So the vargo dig dig tool does exactly what you needed to do when you need to do your business in the woods. The other nice features on it is it can be an absolutely bomb proof tent stake when you need a little more anchor-age during a windy night. The serrations on the side can be useful if you need an impromptu tool for cutting. My only caution would be make sure that you store it in your pack in a way that those same serrations won't damage either your gear or the pack itself. Great piece of kit!

Best Potty Trowel EVER!

I have tried many types of tools from long tent stakes to the normal orange plastic trowel for digging cat holes. This by far blows away any other digging tool. It will cut through roots in Florida and dig in sand. It is the best trowel ever. The teeth are SHARP so hang it from the outside of your pack with a biner or protect it somehow in an outside pocket. You'll never worry about digging a cat hole again.

Best trowel around by a large magin

I bought this after trying a friends plastic trowel and a Deuce #2. I found the plastic one to be worthless in anything but sand, and the Deuce has razor sharp edges that cut into your hand, and is rather flimsy. Again, I found the deuce only good in soft and sandy soils.The Vargo trowel is many times better than the others I tried for a couple reasons - the grip area has the metal folded such that you never grip on the razor thin edge as with the deuce. This means your hand takes much less abuse while digging in moderate to hard soils. The top is also rolled over to a flat lip, so you can actually apply a lot of downward force and not cut into your hand (which again happens with the Deuce line). The teeth are effective at cutting through small roots. Also, its ... MoreI bought this after trying a friends plastic trowel and a Deuce #2. I found the plastic one to be worthless in anything but sand, and the Deuce has razor sharp edges that cut into your hand, and is rather flimsy. Again, I found the deuce only good in soft and sandy soils.The Vargo trowel is many times better than the others I tried for a couple reasons - the grip area has the metal folded such that you never grip on the razor thin edge as with the deuce. This means your hand takes much less abuse while digging in moderate to hard soils. The top is also rolled over to a flat lip, so you can actually apply a lot of downward force and not cut into your hand (which again happens with the Deuce line). The teeth are effective at cutting through small roots. Also, its parallel design means you are not at a force disadvantage as with the deuce line. Last, this is rigid enough that I used it as an emergency shovel in moderately packed gravel recently. I did a soft high-center on the rear passenger wheel bracket of my car on a dirt road on my way to a trailhead. I could have asked for help but wanted to free myself out of pride and just to see how useful this was as a tool. I was able to find a stick about 1.5" diameter and tied the Vargo trowel to it tightly. I was then able to dig down about 2" all around the wheel bracket to free my rear wheel from its High center condition. After that was done i drove right off. If the blade was wider than the handle such as with the deuce I doubt it would have been rigid enough to dig into the semi-packed gravel, and the smaller handle/bigger blade of the deuce means it would want to twist or bend. The compact and reinforced design of the Vargo allowed me to use it as an emergency shovel effectively which made me very pleased. It can also be used as a tent stake for the gram obsessed or in soft ground//sand/snowMy only complaint is that they should include a sheath for it, as it can be tricky to pack in a way that avoids damaging other gear. I carry the REI medium size camp towel (the one that's approx 15x30"?), fold it in half, then wrap the trowel in the towel. This protects other gear and my pack from puncture damage from the point and teeth. A thin kydex sheath would be preferable to me, but its not a big deal in general.Pair this with a or CuloClean Backcountry Bidet and you only need 1 final wipe with TP, for the ultimate UL poo system.

Cuts like no other trowel

I bought a Deuce of Spades #2 first based on all the Youtube Hiker Channels that loved it. It’s OK but hiking in the woods on the east coast means cutting through lots of roots for a cat hole and the Deuce just doesn’t “cut it” when it comes to this task. The Dig Dig cuts through roots pretty well and quickly and this is important because when you gotta go, you gotta go. The cutting efficiency is worth the extra weight and the rounded edges are also less painful than the Deuce when you have to put some pressure on it. I also dipped the handle in some Plastidip which made it even more comfortable.

