Entrenching Tools or E-tools are a big thing in the military. They are standard issue and part of mandatory gear. When it comes to having a great entrenching tool, you need the Tri-Fold entrenching tool. Coming home from active duty, the e-tool was something that I needed to bring with me. I keep my e-tool with me ever since my active duty days. Whenever I was in the field, it was in the field with me. E-tools are normally used to dig foxholes to set into for positions. It also is used to make latrines based on mission that you are on. It was also used as a combative weapon. E-tools are part of regular training, so I am very familiar with e-tools.
Now these days I just don’t have a lot of uses for digging foxholes. Although, whenever I am out camping, trekking, or doing any outdoor activities, I will use it to dig latrines. The e-tool is my go-to and favorite shovel whenever it comes to cooking on a Dutch Oven. Since I am able to tilt the shovel part to the perfect angle that I need to be able to begin grabbing the hot coals to make it easier for me to cook. The shovel has plenty of space on it that I can grab the needed coals in fewer trips. Whenever I am not outdoors doing things, I keep it in my car for emergencies. It has really helped me out to dig my own vehicle and other people’s vehicles out of the snow more than just once.
My e-tool has a blade that is made of steel and it has a full sized handle as well that is made of aluminum. The one downside that I have found about my e-tool is that it does take a lot of maintenance to care for it. You have to oil the tightening mechanism as well as the metal joins where the pivots are. Whenever I give the e-tool a lot of use, I just clean it off and then spray paint the shovel part to keep it from rusting and new looking. Let’s cover the pros and cons.
Pros:
- Made in the USA
- Full sized handle
- Steel and aluminum construction
- Military issued
- Tri-fold design so it fits anywhere
- Field tested
- Self-defense weapon
- Edged and serrated blade to be used as an axe
Cons:
- High maintenance
So when it comes to having a great military item, the tri-fold entrenching tool is something that you should have in your outdoor arsenal. Considering the quality, it comes at a reasonable price. If you’re looking for an e-tool that has more features, check out my survival shovels page.
