When working in the surf, (or on the beach also) a wire basket its the fastest way to sift through the sand. Unfortunately, many of them aren't reinforced enough to stop you from crushing the back when stepping on them with your foot. I have on old one made somewhere 20 years ago, that has held up, because it has a steel bar around the back where you step on it. I bought some scoops off the sites advertised on the net, and they either broke at the handle welds, or the basket collapsed. The ones with the drilled holes,( like the one offered above) can and will hold up fine, but the sifting is a little slower and the objects in them are a little harder to see quickly. The buckaneer one you pictured, just won't make it in most areas. Unfortunately, lightness isn't always a better thing. In the water, sometimes the extra weight of the scoop can be an advantage against wave action pushing a light scoop around. The aluminuim scoops are excellent on the beach or in calmer water. A floating handle is also a advantage in the water. At some time, we all let the handle slip. Good hunting.
