Looking for suggestions for a new Stealth scoop

[ohiotech]

Had to give my borrowed scoop back, but am now pulling the trigger for my own. I'm getting a stealth, and was wondering what y'all thought... 6.5 or 8?

I hunt in freshwater here in Ohio lakes. Not having used a stealth, was hoping for either objective cons or an alternate suggestion if stealth isn't a good choice.

Thanks if advance.

EDIT
I have decided to put my findings in the original post. This provides features, pros and cons of what I found. Want to know my choice? Read my last post. If not, at least you don't have to read the entire thread to see what I used to compare and help me make my decision.

Here's what I have...

Regarding the Diamond Head Scoop:

• coated - Yes.
• handled - Included
• handle - 1/8" wall fiberglass handle (1.25" OD)
• handle - two inserts to "strengthen the handle" per vendor.
• handle - bouyant - yes
• basket - stainless steel, narrow and pointed
• holes - small to moderate quantity.
• Toe/Foot pad - No
• warranty - 5 years
• weight 5.5 lbs
• Total cost, with shipping, unknown. When they email me the amount, I'll edit and update this post.

Cons regarding DH Scoop

• holes con - Slow sift and drain.
• handle con - Inserts weaken handle. From the use of variosu lawn and garden equipment, posts or rods through the handle all too often actually weaken the handle.
• coating pro - Electropolished to prevent rust
• handle con - smaller OD means a tighter grip needed to handle it.
• basket con - deeper initial penetration to get good bite or under your target and basket into the gravel. This also means a further distance of the handle away from the digger to pull back. Think Steam shovel, and then pulling back on the handle.

Regarding the Classic Stealth Scoop:

• handle - 1.5" OD (Not included - Minimum extra $20)
• handle - coated and tapered and no holes. Maybe two reported broken and replaced by vendor in 10 years.
• handle - bouyant - yes
• basket - stainless steel, pointed, and not narrow.
• holes - large amount and various sizes.
• Toe/Foot pad - YES
• Warranty - 3 years
• Weight - 5 to 5.5 lbs.
• Total cost with shipping and handle, $207. This could be more depending on where you life, APO.FPO, etc.

Cons regarding the Stealth scoop

• Basket pro - Many more holes for sifting and draining
• Basket pro - Open desing. Can see inside from the top.
• Basket con - may be considered too big for some, and to tough to work in the surf
• Handle con - cost an extra $20. Not a problem, just annoying and brings the cost up higher.
• Basket pro - though pointed, the basket it wider. This prevents too much leveraging forward to get a bite under your target when in the water.
• Toe/Foot Pad Pro - This is a huge Pro, and is self explanatory.

Now some of my pros and cons are not what others would consider, but they are what I would consider. In the end, both companies seem to be great scoop makers, and their telephone and email customer service are top notch. I honestly don't think that you'd go wrong with either choice depending on your needs, but for me...

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[norbyx]

Stealth is good I would get the smaller one cause the 8 is just too big. Now on the other option I have and love the diamond head sand scoop. It is just great because it penetrates the ground as if you had a knife. Check it out...and is cheaper then the stealth.

[ohiotech]

Forgot about the diamond head scoop. Checking them out now.

[SneadsFerryMD]

I use the 8"... i love it, pulling targets requires sooo much less time, the 8s advantage is that it is 12 long, and my left arm is now catching up to my right in strength, lol

[stavr]

ohiotech

.

Look scoops on my web site stavrscoop.com

can choose for themselves what is appropriate....

[Treasure_Hunter]

8 inch, my scoop is 8.5 and I would buy a 10 " if I could.

[ohiotech]

Right now I'm waiting on warranty information for the diamond head scoop. The stealth has a three year fix or replace warranty and I like that.

When using the borrowed scoop that I had, it was about five or 6 inches. And though I like the amount of material it pulled up from the bottom of the lake, I didn't like that I had to keep scooping small scoops of stuff to get to more stuff. This is why I am thinking that an 8 inch scoop would do a better trick at grabbing more material on the bottom since you can't actually see or reach down as well in this muddy and murky Ohio lake water.

[stavr]

Treasure_Hunter
everything is very difficult with increasing size scoop...

[Treasure_Hunter]

I know, but I have no problem at all with my Beach Brute II, and it is 8.5 inch wide, another 1.5 inches want be that much harder for me to handle........

[ohiotech]

I think that I've made a decision. Sometime this weekend I will post a comparison of features/benefits that each company has provided me over the other.

The input provided here, as well as the input provided from the manufacturers, has given me the necessary information with which to make the proper decision.

I will hopefully be able to provide my comparison information within the next day or two on the same thread.

[bigscoop]

I have the large Stealth and don't care for it, just too much room for washouts. Only the last 5 inches of this 12 inch long scoop are contained. It's nice in the wet sand and shallows but it becomes a liability when doing deeper work or even shallow work in strong currents.

[norbyx]

I think that I've made a decision. Sometime this weekend I will post a comparison of features/benefits that each company has provided me over the other.

