23311, Perennial Shovel, Red

I would say that this shovel is great to cut through small roots that would normally stop a regular garden shovel. It's lightweight, very sturdy, and the blade is thick enough to pry, although I wouldn't recommend too much prying because the handle is a lightweight plastic and I expect it'll snap if you put too much weight on it. I took a before and after picture of the stump that's been taunting me for the past few years. It's a beech tree stump so it's hard and it had a pretty pronounced taproot. This shovel alone wouldn't get it. I did have to use an axe and a pick mattock, but this shovel worked great to slide under and cut out the small roots to expose the taproot. It does slice through dirt like butter and if it hits small roots it doesn't hesitate to slice through them. I imagine if you just want to cut out shrubs or want an extra garden tool this would be great for you. I'm happy I purchased it and have no regrets. I have quite a few small hickory stumps I'll be attempting to get out by hand so hopefully this shovel will make that a little easier.

Great shovel for digging out roots. Use on scrub oak brush and works well on small stumps. Love the handle and serrated edges on shovel. Also great at removing bunch grass with deep fibrous roots.

I bought one of these as a gift, and borrowed it from the giftee, liked it so much I bought one for myself. It is very comfortable to use - the circle on the handle provides lots of variety in where to grip it comfortably. I gave it a good workout, and was amazed how it cut through everything it touched. It's small, so I am not using this to move huge piles of dirt - it's not designed for that. But to transplant a bush that was in the ground for several years went very easily. I dug all around the perimeter, and when the circle was complete, gently pried up on the root ball. There was no resistance from anything growing because it had all been sliced. Having read the negative reviews for this shovel, I avoided using it as a lever - I only dug with it, and I think that if you're careful, it will last. Also, the comments about the label are true - I didn't try to remove it, and after some fairly heavy use, after washing, it's totally intact. Good product. Glad I gave it and glad I own it. Would buy again.

Great! Precise and sharp. Will really use it to move plants and get weeds up.

I have dug over 8,000 holes with this shovel in the hobby of Metal Detecting. I'm a senior citizen and my knees are bad, so I can't get down on the ground and dig with a hand trowel. The Radius Root slayer is the perfect compromise. The narrow fork tongued tip is great for digging small divots to pop out shallow targets, but the shovel widens out at the top and the serrated edges really do slay the roots making it possible to dig deep plugs if need be. The shovel is lightweight yet incredibly strong. I have leaned on it very heavily busting targets out from under large roots. I can't break it. Love the ergonomics of the shovel including the round handle. And I have even dug several perennials to help my wife in her garden and of course it is perfectly designed for that and works great. Reasonably priced and highly recommended!

This is the tool I've been looking for to take on the non-native Mustard plants so ubiquitous in southern California. They can grow to a height of 6 feet. The stalks of this weed are like rope and thus difficult to remove with a weed-eater. Its roots are deep so hand-pulling is virtually impossible. I made a hoe with a long handle and a 2-inch wide blade to cut the root at a 45 degree angle an inch or so below the surface. Then, pushing down on the handle, the trunk would snap, making a popping sound. The problem is that it can be difficult to swing the hoe when the nearby growth is dense. Another method I've tried is using a small spade. Using ones foot to push in the blade cuts the root and the spade allows approaching the weed from the front in dense growth. The problem here is that the tip of the spade can be deflected by the weed trunk (since it is pointed). At last I found the Root Slayer. The key attraction is the V-shaped, narrow tip. Set the V near trunk of the weed at about a 45 degree angle, then push by foot on the blade. For smaller weeds use both hands on the handle to stab the blade into the trunk just below the surface (this is where the circular handle works great.) The V-shaped convex blade tip easily captures the weed trunk every time - no deflections! Push down to pop the bigger trunks. Pulling the narrow blade back out in the opposite direction reduces disturbance of the soil. The Root Slayer is very sturdy. I gave 4 Stars on being light weight, but the weight gives more power when thrusting by hand. It gets 5 Stars for "correct weight." At first the circular handle seems odd, but you'll soon find its shape helpful and important. Although the circular handle is plastic, it is very thick and sturdy. 5 Stars for the Root Slayer!

This is the best tool I purchased so far. I may not need another one for years to come. It’s so easy to dig and cut through roots when planting. It is sturdy, lightweight and super efficient. Before I had this I used to sit down and dig using a garden knife, which is so tiring. Now I am enjoying planting so much.

The Radius Root Slayer Shovel has a near-perfect design for metal detecting, but its biggest flaw is the weak shovel head. Priced at $60, it features a carbon fiber shaft and a comfortable ergonomic handle, both of which feel premium and perform well. It cuts through compact soil easily and makes plug digging simple and efficient. The problem is that the shovel head bends under torque. After around 100 plugs, while working in clay soil, the head warped nearly to a 90-degree angle when I tried to pry a plug loose. I was able to bend it back into shape, but now it’s noticeably softer and no longer straight. This happened in normal digging conditions, not rock or concrete, which makes it especially frustrating given the otherwise excellent design. If the manufacturer upgraded the quality of the shovel head material, detectorists like myself would gladly pay $200 or more for it. The ergonomics, shaft design, and digging geometry are absolutely perfect for the kind of precise, repetitive digging that metal detecting requires. The only issue is the head itself—it just isn’t built to handle the torque and leverage this type of work demands. Pros: • Perfect handle and shaft design for metal detecting • Comfortable, lightweight, and ergonomic • Cuts into soil easily and efficiently Cons: • Shovel head bends under torque • Material softens after stress • Not suitable for heavy-duty or clay-rich soil Bottom line: This shovel could be a detectorist’s dream tool if the head were made from stronger steel. The design is flawless, but the material limits its durability. With a higher-grade metal, it would easily be worth triple the price.