20 Best Survival Shovel Made In Usa (2023 Updated)

I am very impressed with my EST Survival Shovel! Extremely versatile, well-made, and easy to carry. I used it to clear small trees limbs/brush and to dig holes, and was able to really reduce the amount of gear that I had to pack.

EST also has fantastic customer service (fast and helpful).

We got the shovel and a piece came broken. I reached out and they got right back to me and sent a replacement! My husband is super excited about getting to use it. I picked this shovel because of all the great reviews and you can’t go wrong with their customer service!.

The is not just a mere shovel. It would , will live up to its name “Survival Shovel “. Great , versatile, compact , disassembled to have with you, can store under seat , emergency bag ( to bad their bag currently sold out , I’d purchase one ).

Would be nice though to see the availability of a sheath /bag to secure / carry it assembled if you wanted that option ( even though the current one comes with can be adapted , just another option be nice to carry fully assembled ) In my opinion Best of the Best , do yourself a favor and go for it.

Well worth every $. Thank you EST Gear.

Deep behind commie lines, left my boom stick at home and armed with nothing but my F-A3 E-Tool. Slashin and jabbin, hookin and bookin worked my way through the entire group wishing for more. Once the commies were gone I jumped on a bears back and went vertical up Dante’s Peak just for a look.

If you have a pair of socks (no need for dental floss she comes with 550 cord) then there is nothing left to challenge you with an F-A3 strapped to your calf. Thing is so slick I got one tattooed on my neck.

Now I’ll never be without one.

Heavy duty, for sure! It has a slight amount of play in the shovel head. Not sure what long term use would result in. But it is solid and stout. The shovel head appears to be cast or machined from a billet.

Everything came coated in a light oil. Not sure if it is manufacturing oil or a rust inhibitor. I was disappointed it didn’t come with a storage bag. This would be too heavy for a backpacking/hiking tool, but it will be a great emergency tool in the 4×4 for camping and getting unstuck off roading.

If it holds up to regular use, I would say it was a good buy. Time will tell.

I recently purchased this multi tool specifically for camping. As a bigger guy (6’6 270LBS) the shovel is a bit small but the size does not necessarily affect it’s performance. I’ve used this shovel to dig pits primarily and it does a great job.

I’ve also used the knife and fire striker stick. I really have no complaints. For its size, it gets the job done. Overall I would rate this shovel a B+ to A-.

This is a great shovel to keep in the car. Shipment was super speedy.

decent shovel should work just fine next time I am in the snow or mud, light weight and compact

Great! Small enough to fit easily in my pickup. Big enough and strong enough to dig me out of any situation. Compact design makes it perfect for getting under axels and around tires.

ITS TOO SOON TO TELL HOW IT PERFORMS, BECAUSE I HAVE NOT YET USED IT. I SOON WILL THOUGH. AT 1ST LOOK, IT APPEARS TO BE WELL MADE. NICE AND COMPACT AND NOT TOO HEAVY WERE THREE THINGS I NEEDED. IT IS ALL THREE.

I PLAN ON PUTTING IT THROUGH ITS PACES SOON BUILDING SOME REMOTE CAMP SITES. I THINK IT WILL HOLD UP FINE, BUT TIME WILL TELL.

I have to admit that I didn’t check the specs on this tool- I just presumed that the tool would match the quality of SOG’s multitools, etc. Well, at an overall length of 18” and a blade width of 4. 5”, compared to an Ames mil-spec e-tool of 23” overall and a blade width of 6”, the SOG e-tool just does not measure up.

It is at best a garden trowel on steroids- maybe an e-tool’s little brother. I expected more than a glorified garden tool. I’d hate to be forced to entrust this tool to dig a foxhole in order to protect myself.

Seems sturdily built with decent materials and a clever design. Light enough the not be too obnoxious to throw in a pack. Haven’t really used it enough to speak on durability but it seems like it could take a decent beating and stoat together.

This shovel is well built and does take abuse well. I used for all sorts of things that you should not normally submit a shovel to. I believe in testing gear before I take it afield. So around the neighbor hood and my back yard I went looking for thing to use it on, like I use my entrenching tool to do.

Note: my entrenching tool does all these things I tested the survival shovel to do. I dug through rocks, sticks, and overgrowth with it. It would not did through roots of any kind, not even grass. It did dig but with really small bites, you could dig faster with a garden hand spade.

