Radius Garden 500C Gator Grabber Clean Up Tool

Bought this for my husband and my dad for father's day. My husband could not wait to get out and start picking up leaves. Works great. Took him half the usual time and saved on his back. He can not wait till the fall. Down side was shipping took forever and did not receive this till after fathers day even though I had ordered it 2 weeks prior. I am still glad we got it but allow PLENTY of extra time if you take the free shipping option. Is a great tool and well made. I am still glad I purchased this for the 2 great men in my life.

Good:- Saves my back- Helps me picks up thorny stuff- Company has great customer service- The rods are made of metal and are sturdyBad:- The jaws (plastics) broke on the first use, but I did get a replacement as soon as I contacted + sending them a picture of the break- It's a bit awkward to use at times because if you extend it, it's pretty wide to hold - but it's still great for saving your back thoughI would buy it if you want to save your back. It is pricey, but it will work.

Paddles are small and not conducive to rake with or pick up a large volume of material at a time. Collapsible handles are excellent feature. If paddles were bigger and straight edged on bottom this would be a great tool.

So far the Gator Grabber is working out pretty well. I've had a bit of a problem in keeping the handles from turning once I have tightened them after setting the pole length. The poles simply use twisting motion that tightens the more you turn it to keep the pole adjusted for length. A positive lock or pin of some sort would have been better. I'm working on my turning and twisting technique and how I pivot my arms and body when using them to avoid always unscrewing one pole or the other. It takes some practice and I can get used to it.I was looking for a solution so I would not have to use a rake and shovel or a rake and broom combo and wrestle with both when trying to pick up bush trimmings or when collecting leaves and sticks/debris in the yard. The scissor action with the poles joined at a center point, as opposed to two independent poles, is sometimes a help and sometimes not. I use one of the grabbers like a rake when trying to tidy up the pile so I have to hold the other grabber out of the way. It comes down to technique I guess. :-)At first I thought the plastic grabber parts were too small to be useful. But if you get some heavy, dense, or wet material inside the grabber, the load can be a bit heavy. When the poles are extended and you are swinging them around with your arms (like to build a pile of leaves) it can give you a workout! If you are trying to pick up rocks or chunks of debris, the grabbers seems sturdy enough and are able to do a decent job. The grabber is not a replacement for a shovel on a smooth surface, but if collecting loose items to lift and place in a trash container or a bag they work fine. Keeping your load to a modest size and close to you makes it easier, of course. Maybe if the company offered two different styles of grabber heads that would be really helpful - maybe one for leaves and sticks, grass (lite and bulky but not heavy), and the other for dirt, wood chips, stones (more dense or heavy), etc.The materials of the product itself are durable and seem like they will last (metal poles, rubber/poly grips, sturdy plastic grabbers). I've only had mine for a few weeks so far but am pleased with them especially since the fall is approaching and all those projects in the yard are waiting. I would recommend them if you hate all the bending and stooping over to pick things up for your outdoor yard/garden projects.

This tool is a true back saver. And time saver. This is my second one I have ordered. I now have two, why you might ask? Because my boyfriend likes my 1st one and claimed it his for yard work. This keeps its grip till you let go. I have picked up everything, it's great. I hope they keep making this tool. It's worth every dime.

I do a lot of gardening, and was starting to have repetitive motion injuries, so went on Amazon to purchase a few gadgets to make my life easier. This one was kind of a waste of money...now that I have it, I'm not quite sure what to do with it. I find it so awkward to use that I wind up leaving it in the shed and doing the job with my hands anyway. Perhaps I just haven't figured out what it's good for yet, or how to make the best use of it.

As advertised. Hands-down the best grass and debris grabber on the market. Tough, well built product that lasts years and has the ability to grip heavier loads. Many cheap versions of this out there. I've had many and they break after a season or two. Not the Gator Grabber. Year after year of continuous use on my lawn and garden. Could not do without it. Highly recommended.

Our trees are constantly dropping branches. This tool is great for picking them up. Works fantastic to pick up piles of leaves, weeds. Only complaint was the price especially when adding in the shipping costs.