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So you’ve chosen your metal detector and you’re ready to get out into the wilderness to hunt for treasure, you now need the perfect tool to dig underneath the ground to find your target. 

You’ll find that some targets are hiding in hard to reach areas. Depending on what the ground is like, you may need different tools to dig into different surfaces. You’ll also need to think about a tool that’s durable, lightweight, and easily transportable as you will be carrying it around with your other equipment.

To find the best tools for detectorists, we looked for items that come highly recommended by both hobbyists and professionals alike. We then found where to buy the items online and made sure they weren’t plagued by fake or stolen reviews which often make online shopping a nightmare. 

Before you do anything, be sure to check the rules and regulations of digging in the area you have chosen.

Follow this link to find the metal detecting laws in your area:

Canada: https://detectingschool.com/metal-detecting-in-canada/

US: http://www.mdhtalk.org/maps/fp-map-regulations.htm

This list covers a few considerations that we found important when looking for tools that will make your metal detecting more effective. 

We concentrated on:

• Different budgets
• Tools for different surfaces
• Durability
• Ease of transporting for long periods of time

What Are the Best Metal Detecting Shovels?

• Best for Beginner: NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Scoop and Shovel
  Sale

  

  NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Metal Detector Accessories - Sand Sifter Scoop & Shovel for Metal Detecting, Digging at the Beach & More

  • DISCOVER BURIED TREASURE with this tool set. Reveal what your metal detector finds underground!
  • EXTRA-DURABLE heavy-duty plastic construction for years of use in sand, dirt, gravel and more.
  • ULTRA-LIGHTWEIGHT tool set is easy for both kids and adults to use; weighs about 12 oz/340 g.
  • SIZED RIGHT - Trowel is 11.5 in/29.2 cm long and sifter is 7.75 in/19.7 cm tall with a ½ gal capacity.
  • SATISFACTION GUARANTEED – The National Geographic STEM series provides kids high-quality educational toys that are a whole lot of fun! If your experience is anything less than extraordinary, let us know so we can make it right for you.

  $16.99

  Buy on Amazon
• Low Budget Option: REDCAMP Military Folding Shovel
  

  REDCAMP Military Folding Camping Shovel，High Carbon Steel Entrenching Tool Tri-fold Handle Shovel with Cover，Green 2.5lbs

  • OCCASIONS:Ideal for camping,hiking,backpacking,fishing,hunting,gardening outdoor activities.
  • MULTI-FUNCTIONAL:Digging,sawing,cutting,hammering,shoveling.Can be used either straight or at a 90°angle as a shovel, hoe, pick or saw
  • PORTABLE:Folds,small size,foldable with a carrying pouch.Head size is 8.2"/21cm.Total length 22.8"/58cm.Package size is 7.5"x10.2"/19cmx26cm.It weights 2.5lbs/1.15kg.Blade thickness 1.5mm,strong enough to endure the toughest conditions.You can keep it in your car,backpack or toolbox.
  • PREMIUM MATERIAL:50# High-Carbon steel body and comfortable triangular handle are toughness.
  • GANURANTEEDG: REDCAMP offers a 365-day limited manufacturer warranty. If you're not satisfied for any reason, please contact us immediately and we will give you a reply within 24 hours

  $17.99

  Buy on Amazon
• Best knife: Garrett Edge Digger
  

  Garrett Edge Digger with Sheath for Belt Mount

  • Product Type: Outdoor Living
  • Package Dimensions: 7.112 L X 7.874 W X 31.242 H (Cm)
  • Made From High Quality Materials
  • Package Weight: 0.454 Kilograms

  $44.99

  Buy on Amazon
• Best Shovel: Yeacool Portable Folding Shovel
  

  Yeacool Camping Shovel Foldable, Folding Trench Shovel, Metal Detector Accessories, Army Trenching Tool with Pickaxe, Collapsible Tactical Multi-Tool for Survival, Digging, Backpacking, Car Emergency

  • Mini Folding Shovel with Multifunction: It Can be Pressed into Service as a Shovel, Saw, Bottle Opener, Nail Puller, Hoe, Pickaxe and more!
  • High Quality and Value Multitool for Outdoor and Indoor activities: Great choice for Backpackers,Campers, Hikers, Gardeners, Scouts, Archaeologist, Gold Prospector, etc. A Superb Gift Idea!
  • Small and Portable: The folding design allows easy carry, transport and storage. Simply loop to your belt or keep handy in your car or backpack! One multitool does it all!
  • Compact but Intelligent and Solid Design: It features a non-slip soft rubber grip handle resulting in a comfortable grip while performing your gardening, shoveling or digging tasks. High-carbon steel manufactured shovel head and handle, durable, sturdy and tough as nails! Very practical tool covers all your different outdoor needs.
  • Order with Confidence. Yeacool customer satisfaction means all! We fix any problem quickly and offer the best solution to our valued customers in a polite way!! Simply contact us via Amazon message when necessary, enjoy hassle free shopping experience with us!!!