The chopping was ok, but it wouldn’t split a pallet stick. It will chop a twig but it takes five or six good hits to get it to where you can break the stick off the tree. I also used it to try to start a fire but the “blade” does not have the dip to hold the top of the spindle.

I tried to make a fuzz stick and that too failed. I did drive stakes with it, but you have to use the flat of the shovel as the hammer head, as it doesn’t have a natural flat spot for pounding. As a survival tool it isn’t versatile enough, I get better use out of my old army folding shovel (entrenching tool).

As a fighting tool it may work as a tomahawk, but it is pretty heavy for that task. No, I did not go out and get into a fight with it, but a few practice swings proved it to be heavy compared to a tomahawk.

Also the “saw teeth” do not actually saw anything. The curve they are in prohibits any actual sawing. Maybe good for cutting rope, but not branches or even pallet sticks. They need to redesign it a bit.

Make the saw edge straight, add in a dip in the shovel face to both hold water and the spindle (used with a bow to make fire) and a dedicated flat spot to pound stakes (and open walnuts or pecans). It did not break or chip throughout the abuse I put it through, so it is well made.

However, it would not be my first choice of shovels to carry either on my BoB or on a camping trip.

This is an outstanding showel chopper saw defensive weapon that can’t be compared to any other on the survivalist prepper market. It’s quite sharp highly dangerous and it’s a solid workhorse that won’t fail.

I just might purchase another for my secondary Bug out Bag or INCH or TUUSK bags. I promise you all this, you won’t be disappointed with the M48 Kommando Survival Self Defense Shovel. It’s outright mean.

It’s solid, good weight balance, nice fit for hands, not too heavy but weighs enough to get the hard work done and without a doubt it’ll take down any insurgent. I bet my life on the M48 Kommando that’s how great it is.

Trust me.

Best e-tool I have come across. It is made well and of high quality materials. I can cut thumb sized limbs off trees easily and it digs through roots and tough grass with ease. It is well made and does not weigh nearly as much as some of the e-tools I have came across and tried.

I highly recommend this e-tool. I have bought two so far and keep one with my camping gear and one in my pickup truck. I will probably buy another and put in my wife’s car.

I’ve been EDCing Cold Steel for a while and this piece was on my “Frivo-list”. This list is about pieces I want, not need. Now that I have one, maybe it should have been higher on this list. It’s stout, easy to manage and the build quality is much better than I anticipated.

The handle collar is welded for strength and there are a pair of substantial screws pinning it together. This thing is going to be such a joy in the garden and at the campsite. No, it won’t make the cut for serious backpacking as it weights a fair bit and I likely will not throw it as I plan to mod the handle for better fit to my hands but.

If you think you need one. You really do! My Jalapeños are going to be well planted this season!! YouTube – Stief Adventure Instagram – @survivalinstructor.

Im a big fan of coldsteel and cabelas but this one misses the mark. Main problem: not shaped properly, the shovel is distinctly warped and irregularly shaped. Not sure how this will affect performance… likely will not change digging but might make throwing it awkward.

Also came with uneven and poor sharpened surface. Disappointed with the quality control, but should still work for basic tasks (not worth the effort to return).

Tired of having plastic shovels snapping, cracking, and bending on me. This thing is rigid (nearly to a fault) and seems to be able to dig through any type of dirt. The handle takes quite the grip to deploy, but I prefer that over something that breaks when put under stress, since that’s the whole job of a shovel.

Simple, not bulky or heavy, not trying to be more than it should, but still useful in various situations.

AltoughtAlthough almost in all the listings this item is shown with the pictures of an original USA made shovel, those are not produced in the States any more. They are made in China, with a low level of quality control, easy to get a faulty one.

For the sheath goes the same. Shame.

Checked out many sites on the web looking for this tool at a fair price. The foldable shovel is good quality stainless steel and fits in its pouch well. Very pleased with product and price which included free shipping.

Cheap, light, compact, and better at digging than plastic. Handle collapsed during use a few times, wish it would stay open better.

Small and Handy, easily folds. Very practical for gardening and camping. I Love this.

Perfect little “cat hole” shovel I keep with my bikepacking kit at all times. Lots of sharp edges though so be careful when unfolding and folding it.

Extremely well made. I don’t own guns, so this stays right by my side at my couch where it is easy to get to. The shovel has very sharp edges for hacking and to trim small branches as well as a saw blade.

Internal spike and cutting edge make for more options. The butt end has a glass scratcher and car window breaker. This is made out of high-quality metals and is machined to perfection with no burrs or sharp edges where you don’t want them.

