A camping trowel exists for one job that has no substitute: digging a cathole deep enough to bury human waste properly, six to eight inches down in living soil where it will actually break down. A tent stake and a boot heel will not reach that depth in packed ground, which is why a purpose-made tool weighing a couple of ounces earns its place in a pack. Larger folding shovels solve different problems entirely, from fire pits to freeing a stuck vehicle. Our roundup of car camping essentials covers the rest of a base camp kit.
Quick Verdict
An aluminum or composite trowel handles backcountry catholes at almost no weight penalty. Choose a folding steel shovel for car camping and fire pit work, and a full-size folding spade only if you are digging out vehicles or moving real volume.
Key Takeaways
- A cathole needs six to eight inches of depth in living soil.
- Plastic trowels flex and snap in packed or rocky ground.
- Serrated edges cut roots that a smooth blade cannot.
- Folding shovels trade strength for packed size at every hinge.
- Check local rules, since some areas require packing waste out entirely.
How We Picked
Tools are grouped by size and material, since a two-ounce trowel and a three-pound folding spade solve different problems and neither substitutes for the other. Blade strength is weighted heavily, because the common failure in this category is a tool that flexes or snaps in exactly the ground where you need it.
Selection criteria reflect how each design performs against soil resistance, packed size, and durability. Descriptions come from product research rather than from ground dug with a particular tool.
1. An Aluminum or Composite Trowel, Best Overall
Why It Stands Out
Aluminum and glass-filled composite trowels weigh a couple of ounces and still have the rigidity to get through packed dirt and small roots. That combination is the whole point, since a trowel that flexes is a trowel that fails at the depth you actually need.
Many have a serrated edge on one side, which cuts roots that would stop a smooth blade entirely.
Worth Knowing
Aluminum bends rather than snapping, which is the better failure mode but still ends the tool. Levering against a rock is what does it, so dig rather than pry.
These are sized for catholes and nothing more. Do not expect one to move meaningful volume or to work in genuinely rocky ground where a cathole is not achievable anyway. Our guide to packing a backpack covers where a tool this shape lives.
This suits backpacking and any trip requiring catholes. Skip it for camp chores beyond that.
2. A Folding Steel Shovel, Best for Car Camping
Why It Stands Out
A tri-fold steel shovel handles fire pit work, leveling a tent pad, and clearing debris, which are the jobs that come up around a base camp. Steel gets through ground a trowel would not attempt.
Most fold into a pouch roughly the size of a water bottle, so the packed size is reasonable for something with real capability.
Worth Knowing
Weight is the trade, and these are heavy enough that they belong in a vehicle rather than on your back. Hinges are also the weak point, and a loose pivot makes the shovel feel unreliable long before it actually breaks.
Steel rusts, so drying it before it goes back in the pouch matters more than people expect. Our roundup of fire starters covers the other half of fire pit work.
This suits car camping and base camps. Skip it for anything carried any distance.
3. A Multi-Tool Shovel, Best for Vehicle Kits
Why It Stands Out
Shovels with an integrated saw edge, pick, or hex openings put several camp tools in one place, which suits a vehicle emergency kit where space is limited and the tool may sit unused for months.
The pick end in particular is genuinely useful in hard ground where a flat blade skates.
Worth Knowing
Combination tools do each individual job less well than a dedicated one. The saw edge on a shovel is a saw edge on a shovel, not a saw.
More features also mean more joints and more mechanisms to seize after a winter in a trunk. Our roundup of folding saws covers what to carry if cutting is a real requirement.
This suits vehicle kits and occasional use. Skip it if you have space for dedicated tools.
4. A Full-Size Folding Spade, Best for Real Digging
Why It Stands Out
A long-handled folding spade gives mechanical advantage that a compact tool cannot, which matters for digging out a stuck vehicle, moving snow, or any job involving actual volume.
The handle length also lets you dig standing rather than kneeling, which changes how long you can work.
Worth Knowing
These are large even folded and heavy enough to be a deliberate packing decision. For most camping they are more tool than the situation calls for.
The handle joint takes all the load, so a spade with a loose or plastic hinge will not survive the work it exists for. Check that the lock is metal and positive.
This suits overlanding, snow, and vehicle recovery. Skip it for ordinary camping.
5. A Titanium Trowel, Best Ultralight
Why It Stands Out
Titanium gives the strength of steel at a fraction of the weight, which suits anyone counting grams while still wanting a tool that will not bend in packed soil.
It also does not corrode, so it survives being stored damp in a way steel does not.
Worth Knowing
Titanium costs considerably more than aluminum for a difference measured in a fraction of an ounce. For most people that is not a sensible trade.
Thin titanium can still flex, so blade shape and any reinforcing ribs matter as much as the material. Our guide to what to pack in a daypack covers the weight decisions this sits inside.
This suits ultralight setups. Skip it if aluminum already meets your needs.
