Looking for a new E-Tool.. Recommendations?

[asmo]

So I went crawling around my basement today looking for my old E-tool and it looks like it grew legs. Oh well, didn't much like it anyway.

Any recommendations on a solid/real-world use, folding, e-tool. This will go in the back of my truck (bed). Does Ames still make the one for the .mil?

[mcantar18c]

I don't know who made ours, but a standard issue one should be just fine. I used mine to hit things with it's edge way more than to dig anything and I never broke it.

[Brian]

Yeah you can't beat the old Ames, assuming you actually want to use the shovel. There are a lot of options out there now, but the general consensus is that most of the newish ones are somewhat likely to break under any serious use, right at the point where the shovel head attaches to the arm. I decided most of the Gerber/SOG/Coleman/etc. stuff on Amazon wasn't worth risking it. I do have a $10ish folder in a camping box somewhere that I've used a couple times, but nothing serious, and it's main benefit was it was a lot smaller than the normal folders.

Anyway, I lost mine a while back too, and looked for quite a while for a deal, but ended up deciding that the ames options on ebay were the way to go. I think I paid maybe $25 for a barely-used Ames.

If it's only for the truck and not a bag, and you don't really need a folder, you could get one of those small cold steel shovels. Those are supposed to be pretty darn nice.

[spongejosh]

I just bought one off Amazon (not actually sold by Amazon) for the car winter kit. It's the real deal heavy Ames one. Appears to be new, no scratches or marks on it.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004SOPJG4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[earplug]

For the back of a truck, get a regular shovel. Cut and reshape the handle if its to long.

[hurley842002]

This is what I carry, and it fits just fine behind the back seat of my double cab Tacoma.

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/01/05/92690f8ebf9c929a9a0f20880f1baf6d.jpg

It's just a bit longer than an opened "e-tool". I've not used it much for digging (thank goodness), but I've beat the hell out of it chipping away ice in my driveway and it's held up great. I'd trust it in the back country.

[Wulf202]

the german surplus folding ones are stout. The short shovels above are better for actually digging and lighter. Great when you're actually in a hole where a long handle won't fit.

[hurley842002]

the german surplus folding ones are stout. The short shovels above are better for actually digging and lighter. Great when you're actually in a hole where a long handle won't fit.
I graduated from my "young and dumb" stage a few years back, so I haven't been stuck for awhile, but I have to agree from experience, the short shovels are great for actually getting under the rig and digging yourself out.

[newracer]

I have this Gerber one and it is pretty stout but it is small.

http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/th/content_26/Q2_2010/c26-B000WZCSTO-1-l.jpg

This one has pretty good reviews on Amazon.

http://www.blessthisstuff.com/imagens/stuff/gerber-folding-shovel.jpg

[Wulf202]

The gerber and glock tri folds are really great for hiking shovels but expensive and small for car kit duty. I dug out a work van from slush with one. Id actually take a harbor freight mini shovel over a quality tri fold for vehicles.

I wish I'd have grabbed a couple extra german surplus e tools when jensens had them. Having a pick is handy at times

[newracer]

Gerber makes one with a pick too.

http://images1.shoptics.com/365-240-ffffff/opplanet-gerber-e-tool-folding-spade-with-pick-30-000075-03.jpg

[TheBelly]

Glock

http://www.amazon.com/Glock-Entrenching-Tool-Spade-Shovel/dp/B008YN33TA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1420764840&sr=8-2&keywords=glock+shovel

[TFOGGER]

The surplus store at Hampden and Broadway used to have East German surplus army shovels that work quite well. I have one in each of my vehicles.

[JohnnyEgo]

I went with a full time shovel and have been pretty happy with it. I mounted it to the 2x12 I use as a bed divider:
http://johnnyego.com/photography/titan/rnbdivider/IMG_1505.JPG
http://johnnyego.com/photography/titan/rnbdivider/IMG_1507.JPG
http://johnnyego.com/photography/titan/rnbdivider/IMG_1512.JPG

The world is full of compromising choices. I have an $8 Smith PocketPal sharpening jig in my truck. A couple passes through the course part, and I can put a sharp enough edge on the shovel to function as an impromptu ax for small branches. Not nearly as good as a small camp axe, but functional enough in a pinch.

[asmo]

I went with a full time shovel and have been pretty happy with it. I mounted it to the 2x12 I use as a bed divider:

Very nice. Very similar to what I am thinking about. Even better that you have a rolling bed cover (same as me). Danke.

I just hit purchase on a Gerber and will check it out. If I dont like it for the intended purpose I will put it in the wife's vehicle and go with a full time full-size shovel.