A shovel may not seem high the list of priorities for the light back packer. But its primary purpose is for the digging of holes to bury urinary waste. The shovel is also good for dousing a fire with dirt and also is convenient for general fire pit safety. The shovel is excellent for trenching around tents, in the event of rain, to prevent rainwater from running under the tent.

This is not only to prevent the possibility of gear inside the tent from getting wet, but to keep the ground underneath as dry as possible. Wet ground will reduce the temperature inside the tent, and is cold to sleep on. The shovel can be used to bury fish entrails and scales and can also be used to dig holes for the disposal of waste, dish or clothes water. If soap is used it should be as organic as possible. A good soap for this purpose is Baby Castle Soap. Of course it is universally recommended by all forestry agencies, that all burial for whatever the reason as urinary, soap and dishwater or fish remains should be buried at least one hundred feet from any water source such as spring, stream or lake. All garbage should not be buried but carried out.