Radius Garden Tools: First Impressions

I've gotten a chance to handle four hand tools from NRG's Radius Garden Tool line: the trowel, bulb trowel, weeder, and cultivator; and they seem pretty good to me. A lot of thought has been put into the ergonomic design of these instruments. They are also made of quality material.

The Handle

The most noticeable feature of the Radius Garden Tools is the handle. The large, curved handle is designed to be held at the back of the curve letting the wrist stay in a natural wrist position. The grip does allow you to handle the tool this way, how effectively is still to be determined.

The handle is also thick. This allows a good grip without having to squeeze hard. It is easier on the hands and muscles. And it reduces cramping.

The Trowel

The trowel is pretty much your standard trowel, just add a Radius handle. It is lightweight and seems durable. My biggest concern is that the Radius handle design might cause extra stress on the wrist when digging in hard or heavy earth. Testing will determine if it will. Digging in light and loose soil doesn't seem like a problem.

The Bulb Trowel

The bulb trowel is a longer, narrower trowel designed for digging small, six inch deep holes. The Radius handle gives me the same concern here as it does on the regular trowel. The bulb trowel does have another nifty ergonomic feature. Graduated marks show you how deep your hole is. This is rather handy for bulb planting.

The Weeder

The weeder has a narrow blade with a digging tip and a serrated edge. It allows you to cut, dig, pull or otherwise physically remove weeds from the garden. The handle does not give me any concerns on this tool and should be a true ergonomic improvement. The blade seems useful in a variety of situations and I shall be testing it out in as many ways as possible.

The Cultivator

Here is where the Radius handle should really shine. The motion used with a hand cultivator should benefit greatly by using the natural hand position. The gardeners back should benefit as well as you can sit in a more relaxed position and still get enough force to break up the soil.

Summary

The ergonomic theory behind the Radius Garden Tool's radical handle design is sound. It should provide ample benefit in most situations. Whether or not it will in all situations is something only use will tell us. Thankfully more thought has been put into these tools beyond the handles. A bevy of additional ergonomic features round out these tools and make them worth any gardener's consideration.
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