I use a long plastic shoehorn, about 18 inches, to put my shoes on. Reduces the amount of bending required and allows me to keep my shoes tied. I've always been inflexible and getting old isn't making it any better. Long shoehorn is a real luxury.

Shoehorn weighs about .8 ounces and can be used as a spoon. Doesn't work well for liquids but I can just drink the liquid part od my meals.

Although short compared to your preferred length the Montbell trowel makes a good shoehorn too.

Ok unless I get you wrong, you're suggesting of using the shoehorn as both a shoehorn and a spoon in which case I'm just gonna say what I'm sure everyone is thinking, Eww. I'm not sure I'd put my mouth on something my foot had touched, especially after hiking. Just my personal observation.

Joslyn,

I've only tested this at home and you may be right about the foot-in-mouth problem with dirty boots.

How about I change the shoe horn to "back-up emergency spoon" use?

Perhaps the other suggestion of trowel/shoe horn is more practical.

I am flexible on with my ideas. For example I have given up on my idea of hat/cereal bowl.

Daryl

See that's a great idea! I've always hated using a tent stake to dig a hole because of the lack of a bowl and that really solves that problem. Actually I'm starting to like that idea so much I may start carrying a shoe horn too, though I have less of a need for it as its intended purpose.

Though it's sad that the hat/bowl may never work...

My potty trowel/tent stake for loose soil is an SMC aluminum snow stake.

(No, I ain't a-goin' ta eat with the durn thang!)

I use my long handled titanium spoon as spoon, backscratcher, tick remover, and shoehorn.

[Cut a tiny triangle out of the tip of the spoon and you can catch up a tick whilst levering it up...never fails to get the whole tick, and I can reach any spot on my own body.]

Edited by steveflinn on 06/26/2012 00:08:03 MDT.

Shoehorn, Spoon, Sand Stake, Potty Trowel, SUL Titanium Multi-Tool. .24 oz.

Steve,

I don't have a lot of experience with ticks but would like to be prepared if I get one.

I modfied a plastic spoon per your suggestion. Is this close to what you are talking about?

Daryl