Great digging tool for backpacking

Light, sturdy and effective. I've been using this all summer on backpacking trips and it's the best digging tool I've come across for its size and weight.Goes right through roots and soil as hard as cement with a minimal effort as you could expect for something this small and light. Durable as well- plenty of impacts on buried rocks and not a chip or dent on it.It's plain to see that it's sharp on the sides, that's what allows it to saw through roots. The folks who complained about it being too sharp and cutting their bag, hand, etc should probably stay away from tools, in general.

Light, sharp, and efficient

I use this now instead of a plastic tool. The Vargo is much sharper and digs more easily and therefore faster. I find its flat sections clean easily by wiping on grass or snow, and keeping it clean easily is an advantage. It doesn't have much heat capacity so it heats up quickly and doesn't draw much heat out of my hand in cold weather. I find it a nice, light, well thought out tool.

Must be modified to make safe!

If you can’t dig it with this, it can’t be dug! HOWEVER, the handle is the biggest liability of a design fail I have ever seen. Unless you’re troweling your neighbor’s garden (what did your neighbor do to warrant you pooping in their garden??), you’re going to fillet your palm open. It’s made from stamped titanium and they failed to curl the handle edge over so it’s smooth. It’s not razor sharp, but I prefer not to be miles from civilization needing sutures in my hand. But, it is a pretty rugged trowel that has many uses (sand/snow ancho, tent or tarp stake) and it’s a lot better than the flimsy multi-colored ones you can buy here. I decided to fix mine. Pliers weren’t enough to bend the edge over (it IS titanium), so I wrapped the handle in paracord. I think it ... MoreIf you can’t dig it with this, it can’t be dug! HOWEVER, the handle is the biggest liability of a design fail I have ever seen. Unless you’re troweling your neighbor’s garden (what did your neighbor do to warrant you pooping in their garden??), you’re going to fillet your palm open. It’s made from stamped titanium and they failed to curl the handle edge over so it’s smooth. It’s not razor sharp, but I prefer not to be miles from civilization needing sutures in my hand. But, it is a pretty rugged trowel that has many uses (sand/snow ancho, tent or tarp stake) and it’s a lot better than the flimsy multi-colored ones you can buy here. I decided to fix mine. Pliers weren’t enough to bend the edge over (it IS titanium), so I wrapped the handle in paracord. I think it came out pretty well, but the manufacturer needs to correct this problem fast.

The "multi-use" aspect ruins a perfectly good tool

First, yes it was clever making a tool that can dig a cat hole OR anchor your tent. But the modifications necessary for it to work as an anchor make the handle uncomfortable to use as a trowel. I used duct tape on the handle to make it easier to grasp, which helps, but does not solve the problem.But is anyone really going to grab the anchor from one end of their tent to go dig a cat hole? It would have been far better to just focus on a comfortable handle.

This Dig Tool is a lawsuit waiting to happen!

This Dig Tool is a lawsuit waiting to happen! While I like the concept of this trowel, the manufacturing is terrible. Other reviewers have mentioned the risk of getting cut by this trowel, but its not the teeth, it's the handle. The half-way curled edges have a terrible burr that will slice your thumb wide open! I had a terrible time trying to curl the edges enough to make it safe to use. (a testament to the quality of the materials) It is ridiculous to spend this much money on a tool that you have to make really ugly in order for it to be safe to use. :-(

Titanium > Aluminum >Plastic

Comfortable and functional. I looked at the other options available at REI, two aluminum and one plastic model, and the titanium Vargo tool felt the best in my bare hand. The curved inward metal at the hand end didn't dig into my skin at all. Vigorous digging might require use of a glove or more awareness so your hand doesn't slide down the tool into the serrated portion. I enjoy the lightweight titanium offers as this will be used as part of my bushcraft kit. The price difference over the aluminum and plastic options is minimal and titanium offers better durability.