The Deuce #2 is an updated version of THE TENT LAB'S ground-breaking *ahem* backpacker's trowel, The Deuce of Spades™ that many thousands of customers have enjoyed. These are the three improvements:

1) Four small teeth on the leading edge of the blade to cut through small roots as you run into them at the bottom of your hole. Just the right number and size to do the job but not to interfere with digging. The teeth are also shaped to be field maintainable; you can sharpen them with a rock very easily (fine-grained river rock broken in half seems best).

2) The handle has small undulations to improve grip.

3) Directions (below). The Tent Lab is adamite that if you know how to use The Deuce® well, you'll be a very happy customer. If you don't see the instructions, odds are you'll like The Deuce but maybe not love it. Like a lot of backpacking gear, The Deuce® rewards those who take the time to learn its ins and outs. Take a look below. It's probably something you hadn't thought of before.

DIRECTIONS

Emphasizing two things: using it handle-down to break up hard soil and scooping & prying with it the strong way - levering against the spine (logo side), not the other way.

Here's how to grip it:



Here's how to use it:

• Using the handle end, cut the outline of your cathole.
• Using the scoop end, pry up the center of your cathole as one piece.

• This method creates a great leave-no-trace top plug for your hole when you're done.

**** Once you get used to using the Deuce's handle this way, you'll find yourself flipping it rightside-up and upside-down all the time as you make your hole deeper. 


Just mind which direction you apply force:

The Deuce's strength comes from its curved 'U' shape. Levering and scooping by bracing against the bottom of the 'U' shape, the Deuce® is amazingly strong and tough. BUT if you pry by bracing the Deuce against the open side of the 'U', it's much less strong. So please avoid using it that way.