The best folding spades, compared.
Top pick: Ycnpeatt 23 cm folding camping trowel – Highest star figure in the set, 4.7 from 32 ratings, at about £6.29, as a 23 cm pocket trowel. Best value: Hilka 84720099 folding boot shovel – About £8.58 and 690 g, with 4.2 from 150 ratings, for snow around a car if you accept an unstated length. Updated October 2026.
A folding spade is a short steel digging tool whose shaft or head folds so it can live in a car boot or a daysack. UK shoppers on amazon.co.uk buy one for snow around the tyres, a beach, a fire pit, light garden work, or metal detecting. The smallest listing here is a 23 cm trowel for a cathole. A garden plot still wants a full-size spade. Quality shows up as a lock that stays tight, a stated open length you can believe, and a hinge that UK reviewers do not describe as bending on the first ordinary dig. High-carbon steel on the title is not a hardness test. The [folding spade buying guide](/hub/digging-tools/folding-spade/sub/folding-spade-buying-guide) sets job, length, and lock before the table.
A folding spade is a short steel digging tool whose shaft or head folds so it can live in a car boot or a daysack.
42 products checked · 58 hrs invested · +18,600 readers
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
Where will you keep it?
The Ycnpeatt is a stainless steel folding camping trowel at £6.29, rated 4.7 from 32 amazon.co.uk ratings, about 23 cm by 6.5 cm and 110 g, the lightest stated weight in this set. A pouch is in the bullets. UK reviews describe it as suitable for burying waste and for a rucksack pocket. It is a pocket tool, not an entrenching shovel, and it is too short to move snow around a car or to dig a garden bed. The foldable flag says No, a number-of-items line says 10, and an item-type line says iron shovel, all of which conflict with a single stainless trowel. A pick is not specified, though the title says 3-in-1. One reviewer worries about sharp edges. The 4.7 rating is the highest star figure here, so it is the top pick on stars, and it does not turn a 23 cm blade into a boot shovel.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a pocket trowel for a cathole or a beach, not a boot shovel.
Less suitable: You need leverage, a pick, or enough blade to move snow.
Specifications
Common questions
How big is this trowel?
The listing says the unfolded size is about 23 x 6.5 cm. Item weight is 110 g. One UK review says 104 g.
Is it a full-size folding spade?
No. It is a mini folding trowel with a pouch. UK reviews use it for a cathole, a beach and light garden work.
Why do some specification lines look wrong?
Is Foldable says No, number of items says 10, and item type says iron shovel. The title and bullets say one stainless folding shovel. The conflicts are in the listing.
The ADTSADDTO KST028 is a 23 inch high-carbon steel folding shovel at £12.99, rated 4.6 from 1,811 amazon.co.uk ratings, the largest count in this set. On this capture it is number 1 in Camping & Hiking Shovels. UK reviews often call it sturdy once it is open and small enough for a car boot. The listing claims a serrated edge, a hoe and a pick, a plastic handle and an 8.2 inch blade, while the item dimensions are 16.5 × 6.5 × 25 centimetres. Item weight is 998 g and a unit-count line says 1,180 g, so there is not one weight to quote. A folded length is not stated, and a pouch shows up in reviews rather than in the specification list. One review reports a bent washer, one a saw edge that did no useful work, and one rust after a night in a river. Some UK reviewers find it heavy for hiking or too short for standing garden digging.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a short carbon-steel folder for a car boot, snow or a small outdoor job, and you have checked the live length against the 23 inch title.
Less suitable: You need a measured folded length on the listing, or a long shaft for standing garden digging.
Specifications
Common questions
What is the blade made of?
The amazon.co.uk listing says high-carbon steel for the blade and the material type, and plastic for the handle.
How long is it?
The title says 23 inches. The item dimensions are 16.5 x 6.5 x 25 centimetres, and the blade length is 8.2 inches. A separate folded length is not stated.
Does the listing include a pouch?
Included components are not listed. Several UK reviews mention a Velcro case or storage bag.
The Epic Militaria SKU6558K is an olive alloy-steel folding shovel with a contoured grip and a case that has a belt loop, at £21.95, rated 4.6 from 294 amazon.co.uk ratings. The stated weight is 1.2 kg. UK reviews describe hard use, including a tight hole a full-size spade would not fit. Open length is not on the listing. The material line is alloy steel, so a question on the page about stainless is not answered by the specification, and the country of origin is China. A title that says NATO or military is not evidence of British Army issue. Sand in the threads stopped one reviewer folding it after a beach. A serrated edge and a window hammer are not stated.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want an olive NATO-style folder with a case, and you can accept that the open length is not published.