It is very heavy so when you swing, and it makes contact it will definitely cause some major damage. The handle is over length giving the ability to use the internal weapons in one hand and the whacker in the other but still have a long swing so you can keep some distance between you and your assailant.

It is legal so can go along on car/truck trips and keep me safe. It is best to get very familiar with this tool so you can best protect yourself with it. If your attacker takes it away from you, you’re in deep trouble.

I won’t be doing any gardening with it, but it would hold up well for this. It can be a hoe a shovel or a weapon. The handle has five sections that are very tightly connected. To use the internal weapons, you will need them out already as getting them out in a pinch just isn’t realistic.

It takes a bit to unscrew the sections. Overall, Nice very Nice!.

This shovel with a multitude of other handy tools is very well made. It is able to be a short handle or a long one it just depends on how many sections you put in. It appears to be very well made and light weight and strong enough to handle whatever you ask of it.

The only thing I might doubt would be the saw which screws into the handle making it easier to use and reach areas. But since it is incased in plastic that part might come lose. But if you want an awesome bug out tool you should definitely get this shovel.

I continue to be blown away by Survival Frogs products and the quality they are built with. Good luck, I think you will agree when you buy yours.

I purchased this as a gift for someone so as far as use, I can’t comment. However, I did unpack and assemble it. The quality of the parts were far better than a lot on the market, but I can fore see complications with it in any extreme situation.

The need to unscrew each section to store it away only to have to screw each back together again for use might cause a stressful situation to become more so. If the machine thread on the screw joints were more robust and not so tight you would allow a faster assembly with less chance of cross threading adding to the overall strength and usefulness.

Along with that the knife wasn’t sharp at all and its screw in adaptor was subpar, I anticipate it not holding up for too many major uses and definitely not in a survival situation.

I mainly bought this for backpacking and camping. I used it first while fishing and construction work by digging a hole and going #2. This is a compact product that works well, easy for me to fit into backpack.

It’s so far sturdy and I’ve had no issues. I would recommend this especially cuz it’s an amazing price. Order it now!!.

I love these types of shovels, they are perfect for my camping and hiking kit. I came here specifically to find one that was multifunction, and extremely durable. This one does not disappoint. Super easy to make ready just twist and lock.

I’ll be getting another one soon.

First knife I order and I’m impressed the craftsmanship and quality are great I would say it’s a great deal for anyone looking for a knife they can use from time to time or even daily. For the price you absolutely won’t get a better deal.

At a fraction of the cost you get the shovel fire starter and a knife.

lite weight, compact, great little folding shovels, I use them to forage for wild plants. Sturdy for the price, comes with a carry case 5 stars

When I first opened this up, I thought that it was too small. With the handle extended it became a very useful tool for my cactus garden. Just right for small gardening projects. Medium/small size. Better than I thought!.

I didn’t realize how small they are but darn if they aren’t sturdy as a bull! They’re actually perfect for my hiking, kayaking and camping needs.

This is a great little portable and collapsible shovel. Keep one in my trailer and one in my Jeep. Never know when you might need it. One edge is serrated and could be used as a hatchet. Folds up easily and doesn’t take up much room.

The handle and screw locking mechanism is a hardened plastic and the spade is metal. Even comes with a cool little bag to fold it up and keep it in.

It all started when i began the search for a simple, affordable and small… and durable shovel for digging a trench while camping to keep water away from my tent. now that i have this thing, I’ll be able to dig a nuclear shelter and fend off nuclear zombies during the fallout… in all seriousness, this is a great tool for faffing about in the woods.

It takes a mean edge with a simple file and lops off tree branches with ease. It will fell smaller softwood trees with no issue. it will grub out roots and small stumps. you can throw it at/into a log for target practice.

I’ll likely never use it for digging a trench while camping. or fending off zombies…but i will be using this often.

I had one a few years back then sold it. Dumb move. This is a great shovel, ax, knife, frying pan and self defense tool. In the meantime I picked up an original Soviet spetnaz shovel. The cold steel version is better.

Heavier, stronger steel to start with. Sharper edge. Thicker handle, which is also easily removed for cleaning, using as a short handled tool or to be put on a longer shaft. Check out the youtube videos people have made.

It also makes a fun throwing ax. Perfectly balanced. Suppose you could even hunt with it in a pinch. It’s not as versatile as an old 1945 entrenching tool but it never loosens up when using it and it looks seriously intimidating.