6. A Trowel and Waste Kit, Best Complete Setup
Why It Stands Out
Kits pair a trowel with waste bags, sanitizer, and a sealed carry pouch, which covers the whole task rather than just the digging. In areas where waste must be packed out, the bags matter more than the trowel does.
Having it assembled as one item also means it actually gets carried rather than being remembered at the trailhead.
Worth Knowing
Kit trowels are often the weakest component, so check the material rather than assuming a bundled tool matches a dedicated one.
Rules vary considerably by area and some places require pack-out with no cathole option at all. Check the land manager’s guidance for where you are going rather than assuming. Our roundup of hiking first aid kits covers another kit worth carrying assembled.
This suits pack-out areas and complete preparation. Skip it if you already own a good trowel.
Camping Shovels at a Glance
| Type | Weight | Depth capability | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminum or composite trowel | Ounces | Cathole depth | Backpacking |
| Folding steel shovel | Pounds | Real digging | Car camping, fire pits |
| Multi-tool shovel | Pounds | Moderate | Vehicle kits |
| Full-size folding spade | Heaviest | Highest | Snow, vehicle recovery |
| Titanium trowel | Lightest | Cathole depth | Ultralight |
| Trowel and waste kit | Ounces | Cathole depth | Pack-out areas |
What to Look For in a Camping Shovel
What are you actually digging?
Catholes need a trowel and nothing more. Fire pits, tent pads, and snow need a shovel. Buying across that line in either direction means carrying weight you do not use or bringing a tool that cannot do the job.
How rigid is the blade?
Flex is the enemy. Press the blade against a hard surface before trusting it, since a tool that gives under hand pressure will not get through packed soil at depth.
Is there a serrated edge?
Roots stop a smooth blade completely. A serrated side cuts through them, and it is the feature that separates a usable trowel from a frustrating one in wooded ground.
What are the local rules?
Some areas require waste to be packed out entirely, with catholes not permitted. That changes what you need to carry, so check the land manager’s guidance before the trip rather than deciding at camp.
Trowel or Shovel?
The case for a trowel
Weight. A couple of ounces covers the one digging job that genuinely cannot be skipped in the backcountry, and anything larger is carrying capability you will not use on foot.
The case for a shovel
Everything else. Fire pits, leveling ground, moving snow, and clearing debris all need a real blade and a handle long enough to work with. If the tool travels in a vehicle, the weight stops mattering and the capability is worth having. Our roundup of camping tarps covers other base camp gear that only makes sense with a vehicle.
Common Digging Mistakes to Avoid
Using a plastic trowel in hard ground
Cheap plastic flexes and snaps at exactly the moment it matters. Aluminum, composite, or titanium are the materials that hold up.
Digging too shallow
A cathole needs to reach living soil, six to eight inches down, where decomposition actually happens. Shallower than that and the waste stays where it was put.
Choosing the site badly
Well away from water, trails, and camp is the standard, and it matters more than the tool does. A perfect hole in the wrong place is still the wrong place.
Prying instead of digging
Levering a trowel against a rock is what bends aluminum and snaps composite. If the ground will not take a hole, move rather than forcing it. Our note on bear canisters covers another backcountry practice governed by local requirements.
Recommended Reading
See our roundup of camping lanterns, notes on camping tables, our camp stove picks, and a guide to camping hammocks, and choosing a sleeping bag.
Camping Shovel FAQ
Do I really need a trowel for backpacking?
If you are camping anywhere without facilities, yes. A cathole needs six to eight inches of depth in living soil, and a boot heel or a tent stake will not reach that in packed ground. A trowel weighs a couple of ounces and there is no real substitute.
How deep should a cathole be?
Six to eight inches, deep enough to reach the biologically active soil layer where decomposition happens. Shallower holes do not break waste down. Site it well away from water, trails, and camp, and cover it fully when you are done.
Are plastic trowels any good?
The cheap ones flex and snap in packed or rocky ground, which is exactly where you need them. Glass-filled composite is a different material and holds up considerably better. Aluminum and titanium are the more reliable choices.
What size shovel do I need for car camping?
A tri-fold steel shovel handles fire pits, leveling a tent pad, and clearing debris, and folds to roughly the size of a water bottle. A full-size folding spade is more than most camping requires unless you are dealing with snow or vehicle recovery.
Do I need a serrated edge?
In wooded ground, yes. Roots stop a smooth blade entirely, and a serrated side cuts through them. In sandy or open terrain it matters much less, so match it to where you actually camp.
Can I use a folding shovel for catholes?
You can, and it is heavier than the task needs. If the shovel is already in the vehicle for other reasons, use it. Carrying one on your back purely for catholes means bringing pounds where ounces would do.
What about areas where I cannot dig?
Some regions require waste to be packed out entirely, including many alpine, desert, and heavily used areas. Check the land manager’s guidance before the trip. Where pack-out is required, sealed waste bags matter more than any digging tool.
How do I clean a trowel?
Rinse it well away from any water source, and carry it in a dedicated bag or sleeve rather than loose with your food or cookware. Titanium and aluminum both handle being stored damp; steel needs drying to avoid rust.
