Sand Scoop?

[Steve Herschbach]

OK, finally got that photo! Here is my beach scoop collection:

The yellow one I have had the longest. It is a steel model that in theory can be a hand scoop, short handled scoop, and long handled scoop. This one after a trip to Hawaii I did not break fully down, and the short handle is now permanently rusted to the scoop, so it is a short handle or long handle. Good scoop but a bit heavy as handles are stout steel pipe.

The yellow scoop is more a "pull it to you" style I find more suited for use up on the beach and I needed a digging shovel type for wading and digging in hard bottoms. The long handle unit on left is stainless steel. The pointed top as has been noted before likes to rock around but it is also good for wiggling into hard rocky bottoms. This is the one I have used most wading. The only issue is it is screened for coins and rings, and sometimes small stuff falls through. When chasing smaller stuff I duct tape up the bottom so it is more like a shovel. I have an inner tube with a Keene 12 mesh sieve mounted in the middle that I tie off to my waders and scoop and dump onto it for small jewelry. Will dig it out and post a picture also.

The big scoop with two piece handle I bought for my last trip to Hawaii because I wanted the extra long handle in a break down design. It actually is way bigger than I thought it would be when I ordered it online but it is aluminum so not any heavier than the stainless one. Have not actually used it yet.

Finally, the yellow one is too heavy and the others too big, so I just got the little one on right for working dry beach sand. Like detectors, I have more scoops than I really need. When I do the mask and snorkel thing I find my hands are full enough so I forgo a scoop and just aggressively fan with my hand which does the trick just fine. Scoops I only use on the dry beach or when wading.

Here I am in 2003 on a beach in Hawaii with the yellow scoop. That is the Garrett Infinium hip mounted. I was experimenting with the 10" x 5" DD coil. Note the homemade headphone adapter for my Gray Ghosts. This was before Garrett made one so I made my own. Too much shrink tubing involved but it worked.

[delnorter]

Great info Steve. I really like the way you are more than happy to buy and try new things but always break it down to the effectiveness of getting the job done without unnecessary burdens or costs. Thanks for sharing your experience.

 

Mike 

[tvanwho]

I like the scoop on the left. Is the backside of it angled for a footpedal?

 

-Tom

[Steve Herschbach]

Yes Tom, it has an angled kick plate on the back, and easy disconnect handle. It has seen a lot of use in rocky material and is barely scuffed.

[fredmason]

Where did you get the left one? 

 

I am surprised that connection is sturdy enough for heavy work-if it works for you I am sure it would suffice for me.

 

fred

[Steve Herschbach]

Keene carried them a few years ago but does not seem to any longer. Looks to have been a rare scoop as I am having a hard time finding anything exactly like it Googling around. The handle is deceptive, much stronger than it appears.

 

This is from the Keene 2007 catalog supplement. Mine was the SSSC stainless scoop for $99.95 but I only got one handle with mine like the SSHL model. Probably a typical Keene mix up. And the photos show slightly different designs. Mine appears to be a bit stouter. I have no idea who was making the scoops for Keene or if they made them themselves.

[fredmason]

Thanks Steve, yours is very well made, as you know from experience. The new one lacks the same braces on the handle and for the foot...

 

fred

[tvanwho]

I 've seen hand scoops like it but none with an angled  foot pedal and long handle. What size are the holes? There is a company on Ebay selling some nice beach scoops and they are made in Ukraine of all places?  I think they are called the Stavrscoop. They have either long pointy digging ends, or the shorter curved ones that I like and the angled backside, for around $150, but do NOT include the handle.

[BeachHunter]

Old post but in case anybody is reading it. Please check out the Stealth Scoops from Sunspot.

i consider them to be the perfect beach scoop. I use the 720i with a Carbon Fiber handle.

[Horst]

as this is a 2014/2015 post is there any news on the SANDSCOOP market for 2019? I am having the same concerns right now and would like to purchase a tough SScoop for salt and freshwater use.