I already have a large pick mattock but sometimes I want something smaller and lighter. This tool does the job so far. Time will tell if it holds up to heavy use, but so far so good. I would like the blade side of the head to be a little longer and wider, but haven't seen any other better designs available for purchase. To me, the wood handle feels much better in hand than those yellow composite plastic handles do. Yeah the composite is super durable but it just makes the job feel a lot more tedious for me. Hickory handles are the best.