# Trail Tool



## F3RGIE (Jul 22, 2011)

Where can i get a trail tool or "mcleod tool" for cheap?


----------



## AZ (Apr 14, 2009)

http://search.yahoo.com/r/_ylt=A0oG...egpj1/EXP=1311385297/**http://www.prohoe.com/

http://search.yahoo.com/r/_ylt=A0oG...11385335/**http://www.forestry-suppliers.com/


----------



## NitroRC Ed (Feb 27, 2010)

I ordered up one from here but still waiting for it to get shipped.

http://www.roguehoe.com/trailbuilding/trailbuilding.html


----------



## LititzDude (Apr 3, 2004)

NitroRC Ed said:


> I ordered up one from here but still waiting for it to get shipped.
> 
> http://www.roguehoe.com/trailbuilding/trailbuilding.html


I am in central PA and they are the best tool period.


----------



## GatorB (Jan 9, 2010)

My new favorite tool. Makes quick work of palmetto roots. 2.5 lbs head, 20$.


----------



## Walt Dizzy (Aug 18, 2003)

F3RGIE said:


> Where can i get a trail tool or "mcleod tool" for cheap?


More detail please?

If you're looking for the best, single, inexpensive trail tool, a McLeod probably isn't it. But they are quite useful for certain jobs.

Walt


----------



## F3RGIE (Jul 22, 2011)

Mostly there are short bushes and such that i have to clear. I live in san diego so its pretty dry here and the dirt is hard packed. Where we are building now there are a few trees because it is right next to a stream. I've used the McLeod tool before and it seemed like a pretty good all around tool. If you know anything that is better but is cheaper that would be great.


----------



## Walt Dizzy (Aug 18, 2003)

F3RGIE said:


> Mostly there are short bushes and such that i have to clear. I live in san diego so its pretty dry here and the dirt is hard packed. Where we are building now there are a few trees because it is right next to a stream. I've used the McLeod tool before and it seemed like a pretty good all around tool. If you know anything that is better but is cheaper that would be great.


McLeods work great as heavy duty rakes and for clearing loose duff off the surface of the proto-trail. They tamp loose dirt well and I like them as a quick gauge for judging trail out-slope. They aren't as good for removing brush and small trees.

For trees which are close to, but not on the tread the best tool is a chain saw. Small trees can be cut with a hand saw or even loppers. If the tree is in the trail tread it's much better to cut the side roots and remove the tap-root from the soil. No matter how low you cut it, it's going to stick out after bikes compact the soil around it. Hard to beat the Pulaski (the back end works better as a root prying device than a dirt scoop), but an axe works OK:

http://www.zactool.com/home.html

This company sells Pulaskis and McLeods.

If you have lots of saplings (up to ~2") to remove this tool is worth the expense:

http://www.weedwrench.com/weedwrench/

Many trail builders share the opinion that the best inexpensive trail tool is the Rogue Hoe

http://www.roguehoe.com/

~$40, less than 1/2 the price of a McLeod, it will cut roots much better than a McLeod. It moves dirt much faster than a Pulaski. It's light enough to swing for hours. It's made from recycled agricultural disks, so the steel is very tough.

Much has been said on the topic, try searching the forum for other opinions.

Walt


----------



## jimithng23 (Feb 11, 2009)

+1 on the Rogue as Walt described. 

We've pretty much moved to the Rogue Hoes for our exclusive building and maintenance tool - our local club maintains nearly 25 miles of singletrack here in the midwest.

In fact, we were so impressed with how easy the tools are to use that we contacted Rogue Hoes. Long story short they ended up being a primary sponsor for the 2011 Midwest Mountain Bike Festival!

You can't go wrong with the Hoes!


----------



## givemefive (May 26, 2007)

Pulaski is my fav!


----------



## mblock (Jan 22, 2007)

jimithng23 said:


> +1 on the Rogue as Walt described.
> 
> We've pretty much moved to the Rogue Hoes for our exclusive building and maintenance tool - our local club maintains nearly 25 miles of singletrack here in the midwest.
> 
> ...


I agree with both of you on the Rogue Hoe. Here in central Wisconsin we rarely use the Mcleod. The rake tines plug up quickly and the blade just doesn't deal well with the amount of roots we have. We primarily use Fire Rakes (also an awesome tool:thumbsup for initial clearing and Rogue Hoes for the heavy cutting. We do have a couple of Mcleods we use for shaping if there aren't roots to deal with.

We use the small Rogue Hoe's which are nice and lightweight but I can see the advantage in the larger versions as well and they probably aren't that much heavier.


----------



## slocaus (Jul 21, 2005)

West Coast, and the new Rogue Hoe with teeth is a McLeod replacement here where useful. We have some rocky trails where a pick mattock and shovel are the tools, but often, a Rogue and shovel are primary for us.


----------



## NitroRC Ed (Feb 27, 2010)

I ordered up one of those Rogue Hoe's since June - still out of stock


----------



## Moe Ped (Aug 24, 2009)

*Rogue Hoe 70H...*

...is the way to go if you're carrying only one tool. I didn't like it at very first but after I used it a couple of times and learned how to use it it's become a favorite tool. Figuring out how to use the "corners" when the digging gets tough was key.

That being said; having a McLeod, pick-mattock, shovel, single-bit axe and a wheelbarrow is a nearly complete suite for trail work for me here in central CA.

IMHO some combo tools like pulaskis or cutter-mattocks don't have the utility or balance for all-day use. The pulaski doesn't make a good mattock and the cutter-mattock is a poor axe---hence my preference for carrying both a pick-mattock and an axe.


----------



## slocaus (Jul 21, 2005)

pliebenberg said:


> ...is the way to go if you're carrying only one tool. I didn't like it at very first but after I used it a couple of times and learned how to use it it's become a favorite tool. Figuring out how to use the "corners" when the digging gets tough was key.
> 
> That being said; having a McLeod, pick-mattock, shovel, single-bit axe and a wheelbarrow is a nearly complete suite for trail work for me here in central CA.
> 
> IMHO some combo tools like pulaskis or cutter-mattocks don't have the utility or balance for all-day use. The pulaski doesn't make a good mattock and the cutter-mattock is a poor axe---hence my preference for carrying both a pick-mattock and an axe.


Obviously our soil conditions are almost the same as ours, just a hundred or so miles south. I'm in direct agreement on tool choices, except the 70HR54 now completely replaces the McLeod in my quiver. The 70HR54 is the one in the pics above.


----------

