Small hole digger for Number 2's. Question.

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Small hole digger for Number 2's. Question.

Postby Alittleruff » Tue 01 Dec, 2015 5:01 pm

G'day.
Just a quick question. My current pooper hole digger is an old trowl from our garden, complete with wooden handle with butterflies drawn on :) LOL. Kids trowl, been re purposed.

Anyway, I'm trying to get my pack weight down so that I can carry all of my gear + all of gear for the lucky one of my children who I'll take hiking. After last weekend, I see only an advantage in reducing pack weight.

Currently- TP + Trowl + zip lock bag = 113g.

Suggestions welcome!
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Re: Small hole digger for Number 2's. Question.

Postby whitefang » Tue 01 Dec, 2015 5:04 pm

I use a spare tent stake, but if you're after a dedicated trowel then I'm not sure you can go lighter than the Ti Deuce Scoop. http://www.tiergear.com.au/11/online-shop/titanium-deuce-scoop
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Re: Small hole digger for Number 2's. Question.

Postby kitty » Tue 01 Dec, 2015 5:41 pm

http://www.kellyscamping.com.au/p/Kelly ... el/5989497
50g and fairly inexpensive.

Or Titanium Trowel as above.

Some people use blizzard stakes as a trowel (as per previous post) but they are not as easy to use. I know you go hiking with your kids so you gotta have something user friendly.

A good suggestion from this forum is instead of a roll of TP, take a few small packets of tissues. This is a good safeguard against an entire roll getting wet.
For example Kleenex Facial Tissues Soft Pack - not sure how much they weigh sorry.

(Edit - opps - Whitefang already replied you the exact same thing - modified my post)
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Re: Small hole digger for Number 2's. Question.

Postby stry » Tue 01 Dec, 2015 7:10 pm

Depending where you are, no trowel needed.

A pretty sanitary outcome (no pun intended) can often be achieved by applying a boot heel to a natural cavity or to the space under an overturned rock or stump. Maybe also use a stick, or as mentioned, some types of tent peg, to modify whatever is available.

Your garden trowel probably works better than the purpose marketed versions, but is heavier. The plastic ones are cheap and reasonably light.
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Re: Small hole digger for Number 2's. Question.

Postby Franco » Tue 01 Dec, 2015 7:45 pm

A snow/sand peg is very easy to use as a potty trowel if you use it this way :
Image
You dig as if using a pick not a shovel.
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Re: Small hole digger for Number 2's. Question.

Postby DaveNoble » Tue 01 Dec, 2015 9:43 pm

A few years ago I bought one of these -

https://backpackinglight.com/forums/topic/47684/

I bought the small one (about 12g - so very light). Not that cheap now (I bought mine when the exchange rate was a lot better). In a lot of places where the ground is soft - then you can make do with a stick or a heel, but in tough ground - then the trowel works very well.

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Re: Small hole digger for Number 2's. Question.

Postby ofuros » Wed 02 Dec, 2015 3:51 am

Similar to Franco's but with a DIY cut & shut foam & duct tape handle....http://www.wildearth.com.au/buy/msr-bli ... oCCqfw_wcB
Mountain views are good for my soul...& getting to them is good for my waistline !
https://ofuros.exposure.co/
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Re: Small hole digger for Number 2's. Question.

Postby walkon » Wed 02 Dec, 2015 9:23 am

whitefang wrote:I use a spare tent stake, but if you're after a dedicated trowel then I'm not sure you can go lighter than the Ti Deuce Scoop. http://www.tiergear.com.au/11/online-shop/titanium-deuce-scoop


I have the titanium trowel above and like it. It is really strong and has been multi tasked for various uses. Small and compact as well
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Re: Small hole digger for Number 2's. Question.

Postby Alittleruff » Wed 02 Dec, 2015 10:42 am

I was looking at the one that white fang, kitty & walkon suggested.
However, $29.95 + a whole lot of postage to Australia.

I was wondering what people thought About these- http://thetentlab.com/Deuce/orderDeuce.html
$20 + $7 for postage to get here. A tad bit cheaper, and very colorful. A little less weight at 17grams.

What do you think?
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Re: Small hole digger for Number 2's. Question.

Postby gayet » Wed 02 Dec, 2015 10:59 am

Its aluminium so not as strong as the Titanium version from tiergear. Bright colour is a benefit - less easily lost in the undergrowth. 5g less in weight - barely worth considering
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Re: Small hole digger for Number 2's. Question.

Postby stry » Wed 02 Dec, 2015 11:35 am

If your budget runs to $25/$30, just buy the TierGear titanium offering.
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Re: Small hole digger for Number 2's. Question.

