Last Updated on April 26, 2023 by Lisa Vargas
A shovel is one of those versatile tools that allows us to do a variety of different tasks from digging, to gardening, to shoveling snow, and many other physically demanding jobs. The shovel gives you leverage and allows you to do tasks that you otherwsie wouldn’t be able to do without one. The question becomes, “what is the best survival shovel in a situation where you many be thrust into unfamiliar destinations and situations because of a natural disaster, a terrorist attack, or an EMP attack?”
Today we are going to look at survival shovels and the differences between each one and how they can aid you in while in an emergency situation. There are shovels that have wood handles, plastic handles, and metal handles. There are short shovels and long shovels and all can be used for a variety of different things. But today, we are going to specifically look at the best survival shovel that will serve you the best in uncertain situations where you are forced out of your home to a bug out location, to the wilderness, or anywhere that isn’t the “norm” for you and your family. These survival shovels are much different than your typical shovel because they are multi-tool shovels that are smaller and more compact and are designed to do a variety of different tasks at once.
So let’s get right to it in looking at a few survival shovels and determine which is the best survival shovel for preppers.
IUNIO Military Portable Folding Shovel and Pickax
This is one of the more popular survival shovels on Amazon and for good reason. For the price, it handles a multitude of tasks extremely well. This military portable folding shovel and pickax comes in the 31 inch length, although you can also get it in a 35 inch or 17 inch length. This shovel is fantastic for shoveling tires out of snow, removing rocks, cracking ice, or digging trenches around certain parts of a campsite.
- Dimensions: L 30.7 x W 4.3 x H 0.9 inches
- Made out of high-carbon steel for extreme durability
- Multiple additional tools such as fish scaler, emergency whistle, ferro rod, and much more
- Extendable handle so you can stand up and dig easier
This multi-tool shovel comes with a ferro rod, a bevel, and a fairly decent knife. This is one of the tools that should be in your bug out bag and shouldn’t be left at home. You can take it backpacking, off-roading, camping, or just keep it in the backseat of your bug out vehicle as well. Whatever situation you’re in, these survival shovels work well in any type of situation. This survival shovel comes with a variety of different extension bars including a saw, bottle opener, fire bar, a hammer, a hoe, and several other really nice features.
Pros
- Can extend the length so you don’t have to bend down as much
- Nice molle case to fit all components
- Impressive durability
- Heavy duty and rugged
- Rubber handle to help stabilize in your hand
Cons
- Will have to keep tightening the shovel head because it will naturally come loose after some use.
- Shovel comes with a compass, but has been reported to stick at times
FiveJoy Military Folding Shovel Multitool (C1)
This FiveJoy Military Folding Shovel is an amazing multi-tool that has a serrated saw edge, a spiked shovel, some nice paracord and several other really nice features. Made from high carbon steel, this is a great collapsible survival shovel for camping and backpacking and will suit you well for a lot of various tasks from chopping small tree branches, to make kindling, to removing dirt and rock, and even make booby traps.
- Lightweight at only 1.2 pounds
- 10.8 x 8.1 x 2.9 inches
- Has a unique locking mechanism that allows you to angle the shovel differently to perform different tasks.
- Comes with tactical knife, ferro rod, emergency whistle, hammer, ruler, and a bottle opener
- This model does not come with extension tubes like RS model
Pros
- Compact and foldable
- Comes with paracord, which some other brands do not
- Makes a great throwing ax
Cons
- The locking and unlocking system can come loose
- It’s a little slow when having to change positions to accomodate different tasks
- Doesn’t have a rubberized handle so it can twist more in your hand
US GI Military Original Issue E-Tool Entrenching Shovel
The US GI military original issue e-tool is designed to do just what its title reveals – heavy entrenching. It’s been around a long time and has been a sturdy and reliable tool for many outdoor enthusiasts. The Gerger Gorge is another similar entrenching shovel, but is a lot smaller in comparison. The US GI Military Original Issue shovel can be used to break up ice or to saw wood for kindling, and you can lengthen the shovel to several different heights using a locking mechanism on the handle.
- Genuine US Military issue
- Sharpened ax edge and serrated saw edge
- Dimensions: 9.4 x 7.1 x 2.9 inches
- Weight: 3 lbs.
- Shovel made in the USA by quality Ames manufacturing company
- 18 ” handle
- Locks in 90 and 180 degree positions
Pros
- Will outlast other shovels in the same class
- Blade made from 1095 steel
- Good tool for digging fire pits
Cons
- Does not come with a cover
- Can fold upon itself sometimes as reported by Amazon review
Yeacool Folding Shovel Pickax with Carrying Pouch
This Yeacool folding shovel pickax is our number one pick on this list. It is extremely durable for the price and comes loaded with tons of tools that will work well in an emergency situation. You can tighten it up, loosen it up, use the nice carrying case to hook up to your belt loop. It’s a shovel and a pickax at the same time, which makes a handy tool for a variety of tasks. It’s really easy to take apart and also to assemble. This is one of the best multi-tools because it’s got tons of great features including a really sharp knife, a saw, a bottle opener, a ferro rod, an emergency whistle, a compass, a nail extractor, and several more things like a flashlight and ice ax that the other shovels in its class don’t have.
- Screwdrivers, fish scaler, ice ax, compass, wrench, nail extractor, and a lot more
- Carrying case included with this shovel
- Chopping edge that is razor sharp
- Serrated edge to be used as a saw for cutting into twigs and branches
- Can adjust to a 45, 90, or 180 degree hook
- Shovel board size is 5.12″ X 3.94″
- Length: 31 inches total
Pros
- Easy to assemble and break down
- Very affordable for the quality you get
- Extremely rugged and reliable
- Lots of tools included in this shovel
- Rubber-type covering for a better grip
Cons
- Flashlight only comes with the 38″ length shovel
- No molle system for the pouch, just a belt loop
Zune Lotoo Annihilate Tactical Shovel Camping(F-A3)
This awesome survival shovel is one of the most expensive on the list today due to extremely high quality of build and craftsmanship. Even though it is made in China, it is probably one of the the qualities you can get, hence the price tag. This multi-tool shovel can be used for chipping, shoveling debris, cutting roots and twigs, and hammering. It also comes with an emergency whistle, a magnesium fire rod, a camera bracket, a clamp wire, and a few other tools.
- 6 angle adjustments – 30, 45, 60, 115, 135, 180 degrees
- Comes with 23 different tools in this shovel
- 36 inches after assembled (5 handles included)
- Convenient with fast lock adjustments for ease of use
- Handle of aviation aluminum
- Bears 480 Kg
- Joint parts 10mm thickness for strength and stability
- Weight: 3.97 pounds
Pros
- Lifetime warranty
- Extremely high-quality and durable.
- One of the best quality brands when it comes to compact, survival shovels
Cons
- More expensive than most
- Does not come with a carrying case
Conclusion
The survival shovels that we reviewed today are no doubt handy to have with you oin your bug out vehicle or bag. I gave you several options to choose from, and I know that some of them will seem like they are exactly a like, but make sure to read the reviews on Amazon and get a thorough idea of the likes and dislikes of other people.
My goal today was to help gather all of the best information online and put it into one place so that you didn’t have to do a lot of digging around. I hope it has helped.
Happy shopping!