48" Grappler"Extended Reach & Pick-Up Tool"

This is a great tool. My only problem with it is that it is a little too heavy to use for any length of time with just one had. That is not so much a problem with the tool as it is a problem with an irrefutable law of physics, though, so I can't really hold that against the tool. What would be an improvement would be a piece of metal under the long bar. Since you need to hold it with your other hand, a smooth piece of metal would protect your support hand from the sharp edges under the tool. (They're not sharp enough to cut you, but are a little uncomfortable. But a work glove on my left hand would accomplish the same thing, I suppose.)

I am working in the office this afternoon and realized I didn’t get the mail when I got home. So I went to get the mail via the back door, coming back in I find a big rat snake (at least a four footer) on the porch...... between me and the door. Where I just came from. I went and got the gopher grabber and the snake away granules from the shed and proceeded back to my little friend. FYI, snake away does not work to try and guide a snake. I threw some at him and he looked back at me and then went behind the cart in the deck alcove. (Over the snake away) So I must retrieve said snake just Incase the snake away works because he will have no where to go now but in the house. I pulled the cart back and there he was, coiled up and hissing... I was shacking so bad and telling him to just go ahead and strike at the grabber so that we can get that over with, he did. (I jumped, really really high) I grabbed him and took him out into the yard and let him go, crisis diverted right? He then makes a run for the house which would have been fine because I thought he would turn left toward my neighbors house and I would wave to him while I was wishing him well. Lil' jerk turned right and headed back to the porch. By this point I'm running on adrenaline, fear and stupidity so I chase him down again but I only get him toward the tail with the glorious gopher grabber. So here he and I go running thru the yard, him trying to get away from me and me try to get away from him. (I wish it had been recorded because I'm sure it was hilarious) I final reach the tree line and give him a flight lesson into the under brush. I come back to the office to compose a text to my wife to tell her of my adventures when one of my regional managers call... It scared me so bad that I thru the phone down and fell back in my chair! Did I mention that I'm scared of snakes?Upside, I can now give the “48" Grappler "Extended Reach & Pick-Up Tool"” a five star rating on Amazon.

This product has doubled in price on Amazon in less than 5 years. Springs break after extended use.

I have MS and have difficulty getting around. I've had several grabbing arms but every one of them break and are worthless. I got this one (48") a couple of days ago and it's already paid for itself in strength and usability. I'm an engineering supervisor and know structural stability very well. This has a 1/4" roundbar draw rod (I haven't measured that....just eyeballed) and the neck appears to be 11 or 12 gauge aluminum. The finger hook for the draw rod is well placed and works well. I haven't tested the strength of the arm to its limit yet but have picked up some relatively heavy items with zero issues. The only thing I don't like is the bent tip on the one lip of the mouth. While I do realize that a smaller surface area creates more pressure at point of contact but I would prefer both lips be flat to allow grabbing smaller items more easily. However, I'll leave it this way for awhile and try it on different items. If I then still don't like it, my trusty vise will take care of the bent lip. All in all, this is a great product and am already considering buying a second longer one.

Great idea in product, as I wanted a way to pick up missed twigs, small stones etc with out shutting down the lawn tractor to get off and pick them up. This product was flimsy, and bent with the first use. The bend rendered it useless, as the trigger rod would not move. I attempted different ways to make it straight again, and was able to get the rod to slide that closes the grip jaws, and then the next time I used it, it re-bent as I attempted to pick up a 2 inch 3 foot branch. Very frustrating. I spent more time fixing it, then using it. It is useless now. Big waste of money.

We have great clean rivers near Traverse City Michigan, partly because people keep them clean and partly because a number of us collect the bottles, cans, flipflops and a few other items we find along the river. I've used many grabbers for this task before (low expected life time). On the Pine River today I used the 48" Grappler for the first time. It is by far the best grabber I've ever used. I was especially surprised at how much better it holds the flotsam and jetsam that I pry out of logjams. It looks sturdy so I expect a long life for if, but have only used it today. Based on one use I'm recommending it to all the other river cleaners in our club.** Update June 2014 -- ordering another **The Grappler proved to be as sturdy and useful as expected. Another is being ordered today as yesterday the previous one was ejected overboard in a mishap while cutting a tree blocking the river. Despite pipe insulation on the shaft for flotation and bright tape for visibility, the current was too strong and swept it under a logjam.

I purchased this pick up tool to clean out my gutters and pick up sticks in the yard. Seems to be well made and strong compared to the 5 dollar plastic pick up tool I had been using. The nice thing about it is that I don't have to stand as close to the gutter as I used to (and the edge of the roof). The only design flaw I can find is that when you fully squeeze the trigger, it can be blocked from closing all the way by my grasping fingers. This makes it a little less comfortable when moving the head around to get gunk out of gutters.

Bought this to install a drain vent cap that fell off on a single wide mobile home. Since I am unable to get on the sheet metal roof to put a new cap on, this tool gave me the arm's reach to put the new cap on. Seems sturdy and relatively well built.