Sea to Summit Nylon 66 Pocket Trowel Review

Overview

The Sea to Summit Nylon 66 Pocket Trowel is an ultralight, compact folding trowel made from glass-reinforced Nylon 66, designed for digging catholes to uphold Leave No Trace principles in the backcountry.

It’s aimed squarely at backpackers and thru-hikers who want to ditch the “heel-kick” method without adding meaningful weight to their kit. At 3 oz, it’s not the lightest option on the market — the plastic Deuce of Spades undercuts it — but it brings a few thoughtful design features that make it worth a closer look.

Key Specs

Spec	Value
Weight	87g / 3 oz
Material	Glass-reinforced Nylon 66
Collapsed Length	14 cm / 5.5 in
Extended Length	24 cm / 9.5 in
Handle Storage	Yes (hollow — fits TP or lighter)
Depth Gauge	Yes
Lock Mechanism	Push-button spring lock
Comparison	See how Nylon 66 Pocket Trowel compares to similar gear

Performance

Let’s start with the obvious: the 24 cm extended length is perfect, as it is the recommended minimum depth for burying waste, and in soft to medium soil it works quickly and efficiently. Sea to Summit has also integrated depth gauge markings on the blade, so you’re not guessing when you’ve hit the LNT-required 6 inches — a small but genuinely useful touch.

It’s incredibly light, almost to the point where it feels like a toy, but the glass-reinforced nylon gives it a reassuring rigidity.

The push-button locking mechanism is straightforward:

the large push-button release makes the handle quick to deploy when needed and simple to stow when you’re done.

In practice, the deploy-and-lock action is snappy enough that you’re not fumbling with it at an inopportune moment.

Where the trowel earns its most consistent criticism is on harder terrain. The business end has a good scooped shape for moving quantities of earth, and is made of surprisingly tough nylon; however, the cutting edge is a bit blunt for very hard ground, particularly if you’re trying to get through a dense covering of grass and roots. It’s more shovel-shaped than the classic pointy trowel you might dig your garden with, which helps it scoop but hurts it on penetration. In extremely hard-packed ground or areas with a lot of rocks and roots, it will struggle. This is a plastic trowel — that’s not surprising — but worth knowing if your routes regularly cross rocky alpine soil or dense turf.

The hollow handle storage is a clever idea that works better in concept than in execution. Inside the hollow handle there’s storage space for some toilet roll, though if you have a meaningful quantity it needs to be rolled very tight, and it’s a fiddle to extract. A few sheets or a slim lighter fits fine; don’t expect to stuff a full roll in there. Some users have also noted that the collapsible mechanism has a bit of rattle to it — the collapsible structure is not very tight, and it clatters cheaply. It doesn’t affect function, but it does undercut the “premium” feel.

On the plus side, the bright orange color makes it hard to lose, which is a big plus in a category where leaving your trowel behind is a real (and environmentally unfortunate) possibility. Sea to Summit also claims the current Nylon 66 model is 22% lighter than the previous model without sacrificing strength or function — and the material is rated to handle cold temperatures without becoming brittle, which matters for winter camping or high-altitude use.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Collapses to a genuinely pocketable 14 cm — fits in a pants pocket or outside pack pouch
• Glass-reinforced Nylon 66 holds up well in soft to moderate soil
• Depth gauge removes any guesswork on cathole depth
• Hollow handle stores a lighter or a few sheets of TP — everything in one place
• Bright orange is hard to misplace
• Push-button lock is quick and reliable
• Cold-weather rated; won’t snap in freezing temps
• Reasonably priced (~$15 USD)

Cons

• Shovel-shaped blade struggles on hard-packed ground, dense roots, and rocky soil
• Handle storage is cramped; extracting TP is fiddly
• Some rattle from the collapsible joint — feels less solid than the aluminum sibling
• Not the absolute lightest option at 87g (plastic alternatives like the Deuce of Spades are lighter)
• The alloy version offers meaningfully better cutting performance for about $10 more

Who Should Buy This

This trowel is a natural fit for three-season backpackers and thru-hikers who spend most of their time on established trails with moderate soil conditions. The weight is absolutely fine, and the neat little hollow handle for storing toilet roll is a genuine selling point if you want a single, self-contained hygiene kit. If you regularly camp on rocky alpine terrain, compacted desert hardpan, or British turfy hillsides, consider stepping up to the Sea to Summit Alloy version or a purpose-sharpened trowel. Budget-conscious hikers who just need something that works and packs small will find this does the job without fuss.

Verdict

The Sea to Summit Nylon 66 Pocket Trowel is a solid, no-excuses cathole tool for the majority of backpacking conditions. The collapsible design, depth gauge, and hollow handle storage are all genuinely useful rather than gimmicky, and the orange colorway means you’ll actually find it when you need it. The blade’s scooped, blunt profile is its real ceiling — if your terrain is anything harder than medium-packed soil, this trowel will leave you wishing for something sharper. For most three-season hikers, though, it earns its 87 grams. 7/10.