Less suitable: You need a published open length, or a tool you will fold again after using it in beach sand.
Specifications
Common questions
Is it stainless steel?
No. The listing material is alloy steel. A question on the page asks about stainless steel, and the specification does not say stainless.
Does a case come with it?
Yes. The bullets say a case with a belt loop is included.
How long is it?
The amazon.co.uk capture does not state an open or folded length. Weight is 1.2 kg.
The Gerber Gorge 22-41578N is listed with an unfolded length of 41.9 cm and a weight of 771 g, at £24.99, the highest price in this set, rated 4.4 from 1,276 amazon.co.uk ratings. The listing describes a push-button handle, a pick, a hammer for tent stakes and a drawstring bag, and UK reviews confirm the small packed size. Several UK reviews report the head snapping or folding while you dig, including when the handle is pressed. One UK review used it for detecting on the knees because the shaft is short, and another mentions a van in snow while calling the blade very small. Blade-material lines disagree: one says glass-filled nylon carbon steel and another says nylon. The foldable flag says No while the title says it folds. A warranty line says two years, eighteen UK reviews were captured, and the country of origin is China. The stake hammer is not a car-window hammer.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the Gerber Gorge’s stated 41.9 cm size and push-button, and you have read the UK comments about the head and the lock.
Less suitable: You need a long lever for hard ground, or a listing that states the blade steel in one consistent line.
Specifications
Common questions
How long is the Gerber Gorge on this listing?
The title says unfolded length 41.9 cm. Item weight is 771 g. A closed length is not stated on this capture.
What is the head made of?
Material type says glass-filled nylon carbon steel. The blade-material line says nylon. The listing does not resolve that.
What do the UK reviews say about strength?
Eighteen UK reviews were captured. Some call it a solid car shovel. Others report a snapped head, a handle that folds under pressure, a stuck lock, or a bag toggle that broke.
The Draper 51002 is a carbon-steel folding shovel with a serrated blade, a tubular handle and a powder coat, at £14.21, rated 4.4 from 648 amazon.co.uk ratings. The stated weight is 1.02 kg. UK reviews include snow, clay and a car boot, including a weekend on clay and a car stuck in snow. Open length is not on the listing. The item dimensions are 25.2 × 5.3 × 16.1 centimetres, which read as a packed size rather than a digging length. The foldable flag says No while the title says it folds, and the handle is tubular steel in a bullet and alloy steel in the specification. Some UK reviews report a bend on a root, mould on the bag, or play that needed washers. A pouch is mentioned in reviews, not in the bullets, and the country of origin is China.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a named-brand folding shovel with a large UK rating count, and you can check the live length before you rely on it.
Less suitable: You need a pick head, or a stated open length, before you buy.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the Draper 51002 fold?
The title and UK reviews say it folds. The specification line Is Foldable says No.
What is the blade?
The bullets say a carbon-steel serrated blade, powder coated, on a tubular steel handle tightened by an integral collet.
How long is it open?
This amazon.co.uk capture does not state an open length. Item dimensions are 25.2 x 5.3 x 16.1 centimetres and weight is 1.02 kg.
The longer ADTSADDTO, also model KST028, is listed at £17.99 with a length from 38 cm to 81.2 cm, the longest stated reach in this set, plus a nylon case. It is the only listing here that states a car safety hammer. The rating is 4.4 from 134 amazon.co.uk ratings, and only four of the captured reviews are from the United Kingdom. Item weight is printed as 1.42 kg, with 1.3 kg and 1,180 g also on the page, so you should not treat one figure as the weight. The listing claims a shovel, hoe, pick, saw, wrench and bottle opener. This capture does not include a UK review that describes using the hammer or seating the lock. The country of origin is China, and the same model number is used on the shorter 23 inch ADTSADDTO shovel.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the listing’s reach up to 81.2 cm and a stated window hammer, and you will read the live page because the weight figures disagree.
Less suitable: You want a UK review sample that describes the hammer or the lock before you rely on either.
Specifications
Common questions
How long does it get?
The listing says the length adjusts from 38 cm (15 inches) to 81.2 cm (32 inches).