The input provided here, as well as the input provided from the manufacturers, has given me the necessary information with which to make the proper decision.

I will hopefully be able to provide my comparison information within the next day or two on the same thread.

Tell us at least your decision... I am curious.

[Sandman]

I have used most of the scoops available and have settled on the Stealth because it matches all the bottom materials I have had to hunt, fresh and saltwater. When you hunt the surf you need a large basket to grab bottom material from deep down there in one scoop or two. Using a smaller basket might not get to the item and another wave will wash more sand in the shallow hole and make your work harder. The more time you spend digging means less time you have for more hunting. Digging wears you out more than swinging the coil. The Stealth has changed over the years to meet hunters expectations and keep the price as low as possible, but we have to still have quality. If I wanted to improve the Stealth, I'd make the basket out of Titanium and the handle looped Titanium like the old Miller Scoop, but with the same open basket. If you are washing items out of your scoop, you are doing something wrong.

It would naturally cost more, but the best hunters would buy them if they wanted the best to match their $$$ MD. http://www.gold-scoop.com/thescoop.html

[afchap]

I live at the beach & have the smaller stealth. Love it!

[Bum Luck]

Sandman, how thick is the metal?

[Sandman]

Sandman, how thick is the metal?

I don't know, visit the site

[ohiotech]

Sorry about the delay in what I decided folks. Life, a new baby (3 months old now), work, and everything else just seem to keep me away from where and what I'd rather be doing. Here's what I have...


Regarding the Diamond Head Scoop:

• coated - Yes.
• handled - Included
• handle - 1/8" wall fiberglass handle (1.25" OD)
• handle - two inserts to "strengthen the handle" per vendor.
• handle - bouyant - yes
• basket - stainless steel, narrow and pointed
• holes - small to moderate quantity.
• Toe/Foot pad - No
• warranty - 5 years
• weight 5.5 lbs
• Total cost, with shipping, unknown. When they email me the amount, I'll edit and update this post.

Cons regarding DH Scoop

• holes con - Slow sift and drain.
• handle con - Inserts weaken handle. From the use of variosu lawn and garden equipment, posts or rods through the handle all too often actually weaken the handle.
• coating pro - Electropolished to prevent rust
• handle con - smaller OD means a tighter grip needed to handle it.
• basket con - deeper initial penetration to get good bite or under your target and basket into the gravel. This also means a further distance of the handle away from the digger to pull back. Think Steam shovel, and then pulling back on the handle.

Regarding the Classic Stealth Scoop:

• handle - 1.5" OD (Not included - Minimum extra $20)
• handle - coated and tapered and no holes. Maybe two reported broken and replaced by vendor in 10 years.
• handle - bouyant - yes
• basket - stainless steel, pointed, and not narrow.
• holes - large amount and various sizes.
• Toe/Foot pad - YES
• Warranty - 3 years
• Weight - 5 to 5.5 lbs.
• Total cost with shipping and handle, $207. This could be more depending on where you life, APO.FPO, etc.

Cons regarding the Stealth scoop

• Basket pro - Many more holes for sifting and draining
• Basket pro - Open desing. Can see inside from the top.
• Basket con - may be considered too big for some, and to tough to work in the surf
• Handle con - cost an extra $20. Not a problem, just annoying and brings the cost up higher.
• Basket pro - though pointed, the basket it wider. This prevents too much leveraging forward to get a bite under your target when in the water.
• Toe/Foot Pad Pro - This is a huge Pro, and is self explanatory.

Now some of my pros and cons are not what others would consider, but they are what I would consider. In the end, both companies seem to be great scoop makers, and their telephone and email customer service are top notch. I honestly don't think that you'd go wrong with either choice depending on your needs, but for me...

It's the Stealth scoop. Even with the extra $20 for the handle, the scoop seems to be more of what I want and need. And at $189 with the handle, or $207 with shipping, its pricey, but this isn't one place that I'm willing to be a cheapskate. So unless someone has one for sale at a really cheap price and close to me here in Dayton, Ohio, I'm pulling the trigger on the Stealth to compliment my Tiger Shark (which just came back from Tesoro about an hour or two ago).

Thanks again to everyone for the input. I placed my findings in the original post because I know that some people just like to come in and skim the threads.

[seeker41]

ohiotech, i am from ohio and the lakes i hunted had a layer of about 3 or 4 inches of sound with a clay/muck base underneath. drainage of material would be better acomplished by larger holes and even then you will have to break up the clay and muck chunks sometimes..........at least where i hunted.

alot of people are going for these shallow bucket style scoops with almost no material on top of the scoop(starv,proscoop,diamonhead,stealth.....this has not worked well in the surf for me.

at any rate, you will end up with different scoops for different conditions. ......good luck!

by the way, lake hunting in ohio is a million times easier than surf hunting the atlantic!

[Treasure_Hunter]

Have someone weld an extension to the top plate so your not losing any material when working in the water.
.