Blade width
The total width of the shovel blade.
The value of this parameter will be different depending on what the shovel is used for — digging, loading / unloading bulk materials or snow removal. In the first case (for example, in bayonet shovels), the width of the pit being dug depends on the size of the canvas. It doesn't always have to be large, and a wide blade experiences more resistance, meaning a large shovel isn't always the best choice. For example, drainage cloths (see "Form") are initially made narrow.
In the second case (shovel shovels), a large width allows you to scoop up more cargo, however, this cargo will weigh accordingly. Therefore, here the difference between different models is most often not very large — most of the canvases have a width in the range of 220 – 260 mm.
In the third case (snow shovels and scrapers), the large width allows you to capture more snow at a time, which is convenient in large open spaces. But for difficult conditions with an abundance of narrow passages and tight nooks and crannies, it is better to choose a narrower tool that can go where a wide canvas does not fit.
Telescopic shaft
The shovel has a telescopic (sliding) handle.
Such a handle has two key advantages over the classic, fixed one: firstly, it can be folded as much as possible during storage or transportation, reducing the dimensions of the tool; secondly, the length of the handle can be optimally adjusted to the height of the user. On the other hand, folding handles turn out to be somewhat less reliable than non-folding ones, and besides, they significantly affect the price. Therefore, it makes sense to look for
a "telescopic" shovel if the described advantages are more important than the disadvantages.
Rubberized shaft
The presence of a rubberized handle in the design of the shovel.
Rubber by itself is too soft to be used as a base material for a pen. Therefore, in this case, most often means a
rubber pad on the handle. Such pads are designed to ensure that the handle is comfortable to hold, does not slip and does not cool the hands. They are found only in shovels with metal handles, made of aluminium or plastic (see "Shank material") — this function is not relevant for wooden handles (in particular, they are quite convenient on their own).
