ricrunner

I use a foldable mini shovel, it is steel and heavy at 800grams, but we have extremely hard ground in Australia, to get down at least 12 inches(30 CM) deep, I found this type of shovel is needed here. IT does fit into the palm of my hand, when folded, and I also use it to cover up my fire at the end of the night. What do other people use?

MarcusT

Plastic garden trowel. Yes, I need to find softer ground, but it weighs practically nothing and is small

reppans

Tentlab Deuce of Spades trowel. Pricey, but only 0.6 oz.

fietsbob

breakfast restaurant WC.

boomhauer

You are suppose to poop in your pannier and pack it back to town. It’s the right thing to do.

mtnbud

It's a lot different situation here in the US. Except when bikepacking, it's usually not necessary as there's usually a bathroom somewhere. In an emergency, I might use the base of a rotted log or a similar place that would conceal and help decompose the mess. Under such circumstances, I'd pack out the TP in a ziplock. I have broken a couple of those plastic shovels when backpacking. I actually use a one piece metal garden trowel, but there are some specialty shovels out there so I hope you get some helpful posts.

indyfabz

But if you have Ortleibs or other waterproof panniers it won't dry.

Tourist in MSN

Won't smell either.

J.Higgins 

I use the heel of my shoe. It works, and don't weigh an ounce extra.

J.Higgins 

Why would you even need to get down to 30cm ferchrissakes? Dig a shallow trench. Take yer dump. Cover it up. Done.

*Holds out upraised palms in bewilderment*

By all means, try as hard as you can to make it more complicated.

andrewclaus

One of my tent stakes is a snow/sand stake and I can use that to dig a hole.

kaos joe

+1 on the TentLab implement. I've awakened many a morn to the cry of one of my buds asking "Where's the trowel?"

They should have named it the Spade of Deuces though.

reppans

Awesome

saddlesores

as i recall from my tour of downunder rest areas, there weren't much shoveling going on.

most folks would make their deposit just off the compacted parking area, then
cover up with a hungry jack wrapper or bit of newspaper, maybe strategically
place a few pebbles on top just so, like it was a modern art masterpiece.

Machka 

Two cycling tours in Australia, and then living in and travelling around Australia for the past 9 years ... and I've never needed a poop shovel.

We've got toilets everywhere! Yes ... there's a map of them all ...

https://toiletmap.gov.au/


OK, I know, there are some remoter areas where toilets don't exist or are only open certain hours, but so far it hasn't been an issue.

3speed

The smallest, narrowest little trowel I could find. I don't remember exactly what kind. It takes a Little longer than a larger one, but I don't use it often, and I'd rather it took an extra minute to dig than carry the extra weight and, more importantly, take up the extra space all of the time.

I'm not sure how deep you manage with those shoes, but they say you should be digging at least 6 inches. Reasons include animals digging it up, aesthetics, smell/attracting animals, watershed pollution, and the organisms that degrade it being ~6+ inches down.

staehpj1

I have almost never needed to dig a hole when bike touring on the road and in the rare cases where I did I improvised something. For off road tours, backpacking, on canoe camping I have used a sand/snow tent stake.

J.Higgins 

And "they" are always right... right?

Been crapping in the woods all my life. Always used the heel of my boot. Never had an issue. Never had any trouble kicking backwards to make a 4"-6" trough, pinching a loaf, and covering it up. No mess. No fuss. No complications. Wipe my bum with a leaf if I have to. Wouldn't be the first time.

I will admit that I've often thought about what I would do if I needed a bigger hole. Oh look! There's a stick! And right over here is a sharp rock!

alan s 

For those who can’t find a stick, there is this:

https://www.rei.com/product/758042/s...-pocket-trowel

mbusky

DIG and GO...

https://sectionhiker.com/qiwiz-big-d...tanium-trowel/

indyfabz

My **** doesn't stink anyway.

alan s 

Why deprive the flies of a tasty meal?

ricrunner

There is a long way between toilets on the Birdsville track, as well as the Gibb river road. I have ridden both over the years an am back to doing remote outback touring again after a bit of a hiatus, so I rarely find toilets out there, and as you know Machka, free caravanning camping areas are being closed because people are not burying their waste deep enough, so I always do bury it deep to avoid the filfth coming up.

Machka 

Well those would qualify as remote areas.

Aushiker

I have a Sea to Summit Pocket Trowel but I like @STAehpji ideal of using a sand peg.

I tour in Australia extensively ... (a) I never assumed a toilet will actually be available and (b) will available when I need it. I don't however tend to ride from town to town so less likely to come across toilets dily but even then towns (toilets) are not always a day a part here in the West. For example riding out of Esperance westward, no toilet available even on the highway until into the second day. Hardly remote either.