Hello new guy.

Speaking as a life long Vermonter, I carry TWO. One is the Cold Steel e-tool and the other is a full length, square tipped, 8" wide spade.

For years, I carried a normal, pointy tipped shovel that I cut down to e-tool length, and sometimes a grain scoop that I cut down to better fit in the car. Both worked. Sorta. Neither could get under the car well. The spade gets under the car well, and is a nice utility shovel. The e-tool takes a decent edge, so I could get the machete out of the car, and between the two of them I haven't found much they couldn't handle.