Image Credit: Forrest Tool Company
A shovel is a simple, yet effective overland tool. It can be used to get a vehicle unstuck, put out a fire, clear out a track, and much more.
It’s important to buy a good-quality product as the cheaper variants don’t last as long – you definitely get what you pay for!
But, that doesn’t mean you have to drop an amount equivalent to your monthly mortgage payment to get the best overlanding shovel.
In this article, we’ve got five great options for the best overlanding shovel to add to your overlanding kit.
Table of Contents
- Best Overlanding Shovel – Forrest Tool Company MAX Toolkit
- Best Overlanding Shovel – DMOS Delta Shovel
- Best Overlanding Shovel – Sahara Sailor Survival Shovel
- Best Overlanding Shovel – Redcamp Military Folding Camping Shovel
- Best Overlanding Shovel – Rhino USA Survival Shovel
- Best Overlanding Shovel – Which One Should You Buy?
- Other Recommended Overlanding Gear
Best Overlanding Shovel – Forrest Tool Company MAX Toolkit
Image Credit: Forrest Tool Company
Let’s be honest now, we do love a good-looking accessory fitted to our truck – it makes the whole thing more purposeful.
Finished in military green, the MAX Toolkit overlanding shovel will suit your 4×4 well.
Furthermore, the eight different tool heads mean that it can do the job of eight tools in the size of one.
Image Credit: Forrest Tool Company
It includes a 34″ Composite Polyglass Handle, a Hudson Bay Ax Head with Shovel, and a Pick. There’s a Broad Pick, a Mattock Blade, and a Combination McLeod, too. Add a Rake & Hoe with Fastener, 6 Lock Pins, an Embossed Leather Ax Sheath, and a Cordura Carrying Case to the mix as well.
The MAX Toolkit is a quality product manufactured in the USA to meet ANSI industry standards and government workmanship standards for strength and reliability.
Image Credit: Forrest Tool Company
The convenience and aesthetics offered by this shovel also make it a great addition to your adventure vehicle, be that for overlanding or off-roading (this makes a fantastic recovery tool for your off-roading adventures!). I know looks aren’t everything, but hey, this isn’t the best overlanding shovel for nothing!
Best Overlanding Shovel – DMOS Delta Shovel
The DMOS overland shovel is a bit over the top, both in terms of design and pricing.
One can view it as an item of craftsmanship or a useful tool. It’s made in the USA to be able to withstand anything you throw at it.
The blade is constructed from 14 gauge cold-rolled steel and the shaft from 6000 series aluminum.
This tool has three different uses. It can be a shovel, hoe, and stow. The spade-style blade is made to punch through the dirt while the long handle helps you keep correct posture which prevents back pain.
The DMOS can be folded in a manageable size. However, when opened up its sturdier and longer design (130cm) means that it can also be very useful in bigger jobs such as getting a vehicle unstuck.
The DMOS Delta comes with a limited lifetime warranty and each shovel is proudly made in the USA.
Best Overlanding Shovel – Sahara Sailor Survival Shovel
Multitools are great, they may not be great at everything; however, they offer a variety of tools in a small package – this means there is more free space in the truck for more things we don’t need.
The Sahara Sailor Survival Shovel is the definition of a multitool. It can turn into a shovel, hoe, saw, or bottle opener. It has a cleaver, whistle, knife, and fish scaler as well. There’s also an emergency hammer, a flat-blade screwdriver, and four different wrenches.
The shovel and its accessories are constructed from military-grade solid carbon steel with aerospace-grade anodized aluminum tubes that make it sturdy enough to deal with the punishment of off-roading.
It can also collapse and pack cleverly meaning it will take very little space in your truck.
The best thing about it though is that it only costs around $29.99. When compared to the above options it’s an absolute steal!
Best Overlanding Shovel – Redcamp Military Folding Camping Shovel
The Redcamp Military Folding Shovel is aimed more toward the minimalist overlander. It offers nothing else other than a shovel and its military design means it folds up great. It will barely take any space in your trunk.
However, the small handle means that it won’t be very convenient when it comes to big digging jobs.
The company states that it can also be used for sawing, cutting, and hammering, but I wouldn’t bother using it for anything else other than shoveling unless I absolutely needed to.
This one will cost you around $21.99 and is a great shovel to have for peace of mind.
Best Overlanding Shovel – Rhino USA Survival Shovel
This shovel by Rhino USA is also a multitool. It offers a fire starter, whistle, bottle opener, saw, hoe, and a fish scaler.
It is 31” long when extended and can collapse to 7”, making it the perfect combination of a comfortable length and great packaging.
This is an American-operated father and son business; therefore, buying this shovel will help support a domestic company.
At around $35 and with 7000 reviews, I would not hesitate to buy one of these.
Best Overlanding Shovel – Which One Should You Buy?
Image Credit: Forrest Tool Company
From the above, our top picks are the MAX Toolkit and the Rhino USA. If you have the money and wish to buy something really elegant, then the MAX Toolkit is the way to go. If on the other hand, you only need a good shovel that can also do the job of a few other tools, the Rhino USA tool is a good option.
If you have any further questions regarding overlanding shovels or for anything else off-road or overland-related, head over to the forum section of our page.
Other Recommended Overlanding Gear