Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Proudly Made in China

Like it or not, when someone mention's a piece of gear is made in China it's almost always a dig at its quality. But, apparently that's not true for at least bit of kit: their military Entrenching Tool (or E-tool). Yep, apparently the Chinese don't mess around when it comes to tiny shovel like implements.

For proof, look no further than this YouTube video:

It slices, it dices! Grappling hook? But of course. And for some reason, the music reminds me of John Wayne, what could be more authentic than that?

People actually pay upwards of $80 for one of these (versus $45 for the US Military version or $12 for the Coghlan's version).

China isn't your only source when it comes to slick E-tools; the Russians get in on the action too. Cold Steel makes their Spetnaz Special Forces Shovel, which means you've got not just one, but two major Communist countries to choose from when it comes to digging implements. And while the Russian version is quite badass, the Chinese version gets more points due to both utility and marketing.

Personally, both shovels are too heavy for me to justify schleping through the woods. Though, I suppose putting one in the back of the car isn't a terrible idea.

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