  $19.99

  Buy on Amazon
• Best Trowel: CKG Stainless Steel Detecting Digging Shovel
  

  CKG Metal Detector Stainless Steel Landscaping Detecting Digging Digger Shovel Tool with Handy Belt Holder Treasure Hunting w/ Sheath Comfortable Hand Garden Tools - Gardener Gift

  • 𝗗𝗜𝗚𝗚𝗘𝗥 𝗦𝗛𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗟 𝗧𝗢𝗢𝗟: The Digging Shovel Tool CKG Metal, making it ideal for digging and prying in soft soil. This shovel camping tool is smart multi-function, super compact tools for your gardening and outdoor activities. Particularly suitable for women's hand and lighter use.
  • 𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗬 𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗔𝗟: Our digging shovel tool comes with the handy belt holder. Whether you are planting trees or working in the garden, this metal detecting shovel makes digging an easy task. Made with a durable stainless steel & rust-resistant finish, this digger tool is great for digging.
  • 𝗠𝗘𝗧𝗔𝗟 𝗗𝗘𝗧𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗦𝗛𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗟 𝗧𝗢𝗢𝗟: This stainless steel metal detecting shovel is a great tool for big jobs around the yard, and farm. It is well suited for a variety of lawn and garden uses as well as farms. Essential gardening tools for families and women's hand and lighter use.
  • 𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗩𝗬-𝗗𝗨𝗧𝗬 𝗚𝗔𝗥𝗗𝗘𝗡 𝗧𝗢𝗢𝗟: This heavy-duty metal detecting shovel tool has a specially designed to penetrate all types of soil with ease, making planting seeds and digging up weeds much easier. Digging up plants has never been easier. This heavy-duty shovel can easily get things done for you.
  • 𝗠𝗨𝗟𝗧𝗜𝗣𝗟𝗘 𝗨𝗦𝗘𝗦: The ultimate gardening tool for digging, weeding, nursery, landscaping, cutting, and metal detecting. Keep this gardening shovel tool on your belt for easy access, and protect it when not in use. Very Easy to Clean. This will handle anything you can throw at it.

  $14.95

  Buy on Amazon

9 Best Metal Detecting Shovels: In-depth Review

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1. Yeacool Portable Folding Shovel

When you’re hunting across a variety of terrains, you will want a tool with multiple functions. This portable folding shovel from Yeacool is an extremely durable multipurpose tool that’s lightweight, compact, and can fit into smaller gaps.

It comes with a handy carry bag that you can attach to your pack to whip out when it’s needed. The handle is comfortable non-slip rubber so your hands don’t get sore even after a full day in the field. One side of the shovel board has a sawtooth edge to cut through hard dirt while the other side is a flat edge blade. If you need to get into a small crack, the Yeacool can quickly morph into a pickaxe by folding the shovelhead 90 degrees.

A cool feature of this invaluable piece of equipment is when you’ve had a hard day out on the hunt for precious metals, you can crack open a beer or soda with its bottle opener.

Features:

• Made from high carbon steel
• 1.1 lbs
• Can also be used as a pickax, bottle opener, and saw
• Comes with a carrying pouch
• Fully collapsible

What we love:

• Looks great in matt black
• Easy cleaned
• Will not collapse on its own

We don’t like this as much:

• A bit small for deep or wide digs

2. Garrett Edge Digger

Garrett is a well-respected name in the metal detector community, it’s no wonder their range of accessories and tools hold up to the same high standard. One of their highly-rated products is the Edge Digger.

This black digging blade has cutting teeth on either side and a pointed tip so you can get straight into the ground to excavate your target. There’s a non-slip blade guard to protect your hand from sliding down when you’re digging into hard dirt and it has a rubber handle for extra grip. The Edge Digger also comes with its own sheath that can easily be attached to a belt or pack. 

This quality tool will last the test of time and can cope with hard/wet soil and sod in the toughest of conditions. You can use its point to flick away any small rocks and debris that are in your way whilst the dual cutting edges break down the soil as you dig.

