Review: ChinLin spade trowel

Whether it's putting in crops, digging up a secret-squirrel cache, taking care of some business in a back-woods latrine or just some old fashioned fox-hole digging, having  a good digging tool comes in very handy and saves the old fingernails. I have a couple of folding entrenching tools in my camping/bug out kits, but even compact as they are, they can add a bit of bulk and weight. Sometimes they're even a bit too much tool for the job. A full-sized e-tool will make a big Dakota-fire hole, where a trowel sized tool would be more economical. I love multi-function tools, especially when they don't add function at the expense of the primary function. 

This little beauty is the ChinLin HW-901 spade and I originally picked a couple up on Wish.com but it looks like they are no longer sold there. I did find them on this Indonesian clone ( buyer beware). What it is is a 26.3cm ( 10 1/3") trowel with a para-cord wrapped box handle. Made from a  single piece of 420 Stainless steel, the handle has been welded along the middle of the upper face, obscured by the cord wrap. The trowel has a sharpened edge around 3/4 of its edge, with the final quarter being a serrated saw-edge. The spoon face of the tool has a nail puller cut in as well as a set of four hex-head wrench cut-outs. 

The edges aren't super-sharp but they're sturdy enough to chop with, which will be good for clearing brush, weeds or stubborn roots whilst digging. Weighing in at only 80g (2.8oz) it's not going to cut it as an axe, but it makes for a lively and light digging tool. The sharp edges and serrations do make digging through turf easy, and the tool-cut-outs don't effect digging and scooping output significantly.

There is a 7cm ruler printed on the inside of the spoon which is  a nice addition. The pressed steel has a spine ridge pressed in for stability and the tool is very stiff, which makes it very good when sawing or prying (splitting cracked wood or perhaps stone), especially handy when pulling nails with the nail puller or applying torque with the hex wrench holes. 

The cord-wrap is made of 290cm (9'6") of paracord, secured to the handle through four sets of holes drilled into the sides of the handle, and terminating in a lanyard loop at the bottom end. The handle has a slight taper which keeps the cord from sliding off either ends. 

Those side lashing holes and the hole in the spine of the spoon near the handle of the tool can also act as attachment points to fix a pole fitted into the hollow handle, either acting as a extension to the handle, or to turn the tool into a spear. 

The tool comes in a hand if pretty flimsy nylon pouch with a belt loop. I've found it very useful to have on hand when picnicking or hiking. The pouch keeps the sharp edges secure. 

I bought one for myself as a tactical hand shovel, and another for my veggie-garden planting partner. We've both put it to  good use and they've never failed us. 

Panjang Handle: 10.4 cm