Trek Scotland Review - Vargo Titanium Dig Dig Tool
Posted by Trek Scotland on Oct 16, 2017
Vargo Titanium Dig Dig Tool Review
Tested and reviewed by Trek Scotland over a full season of Multi Day Trekking in the Highlands of Scotland.
Over the years we have used a number of toilet trowels with varying degrees of success, with many not standing up to robust use and often snapping or bending when digging hard ground. Our needs are pretty simple in terms of a tool for digging ‘cat holes’. Basically: Is it strong enough to withstand continual use? Is it lightweight? Is it easy to use? And, ultimately, will it do the job it is principally designed to do?
The Vargo Dig Dig tool stands up to the strength element and although we have used it frequently throughout a long Trekking season it has performed well in a number of terrains, making light work of a number of soil types, including stony and gravelly ground as well as easier peaty soils with heather roots. Despite all this it has continued to work well and looks as good as new and has never bent and hardly has a scratch. It is really strong thanks to the quality titanium it is made from. On top of this, it is super lightweight and is well worth carrying the additional 32 grams which is exceptional for a toilet tool which which measures over 20 cm in length and 4.4 cm in width.
Ergonomically, the Vargo Dig Dig fits neatly into the hand and has clever bends in the U shaped handle area so the tool doesn’t dig into the hands. The serrated cutting edges are brilliant at cutting through turf and tougher areas, such as heather roots. It can be also used with two hands when really needing to get some force into digging a hole. The serrated edges can be an issue when stashing the tool as they could cut into rucksack material so we would recommend some care when storing it.
The Vargo Dig Dig is also sold as a tool with a secondary use as a tent stake. In our opinion this is somewhat of a gimmicky deflection from it being an excellent toilet trowel and although possibly useful in an emergency. In reality, why use it as a tent peg when you might have to use it in the middle of the night for it’s original purpose? In relation to night use, one of the small downsides of the Dig Dig is its discrete, low key grey colour that makes it difficult to find and easy to lose if put down in poor light. Attaching a short length of bright cord would be an easy way to overcome this.
Our Verdict
Overall, the Vargo Dig Dig is an outstanding solution to carrying a toilet trowel, whether on single day walks or multiday expeditions. It is extremely robust, feather light and easy and practical to use. This is the best ‘cat hole’ trowel we have used to date, meeting all our requirements, and we will be stocking our Treks with them in the future.
Trek Scotland is a small family business based in the picturesque village of Tomintoul in the North East region of the Cairngorms National Park. They provide bespoke Mountain Guiding for Single Day Walks and Lightweight Multiday Trekking experiences, including wild camping, in the stunning Cairngorms wilderness and surrounding areas. Whether in the high mountains or lower valleys, their Multiday Treks are equipped with high quality, lightweight camping and trekking gear. They only work with small groups and, whatever your ability, pride themselves on designing your outdoor experience completely to your needs and with professional guidance and expertise. Adventure is waiting...
Over the years we have used a number of toilet trowels with varying degrees of success, with many not standing up to robust use and often snapping or bending when digging hard ground. Our needs are pretty simple in terms of a tool for digging ‘cat holes’. Basically: Is it strong enough to withstand continual use? Is it lightweight? Is it easy to use? And, ultimately, will it do the job it is principally designed to do?