Best Survival Shovel [BUYERS GUIDE]

When venturing into the wild or facing a survival scenario, the right survival shovel can be a game-changer.

From digging fire pits to clearing paths—or even for self-defense—this tool proves its worth when it matters most.

Many so-called “survival shovels” just don’t cut it. A sturdy, feature-packed survival shovel isn’t just handy—it’s essential.

Best Survival Shovels at a Glance

• SOG Survival Shovel
• Gerber E-Tool
• Cold Steel Special Forces Shovel
• US Military E-Tool
• Rhino USA Folding Survival Shovel
• Glock Entrenching Tool

Survival Shovel Uses

Which specific features are most important when choosing the best survival shovel?

Digging a Fighting Hole

The survival shovel, often referred to in military circles as an entrenching tool or E-tool, is not just an auxiliary tool—it’s indispensable for creating defensive structures such as the fighting hole.

A fighting hole serves dual purposes in a combat setting: it provides a low-profile vantage point for observation and shooting. Also, it offers protection against both environmental elements and enemy engagement.

This entrenching tool, designed with a reinforced blade and durable construction, is ideal for compacted soil, gravel, and even rocky ground.

Building Shelter

One of the fundamental purposes of a shovel is to construct a shelter.

Regardless of the conditions, a shovel proves invaluable for leveling the ground before building a temporary dwelling. Moreover, it can also be highly useful in constructing the shelter itself.

When it comes to specialized shelters, a shovel becomes even more indispensable.

In the case of snow shelters, digging is almost always necessary to compact walls and create the hollowed-out interior of the shelter.

During hot and arid conditions, excavating the ground provides a significantly cooler shelter compared to the surface, effectively shading you from the sun’s heat. Additionally, this type of shelter offers protection against the wind as well.

Preparing Fire

Similar to shelter, fire is an essential aspect of survival, and a survival shovel can prove to be valuable in this regard.

A shovel serves multiple purposes in fire management. It aids in excavating a fire pit or constructing a protective barrier around the fire, which helps safeguard the flames from wind gusts and prevents their spread.

Furthermore, a shovel is handy for tending to the fire. It enables you to regulate the supply of oxygen as required, maintaining an optimal burning condition and ensuring the fire remains well-nourished.

Should you desire an extra fire source or find the need to transfer your fire to a different location, a shovel enables you to extract a portion of the existing fire and move it accordingly. This eliminates the necessity of igniting a completely new fire from the beginning.

Lastly, when the time comes to extinguish your fire, a shovel provides a swift and effortless means to bury it.

Waste Management

In addition, a shovel proves to be useful when managing waste.

This includes tasks such as digging a latrine, but it can also serve the purpose of burying any garbage you make.

It is crucial to securely and inconspicuously bury these items to prevent the spread of diseases and avoid attracting unwanted animals.

Self Defense

With its razor-sharp and serrated edges designed for breaking through frozen or hardened soil, a survival shovel empowers you to fend off an attacker in just a few swings.

These shovels are constructed with robustness in mind, capable of withstanding immense pressure of several hundred pounds.

Best Survival Shovel

SOG Survival Shovel

The SOG Folding Survival Shovel stands out as one of the most compact shovels available in the market, easily folding down to the size of your hand for maximum portability.

With its simple three-section folding design, this shovel effortlessly collapses and reassembles to provide a highly dependable survival tool. Crafted entirely from carbon steel, it ensures unparalleled durability, while the shovel head offers additional features.

The folding shovel head boasts a wood saw blade on one side and a versatile rotating spade shovel blade on the other, allowing you to use it as a pick or hoe. This incredible versatility makes it an ideal companion for camping, digging through snow or sand, and handling various other digging tasks.

When fully extended, this tactical shovel reaches a length of 18.25 inches, making it perfect for camping trips and easy transportation. However, for heavy-duty digging, it may be slightly compact. Additionally, the shovel head is designed to bend, making it more suitable for softer ground conditions.

Gerber E-Tool

The Gerber E-Tool Folding Spade may have a slightly higher price tag compared to most survival shovels, but it is widely recognized as one of the top choices available.

What sets this survival shovel apart from others is its exceptional performance in carrying out fundamental tasks. Gerber has created a shovel specifically designed to excel at being a shovel.