Does it include a window hammer?
The bullet says the tail has a car safety hammer to break a window. That is a listing claim. The four captured UK reviews do not mention it.
What does it weigh?
Item weight is 1.42 kg. A bullet says 1.3 kg. Unit count says 1,180 g. The listing does not reconcile the three figures.
The Eidoct folding spade is listed at £6.99, rated 4.3 from 15 amazon.co.uk ratings, with a stated open length of 41.5 cm, a packed length of 17.2 cm, a weight of 350 g and a pouch. The blade is high-carbon steel and the handle is thermoplastic rubber. Only two UK reviews were captured, and one of them reports bending in heavy soil, so the compass, saw and bottle opener on the listing are mostly untested in this file. The listing also claims a shovel, pick and hoe. It is light if the 350 g figure is right, and it is the cheapest folder here after the pocket trowel. The colour line is printed as Black Little. The country of origin is China. Treat the multi-tool claims as unproven until a larger UK sample exists.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a cheap, short folder with a stated packed length for a glovebox, and you treat the strength claims as unproven.
Less suitable: You need evidence that it survives heavy soil. This capture does not provide it.
Specifications
Common questions
How small does it pack?
The listing says about 41.5 cm unfolded and 17.2 cm packed, with a carrying pouch. Item weight is 350 g.
What else does the listing claim?
Shovel, pickaxe, hoe, saw, bottle opener and a compass. One of the two UK reviews mentions a compass on the handle.
How many UK reviews are in the capture?
Two. One says it seems rugged for a car. The other says it begins to bend if the soil is too heavy. The listing count is 15.
The Hilka 84720099 is a folding boot shovel at £8.58, rated 4.2 from 150 amazon.co.uk ratings, with carbon steel, a tubular handle and a stated weight of 690 g. UK reviews keep it in a car for snow. At £8.58 and 690 g, with 150 ratings, it is the best value boot shovel in this set if you can accept an unstated length. Open length is not on this amazon capture, and the foldable flag says No while the title says it folds. Almost no feature bullets were captured. One UK review would not lever with it or dig hard soil, and some buyers found it smaller than they expected. A pouch appears in reviews, not in the specification block. A spare-part line says one year.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a light boot shovel for snow around a car, and you accept that the open length is not on the amazon listing.
Less suitable: You need a pick, a blade size printed on the amazon listing, or a tool for hard ground.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this the Hilka boot shovel?
Yes. The title is Hilka 84720099 Folding Boot Shovel. Weight on this capture is 690 g.
Does the listing say it folds?
The title says folding. The specification line Is Foldable says No. UK reviews say it folds small.
How long is the blade?
This amazon.co.uk capture does not state blade length or open length.
The Meehoo US-XC-HKS-M-Black is listed at 46 cm overall, with a 12 cm head and 640 g, at £12.99, rated 4.2 from 41 amazon.co.uk ratings. A storage pouch is in the included components, and one UK review repeats the 640 gramme figure. UK reviews use it for light garden work, a beach and a pack. The title, the bullets and those reviews say it folds, while the specification line Is Foldable says No. Carbon steel, a metal handle, a serrated edge, a hoe and a pick are claimed. Some UK reviews say the blade bent, or that it is only for sand. A Meehoo review describes a blood blister when a loose bolt let the head move. Forty-one ratings is a smaller sample than the long-running listings, and the country of origin is China.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a stated 46 cm carbon-steel folder with a pouch for light digging, and you will ignore the contradictory foldable flag.
Less suitable: You need a listing that consistently marks the tool as foldable, or you expect military-shovel strength in heavy soil.
Specifications
Common questions
Does it fold?
The title, the bullets and UK reviews say it folds into a pouch. The specification line Is Foldable says No.
How long and how heavy is it?
The listing says 46 cm overall, a 12 cm head and 640 g, and one UK review repeats 640 grammes.
What comes in the box?
Included components are a 46 cm gardening shovel and a storage pouch.
The PLACHIDAY CP611 is a 47 cm by 12 cm high-carbon steel folder at £8.49, rated 4.0 from 306 amazon.co.uk ratings. Those 306 ratings, and the review text, are shared with the other PLACHIDAY ASIN, so they are not a second independent sample and you should not add the two counts. The item-weight line says 100 g, which is not credible beside reviews that describe a real shovel. Shared comments mention compact storage and snow or beach use, and also failed welds, a loose lock and a handle that fell off. A pouch appears in those reviews, not in the included components. On this capture it is number 2 in Camping & Hiking Shovels. The lock is a tri-fold nut, not a telescopic shaft.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You are comparing the £8.49 47 cm listing and you will discard the 100 g weight line.
