Radius Garden 22011 Root Slayer Shovel, Red

I bought the Root Slayer to try to dig up the roots of a 50+ year old privet hedge that I had cut down. I was able to dig up some pretty big root balls pretty quickly... probably bigger than the shovel is actually intended for! It is strenuous work, but I think I would have had to hire someone or rent a grinder otherwise. The shovel is easy to use, built very strong, and well-designed.I'm pretty strong, but roots of the hedge were very developed. My technique involved digging out around a portion, and then working the shovel under it at an angle and prying it up. I really like the design - the footstep is sturdy and wide enough that you can hop up on it comfortably to use your body weight, but you can also kick it to get it in deeper when it's at an angle. The serration and the cutting edge really do the work. I know it's probably not the right way to go about it, but once I had the shovel under the root ball, I hopped up onto the handle to use my body weight to pry it out. From this, I can tell you that the shovel is very durable and the handle can support the weight of an adult woman.Good stuff, very happy with this tool!

When I got this, it came with the shipping label attached to the blade, and nothing else. I was wondering how that was going to get to me, and I was right, it was pretty funny. It's a pretty sturdy shovel, and it excels at getting into the ground, but not so much at moving a lot of dirt. When it comes to roots, it can usually get through something about as big as your finger, if you jump on it. In looser dirt it can get around small rocks, in concrete like dirt, it fares slightly better than a regular shovel, but it's not a miracle worker. This excels at moving bushes and removing certain stumps - though for the big roots I use this shovel to find where they are, excavate around the roots, and cut out a bowl shape around the bush. Then I use a sawzall with a root blade to cut a segment out of each root to get some good maneuverability of the root ball. It's definitely a specialty shovel, but it's really worth it for what it does.

I've only used this once so far, but it worked great. I have a Texas Oak and needed to dig where there are a lot of thin roots within 1ft depth. This was so much easier than my regular shovel, or even a thin trench shovel without serrated edges. The saw edges really worked well. I was able to saw away at some slightly thicker roots (width of my pinky) by applying sideways sawing action, but the main purpose is to just get through the web of thinner roots that normally make digging a lot more difficult. The narrower end is actually useful when trying to shovel earth out because you're not getting caught on uncut roots so much. The part that you push down on with your foot is wide and solid. I didn't risk prying too much, but didn't find the need. I found it generally easier to dig down vertically, cutting out rectangles that could be more easily lifted.

WOW JUST WOW!! It’s a must.. I’m 60, disabled, W, and have lost a lot of my body strength!! I saw this online at HD but they didn’t even have it to order or in store.. (AND I HAD TO HAVE IT) so I came here $10. Less.. it came fast!!! (I don’t just only gray roots on my head ) but my yard backs up to a woodland and is full of them!! Last night, I was digging up roots from my backyard and it was cutting thru live roots a inch thick.. it’s like having a SAW BLADE ON EACH SIDE OF THE SHOVEL… Clever, so clever…I got the one with the round handle, I’m 5’5 and it perfect, I love the round handle!You can push it in and then slide it towards on side pull it out and dig it out in a perfect circle.I ordered the hand held one at the same time I love it also!! I’ve never been as excited about a dang shovel in my life!!! It’s a (BAB )… I’m keeping it right next to my bed as a weapon..It’s been years since I’ve been able to dig my own holes… (well ya know in the ground) I’m so impressed I bought my sister in OK, both the Shovel with the round handle but also the little sidekick!! It’s supposed to be delivered today!!Also, I had the gentleman who mows my yard dig a hole for a tree and he was also super impressed by the way it cuts through everything!!!I’m an original Karen by birth… so usually keeping with my name… I just give reviews when I hate something or it makes me mad!So the fact I’m giving a 10 Star review and on a fixed income worth every penny… especially if you’re going to use it several times a year… I have a lot of copperheads around here… I might have to retire the hoe!!

Purchased this shovel July 26, 2019 (5 years 11 months, & 20 days ago) and despite it living outside unprotected from the elements and getting the heck used out of it, it is still going just as strong as it was the day I bought it! Crappy clay soil & nasty tree roots, no problem! Have a big @$$ tree trunk and roots you’re trying to destroy ? No problem! This shovel has got you covered!

This shovel is vastly superior to the square and spade shovels that I've been using for the past five years.If I want to cut into the ground like a chef's knife into an onion, I pull this bad boy out. It's super sharp, especially with those jagged teeth.I'm not sure how ergonomical the loop handle is, but it doesn't hurt.The weight and size of it is just right for me. I'm a pretty scrappy short lady--a little over five feet tall.I really don't like using a huge shovel, so this is perfect for me.

Works well of you are transplanting a medium-sized shrub. However, if you are trying to remove an old shrub stump, it is still A LOT OF WORK. A Mattock works as well, or better for these projects.

This is exactly what I needed to remove my 50 foot magnolia tree by myself. The shovel is very strong. I never felt like I was gonna break it. (I am 6’3 250 pounds by the way)It cuts through roots quickly. It’s a must have if you were removing the entire stump.