Can we discuss what to look for in a scoop?

[KinTN]

I'm looking at being able to beach hunt a lot more in the near future and would like to get a good scoop. I'd like to hear what properties you all look for in a scoop, notably handle angle, hole size, mouth shape and anything else that matters. I'll be hunting sandy beaches almost exclusively, so I'm not so concerned about hard or rocky bottoms. Please tell me WHY you like what you like.

So far, all I have used is a cheap aluminum 90degree angle scoop with 1/2" square mesh. I knew it would wear out quickly when I got it (its holding together surprisingly well tho) and hoped for it to just last until I decided what I did and didn't like about it. Weight wont really be a problem for now. My frontrunner is currently the TRex in some form. What say the hive mind on scoops?

 

[mudpuppy]

I use different scoops, both 90 degree, one is a little 5" diameter shallow basket with square holes and an aluminum handle about 3.5' long...its very light and comfortable to work the dry sand with. instead of stepping on it and digging, I swing it like an axe, or pull it towards me like a hoe...its great for scooping shallow targets out of dry loose sand...couple of shakes and done... Now for the water, I use this one...its a forum members idea that I liked so I made it on a whim. ...Why do I like it? the long shallow basket makes it a fast straining scoop, a fellow can see right away whats in it, no need to fish around in a basket full of shells or glass for the find.. the handle floats it upright in the water, a super handy thing to consider...I dig with it like it was a hoe instead of a shovel. On the dry a fellow can excavate a really deep target in a gosh darn hurry, its a bit of overkill on dry sand though, its main purpose is in the water..It goes deep quickly especially when the surf is pushing a guy around and he needs to keep both feet on the ground and get a big hole dug quick before it fills back in...if its full of shells, a guy sort of hops it at the surface and the shells float out the top leaving the heavier target inside, unless its a piece of foil...anyway, I'll build another someday only better, this was sort of the prototype that has held up to heavy abuse for a couple of years.... A good balanced scoop really does pay for itself and makes hunting tolerable. Light weight on the dry, big digger in the water...I dont know if there is one that does both great? Is there?
Mud

 

[John(Tx)]

n/t

 

[GTzer]

Do a search on this site and take the advice of those that do your type of hunting. They know. Bargains? Well -IMO-that would be a used scoop as opposed to the new type you decide on. Don't scimp. It's no fun with a broken scoop.
T-Rex---good choice. Stavr----read plenty of good info on both types.

 

[togamac]

I've got a bomb-proof stainless steel scoop with a post-hole-digger handle and I like it very much. However, there have been times when I've wished it was wider. Many times I've scooped a target and brought the full scoop up only to find that the target was shallow and had fallen off the side of the full scoop.
I'd like one about 12 inches wide. Does anyone know of any like that?

 

[KinTN]

Do a search on this site and take the advice of those that do your type of hunting. They know. Bargains? Well -IMO-that would be a used scoop as opposed to the new type you decide on. Don't scimp. It's no fun with a broken scoop.
T-Rex---good choice. Stavr----read plenty of good info on both types.

Believe me, I've done that- extensively. And at several other sites. So far, my favorites are the TRex, Stealth, and Stavr; preferably at 90 degrees and 1/2" holes. BUT, I am smart enough to know how little I know and am very appreciative of all your all's comments re what you like and why. Please keep em coming folks!

(and I award the thread winner title to John(Tx)- No Way to better that reply)


a few other thoughts:
-Money and weight aren't a problem, within reasonable limits. I prefer to pay once/cry once
-I hate waiting once I've made my choice so that probably eliminates Stavr.
-I like the Howie scoops too, except they all seem to be angled handles
-How important is the strength of connection at the handle/scoop? I like to use my scoop like a hoe to dig in dry sand.

 

[undertoe]

Started making my own,they dig great. 1/2" holes and an Ames post hole handle do the job nicely,and only weighing in at 5 1/2 lbs.it doesn't break the shoulder.
I like the wooden handle because they float.