Less suitable: You need an independent review sample, or a pouch named in the specification.
Specifications
Common questions
How big is it?
A bullet says 47 cm long and 12 cm wide. Item dimensions are not given.
What does it weigh?
The item weight line says 100 g. UK reviews in the same file call a shovel like this pretty heavy. Do not treat 100 g as confirmed.
Are the 306 ratings unique to this ASIN?
The captured review text matches ASIN B0GN3729CP, which shows the same 4.0 from 306. Treat them as one shared sample.
The PLACHIDAY 24 inch camping shovel is listed at £11.04 and 1.09 kg, rated 4.0 from 306 amazon.co.uk ratings that are shared with B0H4VLP758. A bullet states a fold to 10.7 inches, a width of 6.1 inches and a serrated edge. The item-dimensions line of 81.3 × 81.3 × 182.9 centimetres is not usable, so the inch figures in the bullet are the ones to keep. This capture has only a thumbnail image URL. The shared review text includes compact storage and also weld, rust and lock failures, including a nut that is hard to undo once it is dirty. A pouch is in those shared reviews, not in the bullets. The country of origin is China. Do not treat this 306 as a second sample on top of the other PLACHIDAY listing.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the 24 inch PLACHIDAY listing with a stated fold to 10.7 inches, and you will ignore the centimetre dimensions line.
Less suitable: You need a full-size product photo from this capture, or a review count that is not shared with another ASIN.
Specifications
Common questions
How long is it open and folded?
A bullet says 24 inches long and 6.1 inches wide, folding to 10.7 inches. The item-dimensions line of 81.3 x 81.3 x 182.9 centimetres does not match that and should not be used.
What does it weigh?
Item weight is 1.09 kg.
Is the rating separate from the other PLACHIDAY shovel?
Both this ASIN and B0H4VLP758 show 4.0 from 306, and the captured review text matches. Count them once.
The Xtremeauto XAFDS01 is a 23 inch high-carbon steel folder with a pick in the title, at £13.99, rated 4.0 from 50 amazon.co.uk ratings. The stated weight is 1.08 kg and the item dimensions are 58 × 14 × 3 centimetres. The foldable flag says Yes. Some UK buyers are happy with the size for a car. Repeated UK reports describe the head bending or breaking in ordinary soil, including within minutes, which is the limit if you need it for stony ground or for metal-detecting plugs. A case is not in the bullets. A serrated edge appears in one review rather than in the listing claims. Twenty-two reviews were captured in the file.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You are comparing a 23 inch pick-head folder and you will read the bend complaints before you rely on it.
Less suitable: You need a tool for stony soil or for cutting metal-detecting plugs.
Specifications
Common questions
Does it have a pick?
The title and a bullet say it can be used as a hoe, a pickaxe and a trenching tool.
How heavy is it?
Item weight is 1.08 kg. The title length is 23 inches. Item dimensions are 58 x 14 x 3 centimetres.
Do UK reviews say it bends?
Yes. More than one of the 22 captured UK reviews says it bent on first use in soil, or broke after a few uses. Other reviews say it feels sturdy.
For this comparison we kept 12 folding spades and trowels from amazon.co.uk listings. Scores follow the amazon.co.uk star rating, scaled to a figure out of 10, with the review count beside them. They are not a lab test. Weights follow the job and the stated open length, the lock, whether the listing agrees with itself, steel words beside UK reviews of bending, then pouch and price.
Job and open length
25%Snow around a car or a camp hole wants a folder whose listing states roughly 40–80 cm open. A garden plot wants a full-size spade. A walk wants a trowel near 100 g. A 23 inch title is still a short handle.
The lock
20%Nut, collet, or push-button. If it is not seated, the head can fold onto the hand. A Meehoo review describes a blood blister from a loose bolt. A Gerber review says the head folds when you press the handle.
Listing agreement
20%Six tools are titled as folding while Is Foldable says No. One PLACHIDAY weight says 100 g. Another PLACHIDAY dimensions line is not a plausible tool size. Use the figure that matches the title, and treat the other line as unusable.
