Bosse Tools Ergonomic Round Point Shovel with 360-degree Rotating Center Handle

This is a interesting shovel. I do appreciate the ergonomic part of it. It's a little heavy for me, a 5 foot 2 woman, but its strong and well made.

great for potting soil. Not great if you need any lifting leverage. good for spreading however if you are digging I would reconsider

I am a woman, working in the safety and workers' compensation industries and I have seen this company's product line for quite a while now. I've seen the skeptics, I've heard the "tough guys" say they don't need a new shovel. That they are used to shoveling being hard and they are supposed to be sore at the end of the day. Really? Is that what you want or just what you have come to accept? Then it just takes one "brave soul" to ask an important question..."May I try it?" The saying "Don't knock it until you try it" rings true with this product.Before long a crowd forms...all asking to hold it, how does the "thing in the middle" work? Then I asked questions. I hate shoveling in the yard because any shovel I've ever used I found to be heavy and I was very sore after using an old, heavy shovel. I hate yard work, yet it needs to get done. I also hate how I feel after doing yard work...especially in the heat of Arizona.It is light, with a comfortable grip at the end and the middle handle moves 360 degrees in a position that feels comfortable for the task I am doing. My neighbor asked what funny thing I was using, so I told him and asked him the question to check it out...hold it...use it. My hands and wrists didn't hurt. My shoulders didn't hurt. My back didn't hurt. As most reactions that I have seen and read, he thought it was pretty cool! I think the initial, visual opinion is negative because it simply looks different and we have been using this tool for the same way as long as a shovel has been around. We hate change but in this case we need to embrace it. Reading some of the reviews it is quite clear who purchased and who is just judging the product on the pictures they see on Amazon.The other thing we need to do is read directions. The directions are very visible on this shovel and tell you exactly what this model is good for and that is (picture included) that it is ideal for digging holes, transporting earth and planting trees and shrubs.There is also a WARNING on the back of the packaging that clearly states that it is not a prying tool and that prying with more than 100 pounds of force will place excessive stress on the aluminum housing which can cause it to break.If you are looking for something that is not only easier to handle but easy on your body while using a tool that was long overdue for an upgrade, where the ideas of using something for the purpose of reducing fatigue and injuries, then this is it.Happy Digging!

The media could not be loaded.    The tool is pretty easy to figure out and use. The first thing I noticed was that I was able to use both of my arms more fully. After this video, I had to dig another hole at a friends house and I used their shovel just to compare. With a traditional shovel, I was using my left arm mostly for lifting and tossing, with the boss, I was able to use my left arm for pushing as well (The first movement of pushing the shovel into the dirt.) The lifting and tossing were a LOT easier as well. It was one of those things where you feel like "how come this wasn't made a long time ago." It really did make a difference.In reference to some of the other reviews I've read before purchasingI've done a lot of yard work at my house, and where I live there is a lot of Hard Soil and tons of Rocks. Before I got the the bosse tool, I'd dug a trench for our irrigation line (yes, I wish I had the tool back then!). In reading some of the other reviews about people that have broken shovels by prying, I broke a traditional shovel in digging those trenches. So I've learned to "Prep the ground" before I dig. To prep the ground, I use a pick ax and do all my "prying" with that... that's what it's made for. The instructions on the shovel tell you not to pry, so I didn't. In the video in this review, I prepped the ground around the little tree stump with my pick ax before I started digging. Now there is a new tree there!The only negative I found was that if you need to dig a deep narrow hole (one that you can't physically get into and you must shovel from the top) it gets a little awkward and you have to get a little creative on how to hold the shovel. Digging a hole like that is pretty difficult with a traditional shovel as well, so for all the benefits you get in the rest of your shoveling, it's well worth that little hassle.

We were digging out some old weeds and plants, we weren't prying or lifting a house, just simple everyday shovel work. After maybe using it 4 times total the handle broke where it connects to the 360 grip. Its plastic. You can't make a handle or part of a handle out of plastic and then claim it is professional grade.I did like the 360 grip to some degree, it was handy and interesting. It becomes worthless however when it is made very poorly. If you are simply moving sand or you just want to sit in a chair and play with the 360 grip this is the shovel for you... but if you do actual work with your shovel and need it to be able to handle digging then I would move along.I am happy to upload a pic if anyone cares to see how/where it broke.