Folding shovel - Everything you want to know.

Why should I bring a folding shovel on my trip?

Unless you have completed military service or been on extended outdoor trips, you might wonder why you should bring a folding shovel and why it is as useful as it is.
In short, the answer is: it's the one tool a folding shovel is worth bringing on your trip.
Now, let me tell you why.
A folding shovel primarily has the advantage of being designed to fit in your pack, and many of them have multiple uses.
Like saws, mattocks, shovels, etc.

Here are 3 obvious reasons why you should bring a folding shovel on your trip.

1 - Relieve yourself on nature's behalf, but leave no trace.
When you're on a trip, whether short or long, you will regularly find yourself in a situation where you need to relieve yourself on nature's behalf.
When you're out in nature, there's a phrase you should keep in mind: ‘leave no trace’.
This applies in all respects. When you leave a place, it should look as much as possible like it did when you arrived.
For several reasons, you should bury your natural waste. First, neither you nor others want to encounter it again, and second, it also helps prevent the spread of diseases, etc.
A little tip: dig the hole before you sit down; there's not much fun in having to dig ‘that’ up afterward and then put the folding shovel back in your bag 😉

2 - Preparing the fire pit.
Here in Denmark, you can't just light a fire wherever you want; you must use the fire pits that have already been made for us, unless you are on the beach or have permission from a private owner.
But when you arrive at a fire pit, it can still be helpful to ‘clean it out’; someone has probably made a fire there before you, and it can be nice to remove the old remains before starting your own fire.
In many countries abroad, different rules apply; in many places, you are allowed to make a fire outdoors, so here a folding shovel is almost indispensable to bring on your trip.

3 - Set up camp - without sleeping on a lump of dirt.
A good night's sleep is essential to have the energy to enjoy your trip.
We've probably all tried to find the perfect spot to pitch our tent, only to discover it's as bumpy as a plowed field - Not fun!
The field shovel is truly BRILLIANT here, especially if you have one that can be adjusted in several ways.
The Glock Field Shovel, for example, has the advantage that it can be adjusted as a hoe, spade, and shovel (and much more), which gives you a great starting point to create an even surface so it’s comfortable to lie on your sleeping pad.

A field shovel is not just a shovel. 

Here at Survivalstore, we have several types of field shovels in stock, as well as spare parts.

Depending on what you need the shovel for and how often, we have both regular small field shovels with fixed shafts and large blades, or very small one-handed folding shovels that can be taken on even the shortest trips and are also perfect for a day in the garden or for your kids when building sandcastles on the beach.
Of course, we have our favorite field shovel, the Glock field shovel, which is clearly our number one recommendation if you want one that can do many things; it includes a saw, hoe, shovel, spade, screwdriver, and more all in one.

Field shovel, folding spade, folding shovel?

Any shovel can have many names, but what they all have in common from our stock is that they can all dig and are perfect to bring on outdoor trips.

We mostly associate the field shovel with the field and see it as a type of military equipment, whereas the folding spade and folding shovel are more commonly used at home in the garden, but don’t be mistaken, they all suit outdoor life.

Survivalstore’s favorite field shovel - Glock Field Shovel

As mentioned, the Glock field shovel is our favorite.

It can become incredibly compact, so it easily fits in your pack, and it can be used for many purposes.

It has an adjustable shaft, meaning you can extend it to different lengths.

You can adjust the angle of the blade so it can be used as a hoe, shovel, and spade.

- The blade is stopped in a profile that prevents it from bending when you put effort into the work.

- The Glock field shovel has a built-in saw.
So when you are well into the soil layers and encounter a large root, the field shovel has a coarse saw built into the handle (which attaches to the handle).
It is, of course, also useful if you want to build your own camp.

At Survivalstore, you can get all parts of the Glock field shovel as spare parts, so if you break a handle or damage the lock (although that’s unlikely, as it can withstand a lot), help is available here with us.

Survivalstore trivia: Did you know that Glock developed their popular field shovel before they started manufacturing firearms?

The (exciting) history of the field shovel/Linnemann shovel
-Did you know it has its roots in Denmark?

Since the field shovel was developed back in the late 1800s, it has become widespread especially among the military, in almost the entire world.
But did you know that a Dane is behind it?
Back in 1864, we had an infantry officer named Johan Linnemann (Mads Johan Buch Linnemann - born 1830).. He was a skilled company commander who came up with the idea that his infantry could greatly benefit from having a field shovel in the field.
With it, they could dig trenches, protect themselves in close combat, and it also had a saw and fascine knife; reportedly, they even used it as a frying pan. It served them in many ways.
Johan Linnemann had such great success with his field shovel/Linnemann shovel that he ended up getting a patent for it in Denmark and other countries beyond the borders, and opened a factory in Austria.

Throughout history and many wars, field shovels have saved millions of lives.

The most obvious use is, of course, burying waste to prevent diseases, something we might somewhat forget in our modern times.
But it has also protected and helped many soldiers by digging trenches, earth ovens, filling sandbags, etc.
The small compact field shovel has moved millions of tons of earth, so thanks to Johan Linnemann.

Although at Survivalstore we mostly focus on outdoor life rather than war, we are sure you will also benefit from having a field shovel on your next trip.