SHFD3 40" Lavender Garden Spade Shovel - Gardening Shovel with a 9" x 11" Beveled Blade, Steel-Reinforced Fiberglass Long Handle & Cushioned D-Grip - Digging Spade for Planting

I purchase this item because I wanted something that would not only penetrate the ground easily enough, but yet would also be functional for shoveling while transplanting trees and shrubs. From the product description and the related reviews, I got that impression that it just might work for that. Sadly, I was disappointed. . .In my opinion, this item is more on par with a large garden trowel than an actual shovel. . .or spade. The photos on the product page simply do not do justice portraying the proper dimensions for this item, make the blade look larger than what it actually is. I sometimes wonder if the manufacturer did this on purpose, or if it was just an oversight. If I would have known of the actual dimensions of the blade, I would never have purchased this item. This item can be useful if you intend to use it for smaller jobs, like planting/transplanting flowers, decorative grasses, etc, or for weeding. But for larger jobs where you need to do a lot of digging and/or are transplanting larger items, not so much.This so called "shovel/spade" has a total length about 40.25 inches: 5 inches for the D-handle, 24.25 inches for shaft (between the handle and blade) and 11 inches for the blade. The shovel/spade blade does seem to be made well enough, but I do question the strength of the handle and shaft. Many times while digging up trees and rocks, the handle and shaft would make cracking sounds, and it wasn't because of trying to lift a tremendous amount of weight either (the largest tree I transplanted was 3 feet tall and the rocks were about 6 inches in diameter). After planting over two dozen trees with it, all ranging from 8 inches to 3 feet tall, the handle and the shaft are still intact. However. . .given that some reviewers complained of this shovel braking on them, I wonder how much longer this will last, that is, if I even continue to use it. The blade of this shovel/spade does penetrate the ground much easier than conventional shovels, but. . .that's pretty much it and is to be expected given its much smaller diameter and more pointed blade. The penetrating aspect of this shovel/spade I am pleased with; the shoveling aspect of it. . .I am not. . .Being that the blade of this item is so much smaller--I would say 60% smaller--than a regular short-handled shovel (see photos), a person can't shovel much dirt at a time. Many times when transplanting trees, I felt like I was playing with a kiddie toy--just a little scoop here. . .a little scoop there. It does get the job done, but I often wished I had a true shovel--or even a true spade--when digging a hole and putting dirt back around the tree I just transplanted.In addition, another area where this "shovel/spade" did not perform well for me, which also has to do with the smaller blade head, is when lifting/prying up a tree to be transplanted. Being that the blade is so narrow, once I had dug around and under the tree to be transplanted, the smaller blade design made prying up the tree and the surrounding dirt so much harder to do, made it much harder to lift up in one clump. When attempting to do this, I found the dirt surrounding the tree breaking up, falling apart, making a mess, and worse, exposing the sensitive roots of the tree. A larger blade wouldn't have done this, for the greater surface area would have supported the tree, its roots, and the surrounding dirt so much better, would have kept everything intact and thus easier to lift out and transport. And if you happen to be wondering if this shovel was effective for me when cutting through roots that I encountered. . .no. . .it was not, not any better than a typical shovel, maybe even less so being that the angle of the blade is so great. I've run into a lot of roots while transplanting trees, large and small, and this shovel/spade just didn't "cut it". . .and I tried.With all things considered, this shovel/spade does serve a purpose: It penetrates the ground more easily than your typical shovel and should work well for smaller jobs as I mentioned. However, it being purported as also a shovel is ridiculous. Shoveling with this will surly extend the length of your work and could exacerbate any back issues from all the extra bending you will have to endure. For what I needed this shovel for, this is not a very effective tool. It did not make any of my jobs easier overall. I also don't think this tool is worth the 50 plus dollars, not as a shovel, spade or the combination of the two. . .nor as a glorified, over-sized garden trowel. You can get a regular 40 inch shovel with a fiberglass handle and with a lifetime warranty at your local hardware supplier for $15 to $20. For a price of over $50, I was expecting a bit more. I guess it comes down to: do you want less shoveling or an easier time penetrating the ground? What you prefer and/or need will determine how useful this tool is for you. For me, it is worth no more than 3 stars.**Note: There seems to be some confusion on what this product really is. Some say it is a shovel. . .while other are adamant it is a spade. The truth is, this tool fits neither of those qualities very well, especially it being a spade. It is advertised as being a HYBRID (see product description), meaning it is intended to be both a shovel and a spade; but that term simply is not all that accurate.So what exactly constitutes a spade and a shovel anyway, and what exactly is the difference between them? The truth is surprising: what many call a spade is actually a shovel (see photos). Being that there are so many different shovels and spades out there, and that they often share many similarities or are hybrids and that people often use the two terms interchangeably, it can be confusing to say the least truly discerning one from the other. The main difference between a shovel and a spade is simply the blade itself. A true spade has more of a straight blade and a completely FLAT bottom edge (does this Spear Head Spade have a flat blade?), while a shovel generally has a broader blade that curves inward and is rounded or pointed at the tip (yes, I know, snow shovels aren't like that, but. . .like I said, it can be confusing, for there are so many different varieties of shovels out there and no one single definition will work). Shovels of this curved and pointed design are made for DIGGING, while a TRUE spade is more suited for edging. You can dig with both. . .but a shovel is much more efficient. If you don't believe in what I am saying here, please look it up. And when I say look it up, I don't mean in a dictionary, for the definitions in dictionaries are often lacking and rather ambiguous--if not also archaic in meaning--when it comes to describing shovels and spades. Do a Google search on "difference between spade and shovel," and you will see what I am talking about here. According to the true definitions of spades and shovels, this product being described as a hybrid is not very accurate, thus why I said it is more on par as an over-sized garden trowel. If that is what you are looking for, a giant garden trowel, you will be pleased with this item. But if you are looking for a shovel. . .or a true spade, you might be disappointed.**

