Basic Maintaining Toolkit
If you have ever visited a hardware store, you’ll know there are a lot of tools out there. There are tools specifically made for trail maintenance but you can also use many commonly found tools to get the job done. The tools I regularly carry on maintenance trips are as follows: hand loppers, folding hand saw, trash bag, and a mid-size anvil type lopper for roots.
Basic Trail Maintenance Tools
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- Top to bottom. Standard limb saw, Silky 500mm folding saw, Fiskars limb saw, Fiskars folding saw, generic folding saw.
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- Top to bottom. True Temper bypass loppers, Fiskars mid-size anvil loppers, Fiskars bypass hand loppers
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- Left to right trail hoe, rogue hoe, McLeod, Pulaski
What’s In my Bag?
Things I don’t always carry, but carry as needed: a weed whip, a shovel, rogue hoe, or Macleod, and a more robust folding hand saw. Many maintainers do not own some of the more specialized tools, but DCNR and Forestry will often have tools that will lend to stewards/maintainers.
You will notice I have not included any power tools in my list. Power tools do not always work, hand tools do. Power tools require fuel, and/or batteries, and so that means they are heavier to take along. Power tools are also potentially more hazardous because they are powered.
You don’t take any of the tools I’ve listed unless you’re sure they will be needed. If you know that water bars and drains will need to be cleared, you should bring the proper tool. If you know that you have a tree down across the trail that can be cleared with a handsaw, bring a proper sized hand saw.
Proper Tool Carrying and Storage Techniques
As stated previously, other than the environment that you are working in, your tools pose the greatest threat to your personal safety and opportunity for injury. The below photos demonstrate the proper way to carry and store tools when working on the trail. You always what to have the sharpest end of your tool facing down. When storing tools, you never want to place them directly on the trail where they can be stepped on. Store tools uphill, so they are easy to locate and less likely to get buried.
Example of proper tool handling.
Example of proper tool placement.
Key Takeaways
- Always carry a first aid kit
- Always carry a phone or radio, taking note whether or not you have service at your project site
- Hand loppers and folding limb saw covers many light maintaining scenarios
- A multi purpose tool like a McLeod is great for tread work