Postby Alittleruff » Wed 02 Dec, 2015 12:35 pm

Ok! I just checked out the delivery costs on the titanium one form Tier Gear. $7.45. Not too bad really. $36.95 all up.... for a hole digger.
Might have to wait a while, until after Christmas. But I'll know what to get when I do go lighter on this item.

$36.95 for a gram saving of 73grams......... ummm maybe there is some other items that could be lightened to give me more bang for my buck.
Better put my thinking cap on.

Thank you!
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Re: Small hole digger for Number 2's. Question.

Postby Moondog55 » Wed 02 Dec, 2015 12:59 pm

Ve are too soon old und too late schmart
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Re: Small hole digger for Number 2's. Question.

Postby simonm » Wed 02 Dec, 2015 1:35 pm

I can post the ti trowel cheaper ($2) but it will not have any tracking, if it were to go missing, which whilst unlikely, has happened. Some people do request this option for the lighter, non bulky items.
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Re: Small hole digger for Number 2's. Question.

Postby Moondog55 » Wed 02 Dec, 2015 2:07 pm

I wish those little Deuce Scoops had another hole half way down, they would make very good snow anchors if they did
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Re: Small hole digger for Number 2's. Question.

Postby simonm » Wed 02 Dec, 2015 2:14 pm

The old version did have holes all the way down the handle.
Edit: I can also get in ti snow pegs, if people are interested.
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Re: Small hole digger for Number 2's. Question.

Postby Moondog55 » Wed 02 Dec, 2015 2:21 pm

Any idea why they were removed/ Cost to produce perhaps? Still a hole can be drilled if you have Cobalt bits
I really don't need any more snow stakes Really I don't
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Re: Small hole digger for Number 2's. Question.

Postby simonm » Wed 02 Dec, 2015 2:24 pm

I am not sure of the reason for the change, but I think it occurred prior to Dutch taking them over from Lawson.
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Re: Small hole digger for Number 2's. Question.

Postby Stevem1986 » Wed 02 Dec, 2015 4:48 pm

Have you looked at the gsi trowel. Its plastic but still sturdy with a slight seration on the edge to help dig, about 10 bucks from memory.

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Re: Small hole digger for Number 2's. Question.

Postby Mark F » Wed 02 Dec, 2015 8:12 pm

As this is the UL forum the answer is to not add weight by buying/carrying something extra - use a tent peg you already carry or find a pointy stick.
"Perfection is attained not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing more to remove".
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Re: Small hole digger for Number 2's. Question.

Postby nq111 » Wed 02 Dec, 2015 9:05 pm

Alittleruff wrote:I was wondering what people thought About these- http://thetentlab.com/Deuce/orderDeuce.html
$20 + $7 for postage to get here. A tad bit cheaper, and very colorful. A little less weight at 17grams.

What do you think?


I just got one of these - yet to try it in anger (next week). Looks good, and plenty stiff. Agree that it looks like it may be useful as a snow peg with some more holes

I have tried the tent peg / snow peg thing and found it too much work to dig a decent hole. Snow pegs I found are too thick (don't cut well) and most bend horribly on hard soil.
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Re: Small hole digger for Number 2's. Question.

Postby Alittleruff » Thu 03 Dec, 2015 6:48 am

simonm- Thank you! I will think about buying one in the new year. Right now, a poo trowel in a santa stocking doesn't rate well with the kiddlets... Lol.

Mark F- Thank you for your reply. It does make me feel very unwelcome in this section. I don't carry any extra tent pegs, and mine are nothing like the ones pictured. They are small, and used for my tent. I don't want to dismantle my tent to go to the toilet or if my children decide that they need to go. Keep in mind the reason why I want to go UL is not so that the pack I'm carrying is light, it is because I need to carry enough for at least two people. I thought people that do UL would be the best resource to have these kind of questions answered.

On another note- I wonder who calculates the weight saved verses cost scenario.
Eg. New trowel, weight saved 73g cost $30.80. Cost per gram saved = $0.42 per gram
Eg. New pack, weight saved 1100grams cost $199.50. Cost per gram saved = $0.18 per gram

Mmmmmm.... numbers can justify just about anything! :lol:
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Re: Small hole digger for Number 2's. Question.

Postby stry » Thu 03 Dec, 2015 9:36 am

Alittleruff wrote: Mmmmmm.... numbers can justify just about anything! :lol:


Now you're getting the hang of it. Unfortunately weight saving numbers are usually intersperserd with the symbol "$".

As someone who has carried both stuff for a toddler, and the toddler, I fully understand your motivation for weight saving. :)
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Re: Small hole digger for Number 2's. Question.

Postby Alittleruff » Thu 03 Dec, 2015 10:43 am

Thank you Stry :D
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Re: Small hole digger for Number 2's. Question.

