Super Shovel by Krazy Beaver

[Gizzard Stone]

If you’ve never spend an afternoon digging a truck out of mud, sand or snow, you might be wondering why so many 4x4s have shovels clipped to the roof or bumper. It might seem like just another dirtbag gewgaw, hood ornament or bumper sticker. Well, as most of us know when you need a shovel nothing else will do. Not a helmet, not a snowboard, not a Maxtrax (what they heck is THAT?!?!?!). Well I submit to you, friends that the Super Shovel, by Krazy Beaver is the one thing that may be better than a shovel.

The Krazy Beaver Super Shovel is burly. The spiked tip can be used as a pick to break up and lever out rocks. Since it’s made of 13 gage, heat-treated steel, it is much stronger than a typical shovel. It is effective too. For digging in hard, dry rocky dirt the design of the Krazy Beaver Shovel is much more effective. Still, I wouldn’t recommend digging in that kind of environment…

The handle is crimped on to the shovel blade much the same way any regular shovel would be. My True Temper shovel is made with the same technique and has weathered the last 15 years of landscaping abuse perfectly. I don’t think you can break one of these. The D-grip is plastic and attached with a removable pin. Maybe they think that could break. Not sure, but I don’t think there are any other attachment options. Some hand gun locks will fit through the pin hole and can be used to secure the shovel to your truck.

All in all is seems like a good investment in both an intrenching and breaching tool. Krazy Beaver has a number of videos on their YouTube channel where the shovel performs difficult, if unlikely, tasks. This thing can do some DAMAGE!

You can get the shovel from Amazon or Direct from Krazy Beaver for $79 shipped. The little shovel cover is extra.


-Mike

 

[proper4wd]

I just don't understand this. I can't think of a single use case where this would work more effectively than a regular shovel, except as a weapon.

 

[travhale]

I just don't understand this. I can't think of a single use case where this would work more effectively than a regular shovel, except as a weapon.

Or for it to deflect off of a rock/hard dirt and stab into your tire.

 

[wagex]

i agree with both comments above. plus the price... can go buy a nice kobalt shovel for less than half the price... if you really want spikes on it, 20 minutes with a die grinder and you are good to go. but why would you want them? seem like they would only make the cutting edge weaker and less able to be used as a lever.

 

[Gizzard Stone]

The spikes are pretty strong. The metal is 13 gage. So a bit thicker than a standard shovel. Plus they are embossed for strength.

Whether or not they are necessary remains to be seen. For the digging demo in the video, I'm not sure that would ever come up in the course of a recovery, unless you needed to dig a land anchor or demolish a step-up.

I believe they would be amazing in digging snow and ice though. And that's realistic. Snow turns to concrete when you drive over it and wallow around trying to get out. Beyond that, it certainly looks bad *** strapped to your truck!

-M

 

[Pilat]

I don't get the reasoning that it's so it won't deflect when cutting roots (as I seem to recall was their spiel a while back). What's wrong with a sharp(ish) shovel, or even better: A spade?

The embossing seems to me to be an attempt at making up for the weakening at the blade due to the cuts, not for actually making it stronger. I very much doubt it is as strong as a regular shovel - even in much thinner metal. Those small divots can't make much a difference.
The cutting of the edge also seems it would make actual cutting of roots (or whatever) more difficult, as it will catch roots, and not allow the "blade" to cut along it. Ever tried cutting something without letting the knife glide over it?

And who will be sharpening something like this?

No, those spikes are just spikes, not a serrated edge. To me, it sounds like the man behind it went "What can I do this spade I have - I know, I can cut it to be spikey. Now, what use can I make up, so I can sell some of these?".

 

[evilfij]

World's largest spork.

 

[Pilat]

LOL, well played, EFJ!

 

[proper4wd]

So glad I'm not the only one!

 

[Gizzard Stone]

Funny, I thought the same thing at first. But then I kept seeing them strapped on to overloading rigs next to the RTT. So I ended up with a credit on PayPal and ordered on up, mainly just as content for the video and a neat truck ornament.

It's definitely better for digging hardpan with rocks, as I did in the video. But, also as i mentioned in the video, I don't think you'd ever have to do that to revoker your truck.

It would definitely be awesome in Snow.

What do you guys think would be a good strength/durability test for this? I'm willing to get destructive. It's definitely burly. I believe it's stronger than you guys think.

Though I don't think it would puncture a tire at the hands of a human unless sharpened. I do have a spare I could test it with. I also have a grinder I could sharpen it with...

Also, I bought this thing myself, paid full price, so I'm not shilling.

-M

 

[cruiserpilot]

ridiculous gimmick. sorry, but I can't be more positive. especially since you haven't used it in snow, so I get the feeling you haven't dug many
rigs out of the snow.

 

[JakeH]

That is awesome looking hanging on a truck, but no way it's coming within 6 feet of my tires, radiator or tanks. That would make it strictly ornamental for me. It looks like it could move some snow pack or black sheet ice off an icy, uphill, shady switchback though--You rocky mountain guys know what I'm talking about. Like when the plow hasn't come up the hill for a week

 

[bijanjames]

Well guys, ridiculous or not, he can't make them fast enough. Yes, I own one, and I even paid more for a limited edition color. Ha! I'm not sure what kind of tires you guys are running, but there is no damn way that is going through my side wall. The shovel is awesome, or I'm just a sucker for a fantastic marketing campaign...Either way who gives a damn, I love it!!

 

[Hillbilly Heaven]

Please forgive me for this. I just have to because of its' looks. You could always use it to kill zombies.

 

[Pilat]

Well guys, ridiculous or not, he can't make them fast enough.

Since when is it an argument that it's popular or that supply does not meet demand? That has no bearing on whether it works better than a normal good shovel. The prime example why this is not an argument is mentioned in a few posts above, where the OP goes:

Funny, I thought the same thing at first. But then I kept seeing them strapped on to overloading rigs next to the RTT. So I ended up with a credit on PayPal and ordered on up[...]

This is a great example of why an appeal to popularity is a logical fallacy.

What's even more fun, is that GS mentions that it's not sharp enough to puncture a tyre, yet claiming it is better than a non-spikey shovel for the hard stuff (apparently even a sharp one with a pointy end).