Bushwalk Australia

Does anyone else dislike the typical orange plastic poo spades commonly sold at most bushwalking equipment shops?

I mean, I've learned to use them and rarely break them myself, but every time I take a newbie for a bushwalk, I have to give them a long lecture about how the only force they can apply when digging a hole is pushing straight down the handle. Anything else will snap the handle off. Most importantly - do not try to use the handle for leverage, as that is guaranteed to break it. Even after all the lecturing, newbies (who I love to take walking) still break them quite frequently.

As much as I hate these cheap platic spades, it is what I still carry and use. One of my mates takes a spade which is just a 20cm long piece of angled alloy. It's a lot stronger than the plastic spade, and will bend rather than break if attempting leverage, but it's quite painful on the hands when trying to push it into hard ground (could do with a flat plastic top on it, I think).

What do other people use? Do you like the orange poop-a-scooper, as I call it? Got another favourite tool to toil towards a toilet?

I use a small metal shovel, it's much heavier than a plastic shovel, but at least it won't break.
Keith

I use the same orange scooper, and a snow tent peg. Together they make a great team as you can use them like tongs to get the hole deep.
Never be without the snow tent peg for that job!

After many variations I only carry a large snow peg non bending and just a wee bit hard on the hands in these dry times

corvus wrote:After many variations I only carry a large snow peg non bending and just a wee bit hard on the hands in these dry times

I read that completely wrong at first... "just wee a bit"... since we were discussing toilet issues.

Son of a Beach wrote:

corvus wrote:After many variations I only carry a large snow peg non bending and just a wee bit hard on the hands in these dry times

I read that completely wrong at first... "just wee a bit"... since we were discussing toilet issues.

I thought that would get a response but if you did wee a bit on the ground b4 you started digging the task would be easier and your shorts would stay dry.
corvus

I carry a metal trowel that i have cut in half so that it is small but it still digs a good hole if required, and it won't break.

hmmm.... is that like a smal gardening spade? When you say cut in half, how do you mean? Cut the blade in half lengthways (off centre)?

The best one I had was made by as bloke in Launceston. Made from some sort of aluminum alloy it was bent a little like a snow peg but with right angle edges and a sharpened tip. You could really get some force behind it as a "stabbing tool" as it was about 25cm long and about 4cm wide. Perfect for the Walls of Jerusalem. Unfortunately it has gone missing so I am using a folding stainless steel mini shovel which is not bad but a bit heavy - around 300 gms. The orange ones are like many Supercheap tools, use once and discard!

It must not be rocket science to make a light weight, serviceable trowel.

yeah sort of, just cut the blade it self shorter but at a bit more of an angle than it was, it is about 10cm long in total, handle and all. and doesn't weigh much.

G'day All .
Sea to Summit have just released a new tool called the "Ipood" which really looks the goods so if any one has tried it please post as I would like a hands on ?? review.
Regards
corvus

corvus wrote::D G'day All .
Sea to Summit have just released a new tool called the "IPOOP" which really looks the goods so if any one has tried it please post as I would like a hands on ?? review.
Regards
corvus

played with one in store today. will buy it tomorrow. I had already spent $150 in one fell swoop...decided i should leave it...but on reflection i need a scooper...and i love this ones name. its light, strong and has a cool name...im sold

Please test it and post reply I need to purchase more gear and dont have one of these

iPOOD! and so should you!

Its light, its sturdy and although I've not used on walk yet but it digs a mean hole in my lawn....I really like the hollow handle which according to the label is for storing paper and a gas lighter for burning paper after wiping. The catch that hold the lid on this hollow handle is tricky to open even with warm hands...I imagine it will pose a real challenge with cold hands. This is the only thing i think could be better on the tool though. Its little nuylon bag is a nice touch, coming in the same colour as the spade itself it means you can put it straight back into pack without worrying about getting dirt on other items and easily identify it when needed by its bright colour. For $20 its probably on the cusp of my budget gear ideology but it really is very good and justifies its expense.

Hey TWF you have succcumbed to the lure of the gear what with lanterns ,ipoods ,flash gaiters, new hat what else is lurking in the background?? heck you are one up on me now with the poop scoop

haha yeah i knew that was coming. of all of those items though I only paid for the poop scoop...rest were paid for by others...ill take flash gear if its free

The other major item i have is the kovea...but i got it for nix as well.

