respect the wild: Leave no trace

Our beloved outdoors is at bursting point these days as more and more people come to enjoy the delights of a long ridge walk, a cool swim or a golden sunset. Yet anyone who has visited one of our many honeypot areas and who has wandered around behind a mulberry bush will be well aware that the joy of nature seems to go hand-in-hand with the call of nature.

Toilet roll. And lots worse. Yuk!

But what else can you do? Well, for a start, go before you leave the house. Second best is to pack all your waste out and dispose of it at home, and this is the recommended solution in popular area. But when you are well away from it all, there is a turd option.

The cat hole. A 15-cm-deep excavation that will safely allow your deposit to decompose. But have you ever tried to dig out 3,375 cubic centimeters of mountain soil with the heel of your boot, a rusty sardine tin or your bare hands? Not that easy, especially with the added pressure of nature knocking at the door.

Enter the Vargo Titanium Dig Dig Tool. This futuristic poop scooper is designed to create your toilet in moments, with a serrated edge, broad trowel and comfy handle. It’s a dream. As it is just over 20cm in length it is a handy guide to the regulation hole depth of 15cm. And remember, your loo should be at least 50m from any water source, so simply measure out 250 Dig Dig dimensions if you are unsure.

And the beauty of it, for all you lightweight camping nuts out there, the Dig Dig (at 36g) can also double as a sturdy tent peg – the Peg Peg. And by the way, if you have ever tried digging a mountain pit with a skinny wire tent peg, it doesn’t work the other way around.

So go on – get yourself armed and dangerous for responsible bodily functioning today with the Vargo Dig Dig from the BMC shop

words by Niall Grimes