I've just watched two Youtube videos of people using this bit of kit, Snoopy. Two things - first, I'm not sure the spade part at the bottom is normal sized (seems a little small for a proper spade) but that might be just how it looks. Second, I would never use one, for this reason - yes, it will save my back, but will cripple my shoulders. I don't like the two handed thing, and if you watch the guy using it, he seems to be exerting a fair bit of pressure from the shoulders down the arms to lever the thing out of the ground.
I've got a dodgy back, like most of us, but I've got even dodgier shoulders and a bad neck - I'm pretty sure this bit of kit would aggravate those enormously. I don't even like electric mowers with a 'loop' type handle where you need two hands for the same reason.

I get round it by hardly ever using my spade - I dig with a fork to break up hard or claggy ground, and use the spade for excavating holes or trenches. I would, though, quite like to try one to see what it's like...

My dad bought a tool for digging that I think is what you are asking about Steve, I found it when clearing out, it wouldn't work on my clay soil at all as it clogged up, might be okay on a lighter soil though, was quite heavy as well, I'd need to be a weight-lifter to use it, also the handle was very long so no good at all for people like me who are physically challenged in the height department, lol, when using it put a lot of strain on ones shoulders and arms, cost him a fair bit of money and spent its life in the shed.........

bamboo yes i just looked at the one on you tube it does look small at the blade,but when i look on the backsaver home sight it looks normal it has now been modified the video looks ok but i suppose the bad bits would not be shown makes you think dont it hi hi lincs just checked the weight 8 kg or 4 bags of sugar does sound a bit heavy to be lifting up and down i have to dig a bit deeper to find out a bit more £109 seems a bit steep but there again next year will i be a bit weaker for normal digging bamboo as you say that 2 handed should read cack handed it looks really hard work that way ahwell will keep looking for some real proof of it,s value

links and bamboo i replied to both and got it mixed up sorry ,senior moment

No worries Steve, lol....

Hi Steve, I have seen these things advertised for years, but it seems to me like a waste of time, you still have to get the spade into the soil under your own steam, and it would have to be a very powerful spring to throw my clay soil forward, you can get a decent stainless steel spade for about £30, seems a lot of money to pay an extra £80 for a spring mechanism, Derek.

derek i think put like that it does seem daft to spend that much i was digging today with a good spade i have had a few years now but i fitted an extra long stale so i have no need to bend i dont need to push the blade in with my foot only to make it a little easier ,it was my birthday friday and i have felt like a bit of retail therapy but i will put it down to a whim for now,steve

Hi Steve, I know what you mean about retail therapy, I love getting gift cards or garden centre's or b&q etc, then I have to sit and think, what do I want, what do I need, in other words what is a luxury, and what is essential, and sometimes go for the luxury, Derek.

Take a look on eBay for Wolf Terrex - you could pick up a second hand one for £30-40 at most. They are meant for heavy soils. The digging work is done by your foot on the lever not your arms and shoulders, which are just used for moving the soil, hence the small blade (so that you are not lifting more than you should). They were designed yonks ago. I phoned my friend; his is 70+ years old (was his grandad's when he worked as a gardener before the war).

blimy i thought it was something new in the last 10 years

The modern £90 "backsaver" is only a few years old. I think the Wolf Terrex came out in the 50s/60s but mechanical spades have been around for a lot longer.

I seem to recall that the method is to dig a narrow trench along the plot first with a normal spade and then use the mechanical spade to tip the next row of soil into the trench. This creates a new trench and you go back along tipping the next row of soil and so on... So no actual lifting of soil other than the first trench. And that would explain why the handles are so high and so long (for leverage). I'll bet there are proper instructions somewhere on the Internet.