Picking an affordable sand scoop

[1k9]

Picking an affordable sand scoop is a hard as picking a metal detector. Tell me what sand scoop you prefer and ones to stay away from.
This will be used in and out or the water on the beach.

[BallsDeep]

I use a RTG scoop on the recommendations of Casper! It's awesome! I have yet to bend or break it. Can't beat it in the water!

[Treasure_Hunter]

Are you talking dry sand or wet sand there is a major difference. If your talking hunting wet sand and in the water then do no go cheap, you will end up breaking the scoop, My first scoop I paid $69.99, I though that was a lot of money, broke it with in the month digging wet sand. If you are only going to hunt beach once a year they go cheap, if it will be a regular thing spend the money and get a good one. A $175-$225 scoop is worth it's weight in gold (rings). Keep in mind you can buy a $200 scoop now and sell it 5 years from now for $150 all day long, I have done it. It ended up costing me $10 a year to have a scoop I could depend on.

Sunspot, Stealth, T-Rex all come to mind.

[1k9]

My plan is on beach and shallow water.

[Xraywolf]

I bought mine from some ukraiane guy on ebay, search sand scoop and look for a guy in ukraine, don't have any links handy but he does stellar work of similar quality or better than the top end models available here, for 1/3 the price.
As TH said, worse thing you can do is buy a cheaply made one, may work fine in dry sand but they will bend and fracture in the clay and muck that you might find in the water.

For a handle I just use a common rake blank available from home depots for $8, cut to size. I put pipe insulation over it so its buoyant and tape it on, would be tough to break it if you tried. Some guys get carbon fiber handles that cost more than the scoop, personally do not see the logic in that unless you have $$ to burn.

[A7thson]

I bought mine from some ukraiane guy on ebay

That would probably be Coob scoops. They also sell on amazon and have a US site as well I believe.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I went with the Monstrik and like it. I just put a wood handle on mine as well. The carbon fiber is a weight thing so it's not as heavy to lug around everywhere. I can't justify the cost either, but if you can sell it and get it out of it like mentioned before, it might make it more reasonable.

[CASPER-2]

You mean I did good ?
A lot of guys like RTGs in New England - I have same model but had them add a stainless lip to this one - helps cut thru seagrass and clay bottoms better - built like a tank - dont think anyone has ever broke one
i did an old article on scoops here
https://www.flickr.com/photos/casper-2/
gist of it = get a quality one that will last - had many trial and errors in my early yrs

I use a RTG scoop on the recommendations of Casper! It's awesome! I have yet to bend or break it. Can't beat it in the water!

[CASPER-2]

Ive had 3 friends over the yrs with wooden handles that ended up breaking over the yrs

That would probably be Coob scoops. They also sell on amazon and have a US site as well I believe.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I went with the Monstrik and like it. I just put a wood handle on mine as well. The carbon fiber is a weight thing so it's not as heavy to lug around everywhere. I can't justify the cost either, but if you can sell it and get it out of it like mentioned before, it might make it more reasonable.

[vinnywop]

I also use an RTG scoop and have never had a problem with it. The thing is strong!

[CASPER-2]

Wanna know a trick that aids in these scoops speed ? ? ?

my trick is I usually get target on first scoop - 2nd if its down deep

[A7thson]

Ive had 3 friends over the yrs with wooden handles that ended up breaking over the yrs

Yeah I've broken several wooden handles on regular shovels. But as I only get to the beach about once a year, the investment in a lighter, sturdier, handle is questionable. I do like that they can be broken down for travel. If I bought one it would probably be for that reason, but that also makes me wonder about how well the joints hold up.

[AARC]

First... more holes in back... you can do smaller than 5/8ths... just to keep more integrity...

Second... and most important...

Get a regular clay brick... or book same size... lay scoop on its side flat on floor... place brick / book under handle near scoop... make sure it is steady and level...

then GENTLY and evenly step on SIDE of scoop MOUTH OPENING AREA ONLY distorting ONLY the opening mouth from round to more "oval"... SLIGHTLY... just barely oval... not completely.

Just enough that the shape has been slightly changed.

changing the "round" to oval will massively increase ALL types of material drop through.

I have done this to every scoop I have owned for decades.

[Xraywolf]

Have never snapped a wood handle after years of often rough use on 2 scoops, you salt guys probably see rougher though - When/if it snaps, another $8 and I'm good.

Was surprised to see a carbon fiber under $100 from the Ukrainian guy, ones I recall seeing were more like $300.

[BallsDeep]

You mean I did good ?
A lot of guys like RTGs in New England - I have same model but had them add a stainless lip to this one - helps cut thru seagrass and clay bottoms better - built like a tank - dont think anyone has ever broke one
i did an old article on scoops here
https://www.flickr.com/photos/casper-2/
gist of it = get a quality one that will last - had many trial and errors in my early yrs

8 years and counting!

[DeepseekerADS]

Stealth 920iX with a wooden post hole digger handle = 6 years now. The handle floats upright in the water.