carry a trowel. I'm just selective about my choice of spots and use the back of the heel of my boot to dig a hole."

Spot on. Trowels are unnecessary, IMO/IME. A proper choice of smaller boulders works well, too. Roll them back and you've got a pre-dug cathole. Just roll 'em back in place when you're finished and carry on with your day. Also, below timberline a sturdy stick makes a good trowel.

Ah - bit tricky on alpine grasslands...

Cheers

My trowel is similar to Mike's - I just spent more time with my file ;-) It weighs 50 grams and now, thanks to suggestions here, has a hole in the handle so it can be used as a tent stake.