This is a wonderful shovel. I asked my son in law to dig out some cana lily bulbs for me and he got out this shovel.. It is the best, with it's pointy head. I've used it so many times myself and I'm 84. I'm been making a garden where trees with lots of roots have been so I start with a pitchfork and then use this pointy shovel to do the rest. The garden is thriving and it's all thanks to this shovel. If you're like me, you need this tool.

I was given this shovel as a gift and have been using it for at least 5 years. It still looks and works as if brand new. I bought the teal one for my sister who has to deal with lots of rocks and hard clay soil. It works like a champ for her too. Love that they come in pretty colors- mine is pink! Totally worth the price.

I have struggled for years trying to use a shovel, spade, you name it. We have poor soil quality, a clay mix I guess you'd say. This hybrid tool cut through the dirt so easy for me, and having a bad back, it is a Godsend. I always used to have to wait for my husband to do things for me, and now I can do it myself. How liberating!

I’m a professional gardener. This has made my life so much easier!

Excellent product! For someone with a lot of shoulder and wrist injuries, this has made my gardening so much easier!

I have used this shovel multiple times already this month. I have clay soil and many tree roots in my yard. I am an over 60 woman and now can easily dig to plant on my own. Definitely recommend this shovel!

I have a very difficult time using a regular spade but this works great for me.

The price was very high, but the results are very satisfactory.

I ruined my favorite spade after more than 30 years by leaving it out in the rain too often for a couple of years. I bought an all-steel 'King of Spades' model, but have to admit it's actually too heavy to enjoy using. (I'm a woman - sharing the Amazon account.) I was considering a Spear and Jackson but was dubious about the split wooden D handle design. So you can see I'm willing to get spendy to find the right tool. I saw that this Spear Head Spade was designed by an older fellow who needed something easier to use. It got great reviews on a gardening site, so when I saw the price, it was certainly worth a try. I admire well-engineered products, and the peculiar look had to confer some advantage. . . After using it for a few weeks, I couldn't be happier. Every year I dig things up and move them around, wage war on bluebell bulbs half a mile deep, isolate day lilies out from where they're creeping into the hosts, etc. This spade is ideal for neatly extracting plants without making a mess and heaving up all the soil in the surrounding area. It feels good in the hand, and with the fiberglass handle, I don't worry if I leave it out at the end of the day. And I've saved about $75 on what an expensive spade was going to cost. More money for plants!