Back Packer's Trowel

Simple, Lightweight, and Surprisingly Tough for Its Price The Coghlan’s ABS plastic trowel is one of those classic pieces of budget outdoor gear that just quietly does its job. I originally picked it up as part of my backpacking kit years ago, and it’s since become a permanent item in both my camping bin and garden tool bucket. At just 2 ounces, it’s impressively light—barely noticeable in a daypack or hiking pouch. The handle has a decent ergonomic curve, and the plastic feels durable enough for soft to medium soil. It’s not made for prying rocks or digging through compacted clay, but for campsite chores like digging a small cat hole, clearing ashes, or scooping loose soil, it works beautifully. I’ve used it in both dry desert terrain and damp forest ground. As long as you use it properly (not forcing or twisting in rocky soil), it holds up well. The bright orange color is a smart touch—you won’t lose it in the grass or under leaves. I’ve even kept one in my car emergency kit and another in the garden for quick planting jobs. Where it shines most is simplicity: no moving parts, no rust, no weight penalty, and if you somehow break or misplace it, it’s cheap to replace. Bottom line: A lightweight, inexpensive, and dependable camp trowel that’s perfect for backpackers, gardeners, or anyone who values minimalism. Not built for rocky soil, but unbeatable for light digging and general outdoor use.

I debated back and forth on getting a stainless or titanium backpacking trowel, but we usually don't stray too far from civilization, so hard to justify their cost. This one on the other hand is lightweight, easy to use, the handle is comfortable enough, and if it gets lost or damaged, it's affordable enough to replace without missing a beat. We are mostly using it to clear out the big fire ring at the campsite, and for picking up our dog's "presents" when we're on a trail. Size-wise, it's a bit big, but I like that other reviewer's idea of giving it a "trim" if needed.

Very cheap emergency option, weighs nothing, leave in the pack and forget about it until you need it.

Great for backpacking. It is very lightweight and cost effective. It's not tiny, which is unfortunate and might be a problem if you are very intent on minimizing space for your pack. However, its shape makes it so you can put it in just about any pack, along the side (it's nice and slim). It's sturdy for being so lightweight, which I love. So it's a decent way to cut ounces of your pack, if you're going for lightweight backpacking. The quality isn't amazing (it is plastic, after all) so if you want something that will dig through rock or ice, maybe this isn't the tool for you. This has worked for me on hard, dry, well packed dirt, though.

Does the job. It’s solid and light

I am a backpack hiker/camper. I do not consider myself an "Ultralighter" though I do very much appreciate quality backpacking gear that is ultralight. Some simple things like this, for me anyway, can absolutely be ultra light weight. This backpacker's trowel I think fits the description of ultra light weight. While you can indeed buy a sturdier, more resilient trowel, you will also not only pay a lot more but also take on more weight. Let's face it most of us will only use this to dig our cat hole for #2. This trowel is more than adequate to dig your 8" hole unless you are dealing with frozen ground or solid bedrock. What other trowel out there is going to dig through that? This item is really a no-brainer. For the price, just get two. Who cares if you lose it or it somehow breaks after a few uses. In my opinion it's more than worth the price and the weight.

If you only think about price, this Canadian-made trowel outfights every other trowel I've seen. It's amazingly sturdy for a plastic trowel and it has really sharp edges as well! The only downside is that is not as portable or lightweight as the fancy bagpacking trowels out there, but for the price of one of those you can buy a lifetime supply of these!! About 5, because they are STURDY. OH! I'm a gardener as well so I bought one for my yard as well and I can say that it holds great too! Stones will mess up the edges a little and with time it will get blunt but nothing that some creativity (for sharpening it again) or another trowel won't fix (if it wasn't clear, they aren't expensive) After using it I'd like to add, you wont be forgeting this trowel in the middle of the woods because this thing is BRIGHT! Amazing color specially if you're like me and you sometimes forget things at the camping site

I purchased this to dig around in raised beds filled with potting soil. It had problems with the larger clods, and I really don't see it working to dig in heavier soil. I think, because it is a straight build, I found it difficult to hang onto. For the hikers that stated that it was a great tool, I am glad it works for them, but personally, I don't believe it is strong enough or durable enough to dig in hard ground. I wouldn't recommend or repurchase