Trail building is the foundation of our sport – because every trail you enjoy today was built and maintained by someone at some point. US manufacturer Trail Boss, based in Bellingham, produces high-quality tools specifically designed for this purpose, built around a clever modular system. Compact to pack and easy to combine, they’re made to make trail building not only easier, but more enjoyable too.

Trail Boss Tool-Set | Weight: 4.5 kg | Price set: from $ 600 |
Tested by: Peter, Max, Chris | Testduartion: 4 Jahre | Manufacturer’s Website

Anyone who builds and maintains trails knows the problem: turning a piece of forest into a proper trail experience rarely works with just a single shovel. Instead, you usually end up raiding half your tool shed. A shovel, rake, hoe and saw are part of the basic equipment – and schlepping around all this gear is often the most annoying part of a trail building session. After all, anyone marching through the woods with several tools not only attracts attention but also ends up carrying quite a bit of weight.

US manufacturer Trail Boss from Bellingham has developed a clever solution for this: a modular tool system that combines several trail building tools into one compact set. We already tested the $630 Trail Boss Tool Set for you some time ago. Since then, however, it hasn’t been collecting dust on the shelf – quite the opposite. For almost four years, the tool has been used regularly in our trail building sessions to find out whether the high price is really justified.

In the meantime, Trail Boss have expanded the system with several new attachments. Reason enough for us to upgrade our set: in addition to the original kit, we treated ourselves to a leaf rake – for $75 – and a round point shovel – for $105 – to have even more tools at our disposal.

The base – the Trail Boss 3-Piece Handle System

Fangen wir mit der Grundlage des Systems an. Als Herzstück dient für uns das sogenannte 3-Piece Handle, also ein Griffsystem aus drei einzelnen Stangen, die miteinander verschraubt werden. Auch hier gibt es unterschiedliche Sets und Längen zu kaufen, je nach Bedarf und Budget. Die Basis ist dabei immer ein Standardgriff, der in unserem Fall mit einer oder zwei zusätzlichen Stangen verlängert werden kann. Dadurch lässt sich die Länge des Werkzeugs flexibel anpassen – von einer kompakten Transportlänge bis hin zu einem vollwertigen Tool für längere Trailbau-Sessions. Der Grundgriff sowie eine der beiden Verlängerungen bestehen aus glasfaserverstärktem Kunststoff, wodurch sie angenehm leicht bleiben. Für die zweite Verlängerungsstange haben wir uns für die Stahl-Variante mit einem Aufpreis von rund 30 $ entschieden, die aber deutlich robuster ist – vor allem, wenn es im steinigen Untergrund zur Sache geht.

Let’s start with the foundation of the system. At its core is the so-called 3-Piece Handle, a handle system consisting of three individual rods that are bolted together. There are different sets and lengths available depending on your needs and budget. The base always consists of a standard handle which, in our case, can be extended with one or two additional rods. This allows you to adjust the tool length flexibly – from a compact transport length to a full-size tool for longer trail building sessions. The base handle as well as one of the two extensions are made from fiberglass-reinforced plastic, which keeps them pleasantly lightweight. For the second extension rod, we opted for the steel version, which costs around $30 extra but is significantly more robust – especially when things get rough in rocky terrain.

The three-piece handle can be paired with a wide range of different tool attachments. Our original 3-Piece Handle Set already includes several key tools: a so-called McLeod tool, which features a hoe blade on one side and a coarse rake on the other – a true classic in trail building. There’s also another attachment with a hoe and pickaxe that works particularly well in hard soil or for root work, as well as a 13″ saw blade for quickly removing smaller trees and annoying branches. For assembly, Trail Boss also include a collet, a small cleaning brush and a tube of grease – a simple but well thought-out solution to keep the threads clean and operating smoothly over time.

Since then, the range of attachments has grown considerably. Trail Boss now offer a whole series of additional tools, including different heavy-duty rakes that are often combined with a hoe, as well as various hoe and pickaxe variants for different soil types. There are also more options when it comes to shovels: a flat version for shaping jumps and berms, and a rounded round-point shovel that works particularly well for digging. The portfolio is rounded off by additional saws, even plier attachments and a rather unusual extension that allows you to turn the system into a wheelbarrow. For our long-term test, we deliberately chose two particularly useful additions: the leaf rake for quick trail cleanups and the round point shovel, which is ideal for digging and moving dirt.