Steel and bending
20%Carbon or alloy steel is the digging norm here. Stainless is the 23 cm Ycnpeatt trowel. Xtremeauto UK reviews include bends within minutes. A military or NATO title is not Army issue.
Pouch and price
15%A pouch in included components is stronger than a pouch that appears only in a review. Captured prices run from about £6.29 to about £24.99. Large rating counts sit on the 23 inch ADTSADDTO and the Gerber Gorge.
Match the folder to one job before you sort by stars. A boot tool, a 40–60 cm camp shovel, and a 100 g trowel are different listings in this set.
A folding spade is a short steel digging tool whose shaft or head folds into a pouch so it can live in a car boot or a daysack. On amazon.co.uk the usual jobs are snow around the tyres, a beach, a fire pit, light garden work in a tight space, or metal detecting. The smallest listing here is a 23 cm trowel for a cathole. Quality shows up as a lock that stays tight, a stated open length you can believe, and a hinge that UK reviewers do not describe as bending on the first ordinary dig.
Open length is missing on the Hilka, the Draper, and the Epic Militaria listing. A 23 inch title is still a short handle. Item dimensions on several pages read as a packed size, and one PLACHIDAY centimetre line is not a plausible tool size. Use the figure that matches the title.
B0H4VLP758 and B0GN3729CP both show 4.0 from 306, and the captured review text matches. Count that sample once. The 47 cm listing also prints 100 g, which is not credible beside reviews that describe a real shovel.
A window hammer is stated only on the longer ADTSADDTO. A compass or a sharp saw is not on every title that says survival. NATO in a title is not Army issue. Do not use a folder as a border spade, and do not dig without permission.
Snow around a car or a camp hole wants a folder whose listing states roughly 40–80 cm open. A garden plot wants a full-size spade. A walk wants a trowel near 100 g. A 23 inch title is still a short handle, and reviewers keep saying so. In this set the Ycnpeatt states about 23 cm, the Eidoct 41.5 cm open and 17.2 cm packed, the Gerber Gorge 41.9 cm, the Meehoo 46 cm, and one PLACHIDAY 47 cm.
The lock is a nut, a collet, or a push-button. If it is not seated, the head folds onto the hand. A Meehoo review describes a blood blister from a loose bolt. A Gerber review says the head folds when you press the handle. The Draper uses an integral collet. Both PLACHIDAY listings use a tri-fold nut, not a telescopic shaft. Six tools are titled as folding while Is Foldable says No, so the flag is not the last word. Carbon or alloy steel is the digging norm. Stainless is the 23 cm Ycnpeatt.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You want a folded shovel in the boot before a cold snap, to move snow from around the tyres rather than to clear a driveway. The Hilka 84720099 is the best value boot shovel here, at about £8.58 and 690 g, with 4.2 from 150 ratings. Open length is not on the listing.
A fire pit wants a folder around 40–60 cm. A cathole wants a trowel near 100 g. One tool does not do both. The Ycnpeatt is the top pick for a rucksack pocket, about 23 cm and 110 g. It is too short for a camp hole.
You will carry a digger all day. On clay, detecting shops sell folders near 93 cm, which are outside this set. A UK Gerber review used the Gorge on the knees because the shaft is short. Read that limit before you treat it as a detecting spade.
The Ycnpeatt is the top pick on the star figure, 4.7 from 32 amazon.co.uk ratings, at about £6.29. It is a stainless pocket trowel of about 23 cm and 110 g, with a pouch in the bullets, and it is too short for snow or a garden bed. The Hilka 84720099 is the best value boot shovel, at about £8.58 and 690 g, with 4.2 from 150 ratings, if you can accept an unstated open length. The 23 inch ADTSADDTO has the largest rating count, 4.6 from 1,811, and its weight lines disagree. Do not add the two PLACHIDAY counts of 306. A NATO title is not Army issue, and a stated window hammer is only on the longer ADTSADDTO listing.
Ycnpeatt 23 cm folding camping trowel
Highest star figure in the set, 4.7 from 32 ratings, at about £6.29, as a 23 cm pocket trowel.
Hilka 84720099 folding boot shovel
About £8.58 and 690 g, with 4.2 from 150 ratings, for snow around a car if you accept an unstated length.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public UK sources from the research digest. Last checked in October 2026.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices and review counts are from the amazon.co.uk listings in this set. This is not a lab test.