First and foremost, it is constructed from exceptionally high-quality carbon steel. This ensures outstanding reliability, strength, and durability, and makes it ideal for digging through tough and compacted soil.

Moreover, the spade’s head features an excellent serrated edge that effortlessly cuts through roots that may obstruct your path. This serrated edge is also highly effective at slicing branches or creating a clear passage through dense vegetation.

The handle of the shovel incorporates multiple locking mechanisms to ensure your safety during any task. When folded, it conveniently breaks down into three parts, resulting in a highly portable length of only 9.5 inches.

Cold Steel Special Forces Shovel

The Cold Steel Special Forces shovel is a shovel that is modeled after the original Soviet Spetsnaz military entrenching tool and stands out as an exceptionally durable non-folding survival tool.

Crafted from medium carbon steel, the head of this shovel boasts a thickness of 2mm, ensuring its resilience for heavy-duty tasks. It offers ample space for continuous sharpening, allowing you to achieve the desired level of sharpness.

The handle, constructed from sturdy hardwood, exhibits remarkable strength. In the event of wear and tear, it can be easily replaced. The only downside to this shovel is its lack of additional features and the absence of folding capability. While it may not fit neatly inside your backpack, it can be conveniently clipped or secured alongside it.

All in all, this shovel proves to be highly reliable for survival purposes, although it solely serves as a shovel without any supplementary functions.

US Military E-Tool

The USGI Military Shovel excels in heavy-duty tasks and is specifically designed for military applications like entrenching. Its steelhead/blade is coated with a black powder finish for enhanced durability.

What sets this shovel apart is its exceptional versatility, with the head capable of being locked into multiple angles ranging from 45 to 180 degrees. At a 45-degree angle, it serves as an ideal grappling hook, while at 90 degrees, it functions as a hoe or pick for digging.

When fully extended to 180 degrees, it transforms into a robust heavy-duty shovel. Additionally, the head features a sharpened axe and saw edge, providing assistance in cutting through roots and chopping wood when necessary.

Upon arrival, the bolt responsible for adjusting the angles may be tightly secured and may require lubrication. It is also advisable to sharpen the blade upon receiving the shovel, as it may be slightly dull out of the box.

For added convenience, the shovel can be folded into three parts, resulting in a compact size perfect for carrying in your backpack. Overall, this survival shovel proves to be excellent for heavy-duty work, surpassing many other options available in the market.

Rhino USA Folding Survival Shovel

Introducing the Rhino USA Folding Shovel – an essential E-tool for adventurers and preppers. This versatile, compact shovel is engineered to conquer any outdoor task effortlessly. Whether you’re embarking on a camping trip, trekking through the wilderness, or gearing up for unforeseen emergencies, you can rely on this shovel to have your back.

Manufactured with unwavering durability in mind, the Rhino USA Folding Shovel is constructed from military-grade materials, ensuring it stands the test of time. Its robust carbon steel blade effortlessly cuts through even the most challenging terrains, whether it’s compacted soil, deep snow, or unforgiving ice. Trust in the Rhino USA Folding Shovel to be your steadfast ally in the great outdoors.

Glock Entrenching Tool

Drawing on the same material expertise used in its pistol development, the Glock Entrenching Tool guarantees unparalleled durability and reliability. It’s the ultimate companion for any outdoor professional.

The surface-treated spade blade of the GLOCK Entrenching Tool is a masterpiece of engineering, with no unsightly welds or rivets. It offers the flexibility to lock into three different positions, transforming into either a versatile shovel or a sturdy spade.

What’s more, tucked away within the telescopic polymer handle, you’ll find a hardened saw blade with a convenient screwdriver tip, ready to be securely attached to the handle when needed.

When folded, the GLOCK Entrenching Tool has remarkably compact dimensions, making it the perfect addition to your backpack or vehicle trunk. Experience the future of outdoor tools with GLOCK’s cutting-edge survival shovel design.

RELATED – DMOS DELTA SHOVEL | ULTIMATE OFFROAD AND SURVIVAL TOOL REVIEW

In Conclusion

The right survival shovel can make or break your outdoor adventures or emergency prep.

Whether you’re after portability, versatility, or raw power, there’s a shovel here for you. If we had to pick, the Cold Steel Special Forces Shovel takes the top spot, with the classic military E-tool as a solid runner-up.

Don’t wait—gear up with a reliable survival shovel and confidently tackle any challenge.