However you aren’t going to get arrested for having a little shovel in your car as opposed to a big hunting knife. another plus. At $25 or so they are a great bargain. I highly recommend getting one for hunting,camping,the car or light gardening.

I have also used it when metal detecting.

I like it feels strong n sturdy. Its small but surely woukd serve whatver purpose i come across. Hopefully. Folds to be very compact. Great shovel would give 5stars if the edges were sharp/serated more than just raised.

Works as intended. Folding the handle back down takes more force than you might think, or maybe it’s just mine.

I’ve only done some light work with it so far (digging holes for target stands). It seems solid and well built, I think it’ll hold up well

This is a great multipurpose shovel that I take with me everywhere in my farm. I have cut small branches blocking my trails and dug out stumps. Don’t let its small size fool you, this is a “workhorse”! It’s easy to carry and doesn’t physical activities.

I finally broke down and purchased one of these. It is very well built and tough. I keep it on my Polaris Ranger when traveling the desert and mountains. I have not had to put it to use yet but I am sure it will come in handy when needed.

It also makes a very nice conversation piece!!!.

I keep my shovel in my truck because it is compact and with the protective carrying cover will not wear the interior of the vehicle. The strong short handle is an easy sturdy grip for one hand or two.

Great for quick digging projects, chopping brush, harvesting certain crops and foraging. Use it to comb thru junk piles safely. Watch the video on the defensive weapon possibilities of the replica of a Russian Army shovel.

A word of caution the edges are very sharp and this is not a childs play shovel. A outstanding value.

This is classic Cold Steel at its best; simple, solid, functional and a fair price. It may not be the most high quality beautifully crafted kit you can buy, but I don’t think you’ll get better for the price and it’s more than up to the job.

You could comment that the edge isn’t perfectly symmetrical and has a few burs, but it’s a shovel not a knife or axe and it will still slice cleanly through a sheet of paper. Any digging tool that can slice paper is plenty sharp enough for me, and I’m sure it could quite happily serve as an axe in a pinch.

The only thing I have done to mine is to sand of the varnish and re-finish the handle with oil, but that’s as much a personal preference as anything. The sheath is solid, secure and fits well. All in all a great functional piece of kit.

Very well made shovel! This is an amazingly strong little shovel. It would be hard to dig very deep given the short handle, but that is not what it is designed for. It chops and throws surprisingly well! Would be useful for the normal tasks you might use an entrenching tool for, but with better rigidity.

the handle is easy to remove via standard phillips screws if you wanted to install a longer handle to use this while standing upright. Overall, it is a very nice little shovel.

Got it at a hugely discounted flash sale so cant complain. Perfect to keep inside car to dig up some snow dirt if stuck.

Let’s talk honest and adult for a second. Everyone knows that the Gerber e-Tool is THE tool. But how many of us really need to dig a fox hole? Even in a long term zombie apocalypse event if you really needed to dig a major hole you’d go find a full sized shovel.

And at $70 to $130US if you are not military or such then you are just making a fashion statement. If you really get out for more than a day hike, and need something better than a gardening trowel the Schrade SCHSH1 Shovel is a solid tool worth a look.

In fact, at least here in Oregon, you are required by law to have both shovel and axe to camp out in Forest Service lands. What’s to dislike? ============== I am not sold on the blade shape. Snow? Can’t see how on a camp shovel that would matter.

Chopping? Man. Ok, yes you can chop with this but if you don’t have an actual hatchet handy then get one. Maybe it is just a structural thing to allow a thinner blade. At any rate, I’d have preferred a deeper scooping ability to actually remove dirt.

I have concerns about the long term strength of a pin system for the telescoping handle. It seems that the constant abuse on the pin would eventually make it fail. But, if you really plan to do That much digging with basically an entrenching tool then invest in the top of the line.

I suspect that despite my concerns the average heavy camper will never reach the breaking point. This will only be proven after years of use though. The so-so ========== Still no clue why any shovel brand has a stake pounding surface on a shovel.

Man, if all you brought in your bug-out bag or on your week long camping trip was a folding shovel then you didn’t plan right. Fortunately the Schrade stake pounder is in an ok place. It doesn’t really interfere with the locking mechanism.

I might someday figure out how to remove it but it isn’t that big of a deal. The 90 degree lock is actually “90 degrees”. Ideally it should be a little less than 90 for optimum hoe-type digging. But not a huge deal.

