Australian Hiker

Weight 110 Grams

Cost $54.99

Sea to Summit Lightweight Pocket Folding Trowel

Single serve

Rating

Rating:	7.4 / 10
Value for Money	1.5 / 2.5
Durability	2.0 / 2.5
Ease of use	2.0 / 2.5
Weight	1.9 / 2.5

Sea to Summit Lightweight Pocket Folding Trowel Review

On any hike that I do I will always carry a ‘potty trowel’ unless I know that there are toilets located on the trail. It’s just not worth being caught out in the event that you need to go. Now I know that some people prefer to use the heal of their boot to dig a cathole but this method only works in soft friable soil. Try doing this on the Larapinta Trail and you will break your ankle (because of the rocks).

This is where carrying a trowel of some type becomes necessary. Now you can always just carry a garden trowel from home but these tend to be bulky and heavy for the most part so your best option is to stick with a dedicated hiking trowel that is lightweight and relatively compact.

One of the most commonly used trowels available at the moment is the Sea to Summit Lightweight Pocket Trowel. This trowel as the name suggests has a handle that folds (slides actually) into itself making for a very compact unit. Construction of this trowel is an aluminium alloy so while this makes this a robust unit it does add up with the weight. The trowel weights in at 110 grams (including the the storage bag) which is not overly heavy however there are much lighter weight towels on the market suck as the Deuce. In fact sea to Summit also make a plastic version of this trowel however I’m not a fan because it doesn’t cope well with very hard rocky soils so I aways recomend the aluminium version.

The trowel has a push button locking mechanism that clicks into place when you slide the handle out and it’s very easy to engage. It is a bit fiddly to unlock and pack up but I think anyone that doesn’t have big bulky hands would find this to be a much easier process.

The handle which is very comfortable to use when digging also doubles as a storage compartment and the image below shows the small storage bag that this trowel comes with. Sea to Summit suggest that you use this compartment to store toilet paper or a disposable lighter but really the choice is yours. You wouldn’t be able to store much toilet paper in there, at best a couple of days worth.

This trowel is available in most outdoor stores so should be easy to find and comes in a range of colours.

We Like

Compact and collapsable
Relatively Robust
Comfortable handle when digging
Handy little storage unit in the handle for toilet paper or disposable lighter
Relatively lightweight
Robust aluminium construction

We Don't Like

Not as lightweight as some options on the market
Slow going to dig holes in rocky soil
The handle can be fiddly to extend sometimes if you have big meaty fingers

Best Uses

A good space saving trowel for outdoor enthusiasts

Buy One

You can purchase the Sea to Summit lightweight Pocket Folding Trowel from Snowys, Wild Earth, or from Wildfire Sports

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