Quick verdict
A steel foot pedal that snaps onto the shaft of a shovel or spade just above the blade, giving a wide flat step to put a boot on so the whole body weight drives the blade into hard soil instead of the ball of the foot balancing on a thin rolled edge, and it moves between tools without a bolt. Digging clay with a round-point shovel is a foot on a narrow edge and a sore arch by lunchtime; a step turns it into a stair. The maker claims it halves the effort, which is optimistic, but the difference is felt in the first hole. Fits most wood and metal shafts.
Strengths
- Wide step puts body weight on the blade in hard soil
- Snaps onto most wood or metal shovel shafts without tools
- Moves between shovel, spade and fork
- Protects the shaft from being stepped on and split
- Takes the strain off the arch of the foot
Weaknesses
- Fit depends on shaft diameter; check it
- Adds a lump near the blade that catches in a narrow trench
- Generic steel; the snap clip loosens with age
The overall YardToolLab Score is out of 100. Section scores are out of 10.
A Stair Instead of an Edge
A spade has a flat tread for the boot and a round-point shovel has a thin rolled edge that digs into the arch and tips the foot off sideways. In clay, the difference is a sore foot by lunch. A snap-on step gives the shovel a tread. This generic booster is a steel pedal that clips round the shaft just above the blade and takes a whole boot so body weight goes down the blade.
This review is based on the listing specifications and on how foot step attachments change digging effort generally. We have not used this step ourselves and the seller is a generic importer.
Fitting
Open the snap clip, set it round the shaft just above the socket where the blade meets the handle, with the step out to the side the foot favours, and press it shut. A hard stamp on the step seats it. It moves to the fork or the spade in seconds and comes off for storage.
Digging With It
Set the blade, put the boot flat on the step and step up. The whole weight goes straight down the blade and the shovel sinks into clay or turf that a shove from the arms would skate over. Lever, lift, move on. In hard ground the difference is felt in the first hole, and by the twentieth the arch of the foot is grateful.
The Shaft
Stepping on a wooden shaft above the socket splits it eventually, and a fiberglass shaft cracks. The step carries the load on steel and the shaft is spared.
Fit
Most wooden and metal shafts of the common diameter. A very thick or oval shaft may not take the clip; compare the diameter with the listing. The clip is the wear part and tightens with a tap or a wrap of tape when it loosens.
Limits
The step is a lump near the blade and catches on the sides of a narrow trench. Take it off for trench work and put it back for holes and turf.
Who Should Buy It
- Anyone digging clay with a round-point shovel.
- Gardeners with sore arches after a day of planting.
- People who want one step for several tools.
Common Owner Complaints
Loose clip on some shafts. Tape the shaft; tap the clip tighter.
Alternatives to Consider
A spade with a forged tread built in. A bolt-on step for a permanent fit. A back-saver handle for the other end of the shaft.
Verdict
For a shovel that has no tread, a snap-on step makes hard ground easier and the foot stops hurting. Fit it above the socket, stamp it down and move it to the fork.
Full specifications
Universal Shovel Foot Step Booster, Snap-On Steel Foot Pedal Attachment for Shovels and Spades FAQs
Open the clip, snap it round the shaft just above the blade socket with the step pointing to the side the foot uses, and press it closed. It grips the shaft; a hard push on the step seats it.
A round-point shovel has a narrow rolled edge that hurts the arch and tips the foot sideways. A flat step takes the whole boot and the weight goes straight down the blade.
A digging fork with a similar shaft, yes. The step sits above the tines.
Stepping on a wooden shaft splits it over time. The step carries the load on steel.