Picked up a set of panniers for the mountain bike today. $75 for a pair of hard backed panniers that hold around 50litres combined is a good buy i rekon. Been working on bike all day. Almost got it all together. Am building two good bikes out of 5. After finishing the first bike nicely all i have left now is the cranks on second. All of this is in anticipation of a few days cycling around maria

Used the Ipood up at Lake Mackenzie, very rocky ground. Worked well. I like the idea of being able to put toilet paper in the handle, great for day trips in not having to remember to pack the toilet paper as well!

TWF-Hail Gerious Minor et tus Byciclumious wheelium con baskitiomo ,jees thats a good name aint it,kept the stove secret eh! dont matter how you got it or who paid for it it's still GEAR

Can somebody point me to a picture of this iPoop thing? I'm finding it hard to imaging a handle that will store enough paper (along with a lighter) to be of much use (and not a word from you, wotrack?!).

picture of the ipood thing.

iPood thing on ebay.

But I don't know what they cost in Tassie.

walkinTas wrote:picture of the ipood thing.

iPood thing on ebay.

But I don't know what they cost in Tassie.

Ah thanks... no wonder I coudn't find it... it's because I can't read. I was looking for iPoop, not iPood. doh!

Still doesn't look like much room for paper to me, though. But looks like a good spade.

Son of a Beach wrote:Still doesn't look like much room for paper to me, though. But looks like a good spade.

I guess that depends on whether you're a once-a-day or twice-a-day or three-times-a-day man.

the handle willl hold quite a bit...i rekon about 25 to 30 sheets of double ply...if you forfiet the lighter...which most of us carry anyway...the handle will hold more than enough for a few days crappin....

corvus wrote:TWF-Hail Gerious Minor et tus Byciclumious wheelium con baskitiomo ,jees thats a good name aint it,kept the stove secret eh! dont matter how you got it or who paid for it it's still GEAR

i did have an incredibly light fiskars hatchet too...was perfect for kindling...lost it in a swim i had once though. oh well.

taswaterfalls.com wrote:the handle willl hold quite a bit...i rekon about 25 to 30 sheets of double ply...if you forfiet the lighter...which most of us carry anyway...the handle will hold more than enough for a few days crappin....

Yeah, depends on how many days, and the nature of the individual gut. I had some bowel issues on the last walk I was on (and for the week beforehand). It was a lot more than twice a day for 6 days, unfortunately.

Serious question SOB have you any clue as to what caused your gut problem? water souce,food,bug picked up b4 you left home,Its important to all of us to be confident in our water source without the need to boil it .

corvus wrote:Serious question SOB have you any clue as to what caused your gut problem? water souce,food,bug picked up b4 you left home,Its important to all of us to be confident in our water source without the need to boil it .

I've no idea what caused it, as I'd been eating all the same food as my wife who didn't have it. It was entirely unrelated to the walk, as I had the problem for over a week before the walk started. I wasn't really sick... just had to go frequently, and usually suddenly. I bought 'wotrack?' some toilet paper for Christmas after using all of mine and most of his on our bushwalk.

Dire warning about keeping all your eggs in one basket .Single source TP in our frequently wet climate is fraught with danger ,having evidenced many a poor walker willing to part with most anything to have DRY TP .
My humble advice is purchase a pack of individually wrapped facial tissues you get 6 in a pack and 9 in a pkt they weigh BO and can be distributed throughout your pack and best of all if you pick the more expensive brand they are as soft as
P.S. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES IS IT ADVISABLE TO BURN YOUR TP in Tassie or I suspect else where in OZ just cover it up with your IpOOd.

I agree 100 percent Corvus. I put generous single serves of TP in small resealable plastic lunch bags, but now I will investigate the pre-wrapped 'soft' solution to pamper the derriere. My tip, always take twice as much as you think you need. At the very least you'll have something to trade when you meet those poor unfortunates with wet TP.

Used ipood first time out of my yard last night at lake gairdiner where we camped for NYE (happy new years all btw) and it worked a treat. was really hard compacted ground where we were but it dug up a storm. WE were car camping up there so had a whole roll of TP in the car...no need for individual sheets...btw anyone ever considered the wonderfully free KFC refresher towels