 

[GTzer]

Not as much experience as the others when it comes to in water MD. But I have used scoops & similar tools mining the surf for fossils.
As many holes as possible. I try to never lift a full load of sand. If its out of the hole- I angle back and shake as I tap the bottom and let the water wash the sand for me. I like an angle slightly back towards me. I am only 5' 7" -the angle allows me to stand more erect than a 90 degree.
Dry beach- I've done the hoe type style- thats fine for shallow targets. Deeper-I have to use two hands. So my preference is to try and be effecient. I want to MD with 1 hand to MD & 1 hand to scoop. Everybody is different. Thats my choice. The nice thing about beach MDing is you can do it w/o bending over (most times). Save your back for the dirt & sod.
Bring me to holes-- as many as possible. Water or dry. If I could have them all-I'd want some smaller holes in the back corner. Like a stealth sugar sand pattern. The tiny targets can be sorted w/o bending over with a secondary scoop after you get a target out of the hole-dump it-smooth it out a relocate. (talking dry now). That would probably work in shallow still water too.
I have 9 mm in the back of my scoop-lets all of the earring backs and clasps fall through.
Sturdy-lots of holes and some fine fine holes in the back. That's all I can say with my limited experience. AND- if I had longer arms I might prefer a 90 degree.

 

[dewcon4414]

The 720 is a long scoop and gets deep.... sifts well in most conditions, but if you dont go in at an angle you can break a few handles. IMO its a little to long, hey but Chuck stands by his lifetime warranty. The StarvR.... looks like a baby scoop, but really is about the right size just a little shorter than the 720 and you have a good many choices..... but paying for it gave me a little trouble. VERY VERY well made scoop. T-rex..... you best man up when its full of shells that cant drain. I have a ProScoop same thing different angle that i changed.... mine weights in at about 8lbs with handle. I like the open scoops better.... they are all about the same price..... just remember if you arent in the water you will be dragging these things around with you. StarvR is really light weight. I have several scoops and the conditions on my beaches can differ. The 720 really digs in about any where and the StarvR aint bad... the Trex can roll of be hard to use. Also i like the angled scoops in deep water. You dont loose as may targets floating out of the basket and you get a good bite the first time. 1/4 holes are great for keeping every thing in.... just remember they keep almost everything in. I prefer to use a little mesh and go with the larger holes.

Dew

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Here's examples of 2 of mine. Start with a long-handled scoop you can buy, and then customize it as shown. Angle of the basket is important to make relative with your "swipe" motion (downward stroke), so that you don't find yourself contorting and twisting. It should be where you are relatively standing straight, and the slice of attack is nothing more than a slight bend forward, etc..

And the length from pistol grip to arm/wrist cuff is important: If it's too long, then your elbow will take all the brunt (or be beyond the elbow, etc...). If the length is too short, then then stress will be on the middle of your fore-arm. You can do some pre-measuring based on your grip to almost-near-below length, to decide what works for you.

And the over-all length is important: If it's too long, then you'll find yourself subconsciously bending your elbow when the scoop is not in use, to keep it from dragging on the ground. That will start to be tiring after a few hours. So the ideal length is: if you grip it, then let your arm relax at your side: the scoop should be a few inches off the ground.

The particular scoop I started with, was one made by a fellow in So. CA, who deals on Ebay under the name: borderlineengineering He can customize it to your desired spec's. I even had him lighten it up, by custom choosing a lighter guage of rod (since the stock rods are over-kill on strength, and going down 1 guage lighter didn't compromise anything, while at the same time, lightening it up.). He also customized by supports, etc.... I purposefully order the rod to be about 4" longer than I needed. So that when I got it, I just cut off the last 4", and had a stainless steel welder friend attach that little section for the pistol-grip. Then just found a bicycle plastic grip to slide over the top

If you're going to hunt salt-water, make sure you get stainless steel. It's more expensive, but otherwise, after a few seasons, a non-stainless steel one will be a rusted hunk of junk.

 

[KinTN]

First off, thanks to everyone who responded. I value your input more than you know.

Secondly, I WISH I had the welding talent that you guys have! I would definitely make my own if that was the case. I envy you all, but that is just not an option for me. You posts were still valuable to me tho as it gave me/comfirmed my own ideas.