Features:

• It has a padded handle
• 7.5-inch digging blade
• It weighs 1 lb
• Made from carbon steel

What we love:

• Ideal for tough soil and roots
• Slim body
• Tough enough to dig out rocks

We don’t like this as much:

•  Sheath not weatherproof

3. CKG Stainless Steel Detecting Digging Tool

When you’re out in all weathers, you need tools that are going to hold up through tough conditions. For detectorists who do most of their hunting in soft soil and dirt, there’s the CKG digging tool. 

Made from durable stainless steel and coated with a rust-resistant finish, this handy trowel is narrow enough to get into tight gaps to remove small targets. One edge of the tool is serrated to cut through any roots and weeds in your way, and the other is a smooth blade to cut away slim branches.

The handle is covered with rope so your hand won’t slip when digging which can also be used to attach to your belt or pack, and there’s a hole in the top where you can insert a long wooden handle for when you don’t want to get your knees dirty. It also has a bottle opener on the side to help you keep refreshed.

Features:

• Made from stainless steel
• Can be attached to your belt
• Has a rust-resistant finish
• Has a sharpened and a serrated edge

What we love:

• Optimum for soil and sand
• Only weighs 6.2 oz
• Easy to clean and maintain

We don’t like this as much:

•  You have to wrap the handle with rope yourself

4. REDCAMP Military Folding Shovel

This folding shovel may be described as a military tool, but we found that it will adapt easily to aid you in digging up targets on your detecting adventures. This model was chosen as it’s 8.2” shovelhead is wider than the Yeacool shovel for excavating larger areas.

Unlike the Yeacool, it has a triangular handle making it easier to dig as you can apply more pressure. It is made from high carbon steel and comes in either green or black. The 3-way folding handle means it can be broken down and transported easily. You have to unscrew a part to be able to do this so you don’t need to worry about it folding up mid-dig.

One side of the shovel head is serrated to cut through any hard dirt, roots, sand, and snow. If you need to chip away at any really hard surfaces, just push the shovelhead 90 degrees and fold out the pickaxe which is made of the same heat-treated durable steel.

Features:

• Can be used for digging, cutting, hammering, and shoveling
• Weighs 2.5 lbs
• Comes with a carry pouch
• Has a sharpened and a serrated edge
• Fold-out pickaxe

What we love:

• It fits in a car glove box
• You can saw straight or at an angle
• Won’t bend under body weight

We don’t like this as much:

•  Too big to attach to a belt

5. SE Prospector’s Choice 12″ Serrated Edge Digger

The first item on our list by outdoors, prospecting, and survival tool experts SE is this 12” digging tool. Its slim design makes it perfect for making narrow, deep holes in the ground to uncover smaller targets.

As it is made from heat-treated carbon steel, the point of this digger will crack through hard soil and will get under any rocks in your way. The double serrated edge is great for breaking down dirt, making your dig easier, and will also saw through weeds and roots cutting deep, clean plugs.

You can take this tool anywhere, it’s extremely lightweight and comes with a sheath that attaches to your belt. As well as an oversized grip on the handle, there’s also a blade guard just in case you hit rock whilst applying pressure.

This is a reliable tool that can cope with almost any surface and will have you reaching for it time and again out on the hunt.

Features:

• 7.5” dual-serrated blade edge
• Heat-treated carbon steel
• Comes with sheath 
• Oversized comfortable grip

What we love:

• Low cost, high effectiveness
• Orange handle is great for visibility
• Will dig through red clay

We don’t like this as much:

•  Sheath not waterproof

6. NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Scoop and Shovel

If you’ve never heard of National Geographic, it may not be wise to leave the house at all. To go with their metal detector which is aimed at young hobbyists, they released a sand scoop and trowel set.

This set is perfect for beginners who want to spend time on the beach with their new metal detector discovering the treasures that hide underneath the sand. They may be made from plastic, but don’t be fooled, they are extremely durable and won’t get picked up by your device.

The trowel will make light work of digging into sand and dirt so the scoop can easily filter it out separating it from your target. They are both ultra-light and easy to carry for long periods of time.

These tools aren’t built for rugged hunting through all terrain and won’t cut through hard soil and rock, but they are geared towards having fun with family and friends on a day out to find coins, artifacts, and maybe even gold nuggets.