The complete 3-Piece Handle Set comes in a foldable and extremely robust fabric bag. With its compact dimensions of 22 x 43 cm (W x L), the set fits easily into many bigger backpacks. At around 4 kg in total weight, however, the tool set isn’t exactly lightweight and you’ll definitely notice it when carrying it. Still, the whole setup remains surprisingly practical: the set can easily be mounted in or on your backpack, allowing you to pedal comfortably to the trail. The big advantage: you’re far less conspicuous than when sprinting through the woods with a shovel over your shoulder – perfect for spontaneous and discreet trail building sessions.

By the way, Trail Boss no longer offer only modular systems. The manufacturer also sells classic trail building tools where the sturdy handle is permanently attached to the tool – including various hoes, rakes and specialty tools for heavy-duty work. In addition, there’s even an “Overland Kit” aimed specifically at vanlife and off-road enthusiasts. With it, you can dig a fire pit, prepare firewood or even dig your vehicle out of the mud if your van gets stuck again. For additional peace of mind, Trail Boss also provides a 5-year warranty on their modular tools – provided they’re used properly and any damage isn’t caused by misuse.

The practical test – 4 years of trail building with the Trail Boss tool

Our 3-Piece Handle Set has now been in regular use for four years. During that time, it had to deal with quite a lot: hard soil, roots, frozen ground and even the occasional attempt to lever out some very large rocks. Despite that, all tools are still fully functional and in surprisingly good condition. Of course, there are visible signs of use, but that’s simply part of trail building. Overall, the tool definitely lives up to its high quality standards. The new additions – the leaf rake and round point shovel – were also used throughout an entire winter of trail building, where we cleared new lines, maintained existing trails and moved plenty of dirt.

When you unpack the Trail Boss tool, it’s ready for use in just a few steps. The individual threaded rods are connected, lightly greased and firmly bolted together, after which you simply attach the desired tool head. The handle itself is pleasantly lightweight, has a good diameter and sits very comfortably in your hands thanks to its length. Thanks to the weight distribution between the heavier tool head and the light handle, you can work surprisingly comfortably even for longer periods of time. The steel handle extension in particular proves its worth in rocky terrain, as it’s significantly more robust than the fiberglass version.

he leaf rake surprised us the most in the practical test. The tines are individually sprung, which allows them to flexibly move over stones and roots when pulled across the trail. Instead of getting caught, they simply glide over obstacles while effectively collecting leaves, pine needles and small branches. This often saves you from having to rake the same section twice. Another cool detail: the width of the rake corresponds almost exactly to the width of a singletrack line. One clean pull across the trail and the section is instantly clear – trail cleanup hardly gets more efficient, and to be honest it’s actually a lot of fun to work with.

The round point shovel is also a sensible addition to the system. Its sharp edge digs surprisingly well into the ground, even when the soil is relatively hard. The shovel volume isn’t huge, but it’s more than sufficient to move dirt efficiently from A to B. For actual shaping or compacting, however, you usually need to switch to another tool – such as the hoe or the McLeod – to properly pack the material down.

Changing the tool attachments on the trail is also quick and uncomplicated. However, it’s important to keep the threads of the handle rods clean and briefly use the included brush when swapping tools. If too much dirt or sand accumulates in the threads, it can make it harder to take the tool apart later. You should also keep an eye on the small components, as the plastic caps on the threaded rods can easily get lost between roots and rocks. Fortunately, the collet, cleaning brush and tube of grease are attached with a carabiner, which makes it almost impossible to lose them. Once the trail building session is over, the entire set quickly disappears back into the robust transport bag and then into your backpack. The Trail Boss tool set shows its biggest strengths especially during spontaneous solo trail building sessions. Particularly on remote trails that can only be reached on foot or by bike, it’s extremely practical not to have to carry the entire tool shed with you.

Conclusions about the Trail Boss Tool Set

The Trail Boss Tool Set stands out primarily thanks to its compact and well thought-out concept. Combining several trail building tools into a single system makes the set especially appealing for solo trail builders who maintain their own lines and don’t want to carry an entire tool shed into the forest every time. The high build quality and our long-term experience show that the tools continue to work reliably even after years of hard use – an important factor considering the hefty price. And that price remains the biggest hurdle. However, if you know you’ll be building trails regularly in the future and value efficient work without the hassle of carrying multiple tools, the Trail Boss Tool System is a well designed and durable companion.

More information at trailbossusa.com

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Words & Photos: Peter Walker