Lastly, I have made my choice. I had narrowed my options to TRex, Stealth, Stavr and Howie. My decision making process went something like this:

-Stavr would take to long to receive to suit my tastes (and possible issue with payment), so Strike 1.
-Howie, which is made by an individual in Florida is made by some individual in Florida (seriously, he only has angled handles and I prefer a 90degree one)
-TRex only has angled handles. So that leaves...............
-the Stealth. Other considerations for the Stealth are its warranty. They claim they have been making scoops for 27 years and that if you have a problem, you ship the scoop to them on your nickel and they will repair/replace and ship it back on their nickel, no questions asked. A couple of quotes I liked on their site:

"If there is a problem, we at Sunspot don

 

[KinTN]

So it looks like the Sunspot website isn't really set up to do sales, so I figure that I'll just show my age and call in a phone order with my credit card.
I get a nice lady named Lyndia on the line who efficiently handles my order and tells me to just send a check and she'll ship it as soon as the check arrives. I had noticed they mentioned Paypal on their site so I suggested that I just give her my CC over the phone (thinking to save the PP charges) or do the PP thing and avoid the check delay. She says they prefer Paypal and she will send me an invoice via email as soon as she boxes up my scoop.

As we conclude the conversation, she says she will hurry and try to get the package out today but the UPS man is due any minute and she cant promise that. I had already told her no problem, the scoop wont see use for at least a month. So a few minutes later the PP invoice comes into my email box and it has a note from Lyndia that as soon as she hung up the phone, she saw the UPS man drive away from their business and it would be tomorrow before the package would ship. I sent her a note with the PP payment again assuring her that shipping tomorrow was more than fine.

I go away to get a snack and when I come back to the computer, I have another email from Lyndia telling me that she called UPS and had them send the driver back and pick up my package so I could get it one day sooner. I was floored. You just don't get customer service like that anymore.
I hope this scoop is 1/10 as good as their customer service. If it is, I'm gonna get rich with this thing!

And a tip of the hat to UPS too for coming back. Good customer service there too!

 

[ken ward]

I look for gold rings and coins..... KEN

 

[togamac]

KinTN, ain't good 'ol American products and service the best? That's why I like dealing with Garrett. You get a real live person to talk to, they try to understand your problem by asking questions, and they follow through on what they tell you. USA! USA! USA!

 

[KinTN]

togamac, it makes a difference when I shop. maybe not on small$ disposable items, but on larger purchases and especially on food, I buy as close to home as I can as long as the prices isn't ridiculously higher. And when you get someone who speaks English as their native language, even Yankees, things just seem to go more smoothly.........

 

[mudpuppy]

Great report! If I ever buy a scoop, it will be that one, just because of your experience. Plus, its made in Mich! Hell, maybe I'll drive on over there someday and pick one up. I like the looks of that basket..Now go fill that thing up with some GOLD wouldja?
Mud

 

[Water wizard]

Hi mate, I like your posts, great topic I use the same scoop for wading and for beach work so I have a stainless steel scoop. I think that the shape of the basket is very important. this is my from my own experience. If you are trying to push the scoop in to a hard surface it's much easier to push in a small curved bit than one long flat edge. Also if there are rocks a curved edge can fit in around and between them. A Long flat edge can't fit in the smaller gap. So for wading a circular mouthed scoop works the best.
On the beach in wet sand I dig straight down on top of the target so the handle is pointing horizontally to the beach. I then take a 'plug' like a core sample out of the ground. This is a very accurate way to dig. It looks weird, but it is the best technique I have found for first time recovery in wet sand. I can also dig down in the same hole if the target is 2 scoops deep Without unnecessary digging. This saves my ages of recovery time. In soft sand it doesn't seam o make much difference if its a rounded scoop or square.
The handle on my scoop splits in the middle, it's a clever design. The scoop is a metal jacket. I bought it in the USA. Very good product. Well made and strong, heavy but I don't care, it's worth it's weight in gold to me good luck mate

 

[jamesinwesttexas]

Thanks, that is good information. Who sells your scoop?