My wife is petite (4'10") and loves to garden. This shovel works so well for her that she uses it for everything from planting flowers to digging 3 foot holes for new trees. I have a bad back and like to use it because it is easy to handle, digs well, but doesn't scoop up so much weight that I can't lift it easily 30 times while digging a large hole. It's plently heavy duty enough to last a lifetime with just a little normal care. I don't shy away from prying up rock and roots with it either!