Sand / Beach Scoops?

[nickeldNdimed 152]

Want to get a sand scoop for the beach. Search did not come up with a good discussion here.  Looking for suggestions.

Use 2-3 times a year, salt water, wet and dry use. A travel type scoop would be nice for travel and storage. 
 

Not wanting to spend $300 on high end since it won’t see the heavy use in the near term. I like the RTGs but there are so many options!  Length, scoop size, material/weight. The travel scoop with 2 piece handle seems nice but I have read it has a crappy connection with a sheet metal type screw?  Scoopal and the Nokta scoops are tempting but I could see breaking these. 
 

Thoughts?

[kac 2,907]

I bought one of these:

eBay

and cut and attached a snow rake extension on it >$15 so I can detach the scoope and fit it in the back of my car easily. Handle is very sturdy and love it.

 

[rvpopeye 322]

I haven't used mine that much and don't have any exp with other brands so no advice on that . There are other things to consider , for me anyway..

I know the bigger ones are more likely to get the target first try...but I got a smaller one cuz I didn't want to lift the extra weight a ? times every hunt.  (Bad elbows , old pirate !)

I also use a short D type handle off an old garden spade I had and just pull instead of pry .  Great price and less weight than the 4 foot ash one !     Prolly upgrade to fiber some day ... SO many to choose from , so little time. 

I didn't think I would use it that much either but finding out me elbows like the beach better for diggin' treasarrr too !

Good luck on yer huntin' matey .

 

 

[nickeldNdimed 152]

Anyone have experience with the RTG scoops?  They seem reasonable priced and have travel versions in both aluminum and stainless. They seem to be around same weight although stainless is a little smaller opening than the aluminum (5.5” vs 6”). 
 

I did see some reviews stating that they attach using like sheet metal screws rather than threaded holes and machine screws that do no seem durable. 

 

Was hoping someone had experience with these. The cheaper ones are tempting but I was hoping for something that already comes with a handle and not having to deal with sourcing one etc. And even the carbon travel CKG one seems to have bad reviews due to joint wobble/poor fit.

[Rick N. MI 427]

The cheaper RTG's have a straight shaft. I like mine at angle.

[tvr 283]

My current most used scoop is a Stealth 720 scoop with carbon fiber handle and what they called the hybrid back with smaller holes; bought it before Chuck sold the company. Years ago I picked up RTG #733trv travel scoop and it is just too small of a bucket; so I got the #RTGBBtv6 travel scoop. It gets used for trips when I fly, about twice a year for a week per trip. In that usage, it has held up well for over ten years. The single screw works well. The scoop fits into a large (29 inch) suitcase with two detectors, chargers, pouch, water boots, a couple of tools and cloths to pad things and I can keep it all under 50 lbs. (just) The scoop is well balanced and sifts well. A sometimes issue is that the tubes can bind and not slide easily apart after a day in the salt water. To fix, I take the screw out, lay the scoop down on it’s side and step on the joint to flex it a little. Turn it over, repeat. Do that a few times and then I can pick the scoop up, put a foot in the scoop and stand on it while twisting the handle with both hands and get it apart. Rinse, dry and put it back together. The only thing I would really change is that I’d go with a slightly smaller hole size than the 5/8”. The 5/8” holes allow some pop tops from cans to fall through. It is not fun to chase a pop top around in the water and have to scoop it up more than once. RTG’s new #blade TVL looks nice and goes slightly smaller with the hole size, though I have not tried one.

Tools I take include a short handled screw driver that properly fits the scoop screw, and a pair of 6 inch slip joint pliers. The pliers let me grab the screw head from the side to break it loose when the screw driver is saying its stuck. Overall the #RTGBBtv6 travel scoop has served me well for how I use it.

[nickeldNdimed 152]

32 minutes ago, tvr said:

My current most used scoop is a Stealth 720 scoop with carbon fiber handle and what they called the hybrid back with smaller holes; bought it before Chuck sold the company. Years ago I picked up RTG #733trv travel scoop and it is just too small of a bucket; so I got the #RTGBBtv6 travel scoop. It gets used for trips when I fly, about twice a year for a week per trip. In that usage, it has held up well for over ten years. The single screw works well. The scoop fits into a large (29 inch) suitcase with two detectors, chargers, pouch, water boots, a couple of tools and cloths to pad things and I can keep it all under 50 lbs. (just) The scoop is well balanced and sifts well. A sometimes issue is that the tubes can bind and not slide easily apart after a day in the salt water. To fix, I take the screw out, lay the scoop down on it’s side and step on the joint to flex it a little. Turn it over, repeat. Do that a few times and then I can pick the scoop up, put a foot in the scoop and stand on it while twisting the handle with both hands and get it apart. Rinse, dry and put it back together. The only thing I would really change is that I’d go with a slightly smaller hole size than the 5/8”. The 5/8” holes allow some pop tops from cans to fall through. It is not fun to chase a pop top around in the water and have to scoop it up more than once. RTG’s new #blade TVL looks nice and goes slightly smaller with the hole size, though I have not tried one.

 

Tools I take include a short handled screw driver that properly fits the scoop screw, and a pair of 6 inch slip joint pliers. The pliers let me grab the screw head from the side to break it loose when the screw driver is saying its stuck. Overall the #RTGBBtv6 travel scoop has served me well for how I use it.

Perfect. Thank you.   Have you ever thought about drilling and tapping for a machine screw with hex head or would that even be needed? No issues there? Yours has served you for 10 years with the usage I am planning so that would work for me. I am also considering the blade with travel handle now that I’m aware of it. 

[kac 2,907]

I also have an RTG scoop. I use it in gravel areas like river beds and not so much for deep scooping like the wet sand. Dry damp sand and gravel the RTG is light and the wire base empties the sand out quick. In the surf or where there is wet sand and deep targets a regular larger scoop is much easier.

I bent mine and put a back bracket on it, probably something you don't want to do with a new scoop.

If you only buy just one scoop and have gravely rivers, ponds and also hit the beach the RTG is not a bad choice.

I wouldn't use my sand scoop on rough gravel, very easy to bend the point in the rocks.

[Joe D. 2,097]

   Steve G. makes some nice one piece, and milti-section carbon fiber scoop handles! Scoops can be tricky, but i would stick to stainless steel for durability! Aluminum bends and wears easily!

   If i recall, Steve H. got one he really likes, from Nokta/Makro i think, under $100! It's somewhere on the forum, but i can't find it! Good luck!!👍👍

[tvr 283]

16 minutes ago, nickeldNdimed said:

Perfect. Thank you.   Have you ever thought about drilling and tapping for a machine screw with hex head or would that even be needed? No issues there? Yours has served you for 10 years with the usage I am planning so that would work for me. I am also considering the blade with travel handle now that I’m aware of it. 

My opinions are: The very coarse thread of the sheet metal type screw they use works well. My concern with a fine thread, is that with salt water, silt and dissimilar metals, you might have a bind where you could break a machine screw and then need to drill it out to be back in business. When traveling I don't want to carry a drill too. If you drilled a thru hole and then used a nut and bolt, that could work.

Edited to add: I used a spray truck bed liner to spray the handle. The bare aluminum did two things I did not like, when wet, it left grey stains over my hands and what ever I was wearing that it rubbed. and it heated up in the sun. The spay on truck bed liner took care of those issues and gave more grip when pulling up a full load of heavy sand, clay and shell.