There are 3 things to consider
1. Charcteriatics of ground
2. Search target - gold, coins, metal artefacts
3. Personal physical characteristics e.g., hand holding strength, whether carrying backpack or camp/vehicle nearby
Give your answers to this to a dealer and ask what they have at different...
Thanks Grant. I found a copy at abebooks.com. It appears to be one of the best descriptions of stream flow and sediment deposition, because it has the illustrations.
I use the Fiskar long handle ergonomic post hole shovel. Available from bunnings or mitre 10. It is light. They come and go in these delayed stock times