At 2 pounds this is not an ultralight hiker tool. I could care les about that. but. if you are going several miles into the rough, well, 2 pounds of shovel on top of other gear. Yippie. The sheath. It is a sheath.

Cordura with very thin “plastic” liner. It is a shovel sheath so what is to expect? Oh yea. Maybe molle compatible next time, Schrade? I love the versatility of the sheath on your SCHF9 (as far as “attaching” goes) and your shovel deserves something similar.

What is there to like? ================= I like the sharpened edge. I HAVE to say that the warnings about the edge are a little hyped. The edge on the Schrade Shovel isn’t any sharper than a shovel you buy at the hardware store.

You wont cut a steak with it, and you wont cut your finger on it. However, you will definitely cut off fingers and hands if you get them in the way of a chop! Having a decently sharp shovel is actually important, but too sharp and the blade would get easily damaged on small rocks as you dug, So yea.

respect it but don’t fear it. Fearing a tool makes it more dangerous. The locking ring is solid. I Have used many folding shovels over the years and man, you really don’t want to over tighten this, and no matter what shovel there is always a little play.

and the Schrade is very steady for not a lot of tightening. It is 2 pounds. While it can suck carrying it out somewhere that weight aids in digging and chopping roots out of the way. So that 2 pounds pays off.

Got to dig a latrine hole in rough ground? Yea. 2 pounds is a good thing. So, in short, I’ve used the $9 shovels. You pay over time because they don’t last. I don’t need to dig a fox hole every time I pitch tent, so a $100 Gerber makes no sense.

Schrade’s $35 shovel hits a good spot with price versus durability and function. Don’t be afraid to get one, it will last you.

Love Schrade and Gerber products, great products at a great price and this shovel did not disappoint. Feels well made, sharp compact for carry. A little tight locking in position but should loosen some with use, better a little tight than loose.

This is a Chinese product, but construction appears as good as the military item I carried for 20 years.

These are tight tools. Somewhat smaller than the GI entrenching tool I was issued. I like the size for carrying and the blade gives a nice size hole. Just give yourself the time required to dig your hole.

I like the weight and size for trekking. Maximum production with minimum weight. My first thought was to carry one in my trunk. These are planned for my grandsons. It will certainly beat using your hands!.

Poor product. The compass on the handle points south not north. It’s held in place by plastic not metal. If your in rough terrain and trying to dig with the shovel you can’t pound on the handle because of said compass as it will break.

The fishing tackle inside is also a problem. The hook is very small and I can’t see a hole at all for the nylon to run through. Please review this product 4Patriots. It’s not the quality I expect from you.

Thanks ML Bracey.

This is toy quality for sand. The side blade is worthless for cutting. The saw blade is safe for toddlers. The shovel does not dig earth and has no leverage. The compass is inaccurate and would get you lost.

It was quickly riveted together and to finish it off, the logo on the belt sheath is upside down if you wear it or mount it on your gear. Stop selling this for survival use. I would appreciate a refund.

This is a nifty little spade that fits in one of those small alcoves in your boot which will be a life saver when needed; either snow or mud. Feels like quality construction and solidly built.

This is just a repackaged version of what my dad, a WWII infantry vet, called an entrenching tool. It was an indispensable accessory on all of my childhood camping trips, and just as necessary (and sturdy) today as it was back in the day.

Word of caution: Get out the blaze orange spray paint and paint it so you don’t leave it behind! The reason I bought a new one is that my husband did just that last summer, when we were packing up in the rain.

So the new one, and several other tools, are now emblazoned with that impossible-to-ignore, noxious orange.

Alright, this shovel is modelled after military surplus, like most of your camping gear thats painted green, this shovel it pretty good at what it does, mine has a serrated edge, this does NOT cut wood, or metal, or anything like that, I found out how it does when you try to cut wood, you might only get as fas as the bark of the tree and no further, I think it cuts snow and ice best.

This shovel is okay at making quinzhees, but might not be ideal. one thing I did like about this was the versatility of this shovel, it can replace the frying pan, though its not all that ideal, just lacks an all around lip.

so, you might need some pretty nifty spatula work if your gonna use this as a frying pan plus you might want to get rid of the paint before you do. This shovel is not the best as far as weight goes, but it makes up for it in versatility.

This shovel doesn’t throw very well, well, as far as I can tell, if you can throw these with accuracy and consistency, good for you, please write a review or something telling the rest of us how please.

anyhow, I think that just about covers it, oh yeah, and though this shovel can be treated indifferently and still do the job it is best that you take care of these shovels.