Postby DaveNoble » Thu 03 Dec, 2015 11:25 am

Mark F wrote:As this is the UL forum the answer is to not add weight by buying/carrying something extra - use a tent peg you already carry or find a pointy stick.


And you would also not carry the weight of toilet paper. I did meet some walkers in New Zealand - who carried one roll per person per day! In many places it is possible to get by with natural products - such as ferns and leaves, and paperbark is always good. Remember that toilet paper is a relatively recent invention - it was not around 150 years ago, and humans have been around a lot longer than that -and made do somehow.

For a long time I have used sticks and rocks to dig holes. But this is not a solution in all environments - in particular the alpine environments found in Tasmania. On recent trips - I have been disturbed to find other walkers have been digging their holes is the softest ground around - and unfortunately this has been in campsites! And a shallow burial has resulted in their deposits being dug up by animals. The animals may eat the poo, but they seem to decline the toilet paper. As well - toilet paper seems to take a lot longer to decay than poo.

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Re: Small hole digger for Number 2's. Question.

Postby South_Aussie_Hiker » Thu 03 Dec, 2015 5:08 pm

The $ vs. grams thing.... Don't worry, you're not the first - and won't be the last.

I think there was a discussion about this a couple of years ago. Most ultra lighters were prepared to get down to about AUD $1 per gram saved.

That's becoming harder to achieve now with the current exchange rate.
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Re: Small hole digger for Number 2's. Question.

Postby corvus » Thu 03 Dec, 2015 7:49 pm

DaveNoble wrote:
Mark F wrote:As this is the UL forum the answer is to not add weight by buying/carrying something extra - use a tent peg you already carry or find a pointy stick.


And you would also not carry the weight of toilet paper. I did meet some walkers in New Zealand - who carried one roll per person per day! In many places it is possible to get by with natural products - such as ferns and leaves, and paperbark is always good. Remember that toilet paper is a relatively recent invention - it was not around 150 years ago, and humans have been around a lot longer than that -and made do somehow.

For a long time I have used sticks and rocks to dig holes. But this is not a solution in all environments - in particular the alpine environments found in Tasmania. On recent trips - I have been disturbed to find other walkers have been digging their holes is the softest ground around - and unfortunately this has been in campsites! And a shallow burial has resulted in their deposits being dug up by animals. The animals may eat the poo, but they seem to decline the toilet paper. As well - toilet paper seems to take a lot longer to decay than poo.

Dave

Interesting observation Dave wonder what our Ancestors used in their Urbane environment with no or little access to flora as wipes ? could well be a Masters Subject as to *&%$#! Wiping in the past :lol:
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Re: Small hole digger for Number 2's. Question.

Postby Mark F » Thu 03 Dec, 2015 8:11 pm

Mark F- Thank you for your reply. It does make me feel very unwelcome in this section. I don't carry any extra tent pegs, and mine are nothing like the ones pictured. They are small, and used for my tent. I don't want to dismantle my tent to go to the toilet or if my children decide that they need to go. Keep in mind the reason why I want to go UL is not so that the pack I'm carrying is light, it is because I need to carry enough for at least two people. I thought people that do UL would be the best resource to have these kind of questions answered.


I don't believe my post is at all an attack on you and I am not trying to make you unwelcome. My response to your question was not rude, derogatory or in any way offensive. As you posted your question in the UL section it deserved a UL reply which is accurate, realistic and answers your question from one point of view, that being a UL one. Your last sentence in the quote above seems to suggest that my response was reasonable.
"Perfection is attained not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing more to remove".
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Re: Small hole digger for Number 2's. Question.

Postby corvus » Thu 03 Dec, 2015 8:24 pm

Mark F wrote:As this is the UL forum the answer is to not add weight by buying/carrying something extra - use a tent peg you already carry or find a pointy stick.




A bit blunt Mark to a genuine newby request eh!!
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Re: Small hole digger for Number 2's. Question.

Postby corvus » Thu 03 Dec, 2015 8:34 pm

kitty wrote:http://www.kellyscamping.com.au/p/Kellys-Camping-and-Outdoors/coghlans-emergency-trowel/5989497
50g and fairly inexpensive.

Or Titanium Trowel as above.

Some people use blizzard stakes as a trowel (as per previous post) but they are not as easy to use. I know you go hiking with your kids so you gotta have something user friendly.

A good suggestion from this forum is instead of a roll of TP, take a few small packets of tissues. This is a good safeguard against an entire roll getting wet.
For example Kleenex Facial Tissues Soft Pack - not sure how much they weigh sorry.

(Edit - opps - Whitefang already replied you the exact same thing - modified my post)


10 Packet Tissues weight around 17 gm good for 20 wipes in my experience :)
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