What is scuba diving's orange shovel?

[Mike Edmonston]

Hello, my name is Mike and I carry an Orange shovel.


"HHHiiiiii.... Miiiike......"

OK, 11 more steps and I'm cured..

Cheers

Mike

 

[AzAtty]

Uh...I've been backpacking for over 25 years and carry a trowel. You see, we have this problem in the desert called HARD DIRT AND NO STICKS. If I want to, say, dig a hole, for say, sanitation, I sort of need a shovel to scratch the dirt. And one of the most common methods of finding water in a dry slot canyon (or dry river bed) is to dig a hole in damp sand, wait for the hole to fill, and then filter the water. Again, not so many sticks or natural digging implements in a slot canyon, and digging through rough sand with your fingers isn't so fun after the first couple times. So when I see a backpacker in a slot canyon with an orange shovel, I think "there's one less dead, dehydrated body I have to carry out of here."

Now a steel trowel is preferable, but it weighs more than the orange shovel and provides no real benefit under certain circumstances.

 

[muddiver]

I'm in agreement about the +$15 snorkel... or anything made of titanium

Bite me! I have a titanium foling knife that has no tip, but does have a line hook. Works *****en. Don't have to wash and oil it after a dive.

 

[muddiver]

Also, I once pulled a floundering Japanese couple out of raging 3 foot surf who had matching propellers on the bottoms of their tanks.

 

[Archangel]

My do all and constantly freeflowing Atomic SS1-what a large waste of money.

 

[Mike Edmonston]

My do all and constantly freeflowing Atomic SS1-what a large waste of money.

Sorry KOOL AID MAN,

My ss1 (which I keep well maintained) works great, never freeflows, and is perfect when I'm filming or teaching. Less crap to dangle. I've also tested it under the ICE and it NEVER freeflowed EVER! Now the DiveRite units...That's another story entirely!

Cheers

Mike

 

[JGBrown]

Uh...I've been backpacking for over 25 years and carry a trowel. You see, we have this problem in the desert called HARD DIRT AND NO STICKS. If I want to, say, dig a hole, for say, sanitation, I sort of need a shovel to scratch the dirt. And one of the most common methods of finding water in a dry slot canyon (or dry river bed) is to dig a hole in damp sand, wait for the hole to fill, and then filter the water. Again, not so many sticks or natural digging implements in a slot canyon, and digging through rough sand with your fingers isn't so fun after the first couple times. So when I see a backpacker in a slot canyon with an orange shovel, I think "there's one less dead, dehydrated body I have to carry out of here."

Now a steel trowel is preferable, but it weighs more than the orange shovel and provides no real benefit under certain circumstances.

Different terrain=different tools needed. The biggest problems here are staying dry warm and avoiding falling down washouts the dirt is easy.
If I was using it for hard dirt and something as essential as water I would want something more durable then the orange plastic shovel.
I have used the dig/filter technique but its usually soft wet muck which the orange trowel doesn't move nearly as efficently as a hand.

 

[Heffey]

Canister lights, Double Tanks, Lift Bags, BP&W's, Stage Bottles, Ponies larger than 19 cf, Spring Straps and Drysuits

All of these fit the "totally functional but not needed" part of the Orange Shovel criteria for me.

 

[Mike Edmonston]

Canister lights, Double Tanks, Lift Bags, BP&W's, Stage Bottles, Ponies larger than 19 cf, Spring Straps and Drysuits

All of these fit the "totally functional but not needed" part of the Orange Shovel criteria for me.

good one

Well, once you stop diving in your bathtub, and actually dive in the "wild", you might need one of those shovels

BTW cannister lights are great for bashing small animals

Just kidding guys

Cheers

Mike

 

[Buoyant1]

Canister lights, Double Tanks, Lift Bags, BP&W's, Stage Bottles, Ponies larger than 19 cf, Spring Straps and Drysuits

All of these fit the "totally functional but not needed" part of the Orange Shovel criteria for me.

Spring straps? whadya got against spring straps?