Your Fav trail building tool

[Andrei]

I need to do some trail repair work on some old neglected trail. Nothing major just a few berms and small jumps. What tools do you like using for this type of job and where can these tools be gotten from?

 

[thecat]

Some pretty good discussion on trail tools here http://www.rotorburn.com/forums/showthread.php?227629-Trailbuilding-tools-and-plant

 

[mtbdh4life]

fire mans rake

 

[patto_15]

shovel.........

 

[H-DOG]

The almighty pick of destruction.

 

[Joel 10]

i know these trails are only small but for big trails the best thing is a wacka-packa

 

[dcrofty]

A kit of a good shovel, McLeod tool, hard rake and a mattock (or pulaski if you can get one) will do 90% of the work needed to make good singletrack.

 

[driftking]

Flattish shovel you can still move dirt easily with it and the flatter face and straighter edge gives a decent tool to hack and pick at and under rocks, they are also relative sharp which helps if you need to take out some roots. (roots hold tracks together do try keep them in)
Ideally for me a pick and shovel would be the way to go if I had to choose two.

 

[Timbot]

Stoopid

shovel.........

................

 

[Timbot]

stoopid

Brain?...........followed by pick ,shovel,Hoe,etc......

 

[mars mtb]

If I have to list one single tool as my favourite.........my FIRE RAKE!

Extremely versatile, have heaps of other tools but that's my number 1.

 

[abevern]

Looks like a"shovel" is a popular choice. I'd go so far as to say the "farmers friend" shovel with the long handle is my shovel of choice. It's great for shaping and a good size for shoveling and digging. that and a mc leod. Followed by a mattock. All available from your local bunnings-equivalent.

 

[dcrofty]

I snapped the handle on my Pulaski this afternoon. Was a bunnings cheapie I had to modify to make fit. Might have to go to a decent hardware place and get something that fits properly.

 

[knob scortcher]

hoe

123 123 123 123 1 23 123 123

 

[jacko13]

If I have to list one single tool as my favourite.........my FIRE RAKE!

Extremely versatile, have heaps of other tools but that's my number 1.

These are the best by far.

90% of the trails ive built have been done with this

 

[abevern]

I snapped the handle on my Pulaski this afternoon. ....

Dude, that must've been some drain you were clearing to break that thing!

 

[needaride]

If I have to list one single tool as my favourite.........my FIRE RAKE!

Extremely versatile, have heaps of other tools but that's my number 1.

+1... just bought one of these, killer tool

 

[dcrofty]

Dude, that must've been some drain you were clearing to break that thing!

I was trying to chop through a hardwood sleeper, a truly worthy opponent as it turns out.

 

[Genius Josh]

Hoe
Closely followed by shovel and steel rake

 

[s.dogg]

To answer the original question, for rebuilding berms and jumps a long handle flat shovel.

But for trail building there is no one best tool.
I alway try to carry a pulaski, flat shovel for packing if we at that stage (a pick if not), pointed shovel for collecting dirt, a good quality rake (not a fire rake) and a couple of large buckets.
i carry all that by hand. (Dakine builders pack helps, can also fit a chainsaw if needed)