Features:

• Made from heavy-duty plastic
• Weighs just 12 oz
• Two separate tools in one box

What we love:

• Can scoop up large amounts of sand and dirt
• The trowel is easy to grip for smaller hands
• Won’t weigh you down

We don’t like this as much:

•  The holes won’t capture small targets 

7. Sahara Sailor Survival Shovel

This next tool we chose is aimed at hardcore detectorists and those who are hunting across a variety of environments. The Sahara Sailor survival shovel may be the most expensive item here but for good reason.

For starters, it’s made from military-grade solid carbon steel with aerospace-grade anodized aluminum tubes, which means it won’t bend, break, or warp even in the harshest of conditions. The handle is extendable up to 30-inches to get to those deep targets or scale it right down to use as a trowel.

Like the other shovels, you can fold its head 90-degrees to use as a hoe, as well as using the serrated edge to soften the soil and cut through roots. The biggest feature of this shovel is the number of multi-tool attachments it comes with. In the pack, you get a knife, screwdriver, whistle, and ice crusher, to name a few. It’s not the lightest shovel, but add this to your pack and save yourself from needing to take any other tools on the hunt. 

Features:

• Made from military-grade carbon steel
• 12 functions and tools to choose from
• Fully collapsible
• Weighs 3.7 lbs

What we love:

• Folds down into a small camouflage carry case
• There are no plastic parts
• Comes with a shoulder strap

We don’t like this as much:

•  Doesn’t come with instructions

8. SE Green Prospector’s Scoop

The second item from SE may not be an all-singing all-dancing multi-tool, but it’s a must-have for those looking to find gold on their hunt. When you need to get under soft ground to uncover small targets, the prospector’s scoop will aid you in your discovery.

It’s made from plastic so it won’t get picked up by your metal detector and there’s no worry it will rust when out in bad weather. The material is heavy-duty, built specifically for digging through dirt and scraping away rocks without cracking or scuffing.

Its narrow head can reach into small gaps and doesn’t hold a lot of dirt so you won’t miss your target. There’s a hole in the handle so you can attach it to your belt or pack. This tool is the perfect size for gold panning and small target excavation.

Features:

• 12.5-inches long
• Made from heavy-duty plastic
• Hole in the handle to attach to pack

What we love:

• It’s extremely lightweight
• Won’t interfere when using a pinpointer
• Its bright color makes targets easy to spot

We don’t like this as much:

•  Doesn’t float

9. SOG Folding Survival Shovel

The last choice in the selection is the SOG folding survival shovel. We chose this tool for long days out hunting. Its lightweight steel construction is ideal for if you have to hike to your destination. Simply fold it up to fit inside its carry pouch and attach it to your belt.

It has a triangular handle so you can apply a good amount of pressure when digging without fear of your hand slipping onto the shovelhead. The head itself is only slightly bigger than a hand and has a sharp saw tooth edge to help cut through hard soil and tackle any roots and weeds in the way.

This tool is designed to move heavy loads like rocks and soil. Its powder-coated carbon steel head won’t bend or break under the pressure of digging into most surfaces which makes it a great tool to take with you into the field.

Features:

• Weighs only 24.5 oz
• Fully collapsible 3-way folding design
• Serrated edge
• Made from high carbon steel

What we love:

• Super compact when folded
• It has a double locking mechanism
• Head can swivel 180-degrees

We don’t like this as much:

•  More of a trowel than a shovel

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FAQs about Metal Detecting Shovels

What makes a good metal detecting shovel?

When considering a shovel to aid you in metal detecting, you have to ask yourself a few simple questions. First, what type of surfaces are you dealing with, are you a beach hunter? Mostly digging through the soil? Or a bit of everything? This will dictate which tool will be most effective.

Second, you want to decide how much weight you want to be carrying around for your time out there. Choosing a lightweight tool may make the difference between having a full day out and going home early because your arms hurt. 

Third, are you searching for large or small targets? If you need to dig large holes, you’ll waste a lot of energy using a small tool. It may seem obvious but if you spend all day digging for one target it can be demoralizing. 

What’s the best technique for using a metal detecting shovel?

Digging incorrectly may result in damaging your target, give yourself enough room on either side of the target so you can excavate to avoid scratching it. If you have a depth meter on your metal detector, check how far you’ll need to dig first. Items such as coins are usually found close to the surface and relics may be buried further underground. If you’ve chosen the right tool, you won’t have any issues. 

• Budget – REDCAMP Military Folding Shovel
• Mid-range – Yeacool Portable Folding Shovel
• High End – Sahara Sailor Survival Shovel

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