Rugg Manufacturing 26PDX Path Master Select Snow Shovel with Straight Vinyl Covered Steel Handle and Molded D-Grip, 18"

I bought this shovel at CVS locally several years ago after getting one from Home Depot made in Alabama that was so poorly conceived that it actually wouldn't touch the pavement in any normal upright position. I guess they don't get much snow in Alabama. This one is made in Massachusetts, where they do know something about snow. But after the snows of 2010 and 2013, its metal edge is wearing out, and it's still the best shovel I can find. It's not so big or heavy you can't lift a load of snow. Unlike most others the blade has rolled edges so the plastic doesn't bend, is scoop-shaped so the snow doesn't slide off, and snow won't stick to it like metal. It's vinyl-clad steel shaft is not so long as to be unwieldy, and it has a handle you can easily lift or push with. And if the shaft is too long, it can be easily cut down. Plus it's not one of those idiotic "ergonomic" jobs. Since no one in the DC area carries it despite all this I ordered another from Indianapolis. However, after receiving it, I find it is not as pictured, which I don't mind since the one I received is cool black and silver, nor do I mind that the shaft is 5-6" longer, but I do mind that it doesn't have the galvanized metal edge. The company, which is tiny, with only 6-12 employees, I discovered was sold a year ago to its plastic parts supplier, and it seems things are in a bit of turmoil. In any case it appears this 18" model isn't available anywhere with a metal edge, and only a 20" with an aluminum shaft is, from several sources. The scoop seems to be otherwise the same so I think it is a viable substitute. The metal edge, of course, makes the shovel more expensive, but, and is appropriate for ordinary pavement where the plastic will quickly wear, but the plastic alone won't scratch fancy surfaces. The metal edge will also break up ice, which I doubt plastic alone will. Picture should be changed and description improved IMHO.

I'm a 5'2" senior female and all the "ergonomic" shovels are sized for a taller person. Thus, everything's at the wrong angle and I can barely get it into the right position to scrape the cement. This shovel, however, is perfect for me and I'm glad I bought it. Works well and is a good fit for me. I live in Wisconsin and it does handle heavy loads of snow well both while pushing and lifting it to throw.

If you have spent the money for a composite material deck, such as the Trex brand deck boards, this is the perfect snow shovel to avoid damaging those boards. This shovel glides easily across the deck, moving snow without any damage to the deck. The shovel also does well at lifting lighter loads of snow, but I would recommend a more heavy duty metal shovel to clear the heavy snow and ice berm that the county snow plow leaves at the end of your driveway. This shovel is a good buy for clearing your deck.

I've only used this shovel three or four times so I can't truly attest to its sturdiness - {ask me in two years!} but it is relatively light considering that it is a scoop, rather than flat shovel. Good length and width for a petite woman!

There's no bells or whistles here. Everything is plastic/aluminum. If you find yourself doing serious shoveling often, I'd consider something that more aptly fits that work load. If you just need something to shovel a few inches of snow that you get every few years, I think it's perfect. For the price, it gives me the emergency functionality I'll need.

We live in Nebraska so scooping snow is not new to us. But finding a decent shovel is harder than you would think...it's like companies put them on the market without ever testing functionality! This one definitely passes the test. The scoop seems small but it actually works great for pushing snow as well as scooping. Snow slides right off and doesn't stick to the scoop, which throws off your balance and throws out your back! It's also extremely lightweight. This is probably the best shovel we have ever bought!!

My fault that I didn't check the width of this shovel because it is quite small/. I'll have to use it for deck and sidewalk shoveling and get a larger one for the driveway.

Tested the shovel on a newly prepared deck for winter use. I was looking for a shovel which would not scratch the wooden surface of the deck…and it did scratch the wood. I will be keeping the shovel because I needed a new shovel, and it seems to be easy to handle and study, but will keep looking for another with an edge, perhaps rubber to use on the deck surface.

its a snow shovel. what do you want me to rate. it might snow this year, then it might not