DeWalt 52 in. Fiberglass Handle 5-Tine Garden Fork

Why I reached for this fork

I spent a weekend moving a small mountain of mulch and woodchips, and the tool I kept reaching for was the DeWalt garden fork. It’s a 5‑tine, forged carbon steel head on a 52‑inch fiberglass handle with over‑molded grips. On paper, that combination promises leverage, comfort, and weather resistance. In practice, it’s a capable, purpose‑built fork—so long as you use it for the right jobs and with the right expectations.

Build and materials

The head is the highlight. Five forged carbon steel tines feel stout and straight, with a durable black hammertone finish that shrugged off scraping along stone borders and a few accidental drops on the driveway. The head is secured to the handle with dual stainless steel rivets—simple, visible fasteners that didn’t loosen during my testing. That’s reassuring, because head‑to‑handle failures are common on cheaper forks.

The fiberglass handle runs a full 52 inches, and with the over‑molded mid‑grip and end‑grip, you get obvious hand placement cues. The mid‑grip matters more than it might seem: it gives a consistent reference point when you’re loading, carrying, and throwing material, reducing hand drift and hot spots. The butt cap has a hanging hole, which makes storage easy on a simple wall hook.

At 9.65 inches wide, the head isn’t oversized. That narrower profile keeps loads manageable and makes it easier to steer into piles without bulldozing material. The overall fit and finish are tidy. No proud rivets, no flashing on the grips, and the fiberglass had no visible surface voids out of the box.

Ergonomics and feel

The length is right in the sweet spot for leverage without feeling unwieldy. At 5'10", I found the 52‑inch handle allowed upright work with a neutral back angle when scooping from ground level. The fiberglass dampens vibration better than steel and about on par with quality hardwood. The ovalized handle profile resists rotation and feels secure in gloved or bare hands. The end‑grip is slightly bulbous, which helps with pulling actions and quick flicks to shake loose fines.

Balance is forward‑biased as you’d expect from a forged head, but not tip‑heavy. With a full scoop of woodchips, the fork tracks straight and doesn’t torque the wrists. If you’re moving material for hours, those small details add up.

What it does well

For its intended jobs, the DeWalt garden fork is genuinely efficient. Here’s where it shined for me:

• Mulch and woodchips: The tine spacing and shape let fines sift out while holding chunky pieces. I could load, carry, and spread quickly without overfilling. Compared with a flat shovel, I made fewer trips because the fork carries the airy stuff better.
• Fluffed compost and leaf mold: In a bin that’s not waterlogged or compacted, it bites in cleanly and lifts a cohesive load. The mid‑grip helps with the repetitive mix‑and‑toss motion when aerating.
• Manure and bedding: In a stall clean‑out, the fork pulled soiled bedding without digging ruts into the base. Five tines were enough to hold a decent clump without the “spaghetti through a colander” effect you get with wider‑spaced pitchforks.
• Hay and straw: Easy to grab and carry flakes or shake apart a bale for mulching tomatoes. The tines slide in and release cleanly.

In all of those cases, the fork felt like the right tool: quick in, quick out, steady loads, minimal fighting.

Where it struggles

Every fork has limits, and this one is more specialized for loose, relatively uniform materials. A few things to keep in mind:

• Brushy debris and sticks: If your pile is heavy on twigs or irregular limbs, the load retention drops. Stiff, straight branches slide and roll off as you walk, and you’ll do better with a rake to gather and a tarp to carry.
• Waterlogged or compacted compost: It’ll lift, but the torsional loads go up quickly. When I pried into a wet, clay‑heavy compost corner, I could feel the handle flex. That’s the cue to stop and break it up with a digging fork or shovel first.
• Prying roots or breaking hardpan: This is not a digging fork. The tines are strong, but the geometry and handle are not intended for levering out rocks or root balls. Use a 4‑tine digging fork for that.

If you align your tasks with its design—moving, lifting, and spreading loose material—you’ll be happier and the tool will last longer.

Durability notes

I didn’t manage to hurt the head. The tines stayed straight, and the finish shows only cosmetic scuffing after contact with stone and concrete. The head‑to‑handle joint remained tight, and the dual rivets never creaked.

The fiberglass handle is comfortable and weather‑resistant, but it’s not a pry bar. Under high side‑load (twisting while a tine is stuck), I could feel it flex. That flex is not failure; it’s a signal to lighten the load or change technique. If you habitually lever heavy, compacted material or try to pop out embedded rocks, you’ll stress any fiberglass handle. Technique matters:

• Drive the head straight in and lift, rather than prying sideways.
• For compacted or wet compost, loosen with a digging fork or spade first.
• Keep your top hand on the mid‑grip to control torque.

Follow those habits, and the handle should hold up to regular landscaping work. As with any composite handle, inspect the area near the ferrule periodically; if you see deep scars or delamination, retire it.

Maintenance and storage

This tool is low‑maintenance. I do the following:

• Hose off after gritty jobs; grit chews through finishes and grips.
• Wipe the tines dry to prevent rust creep at the edges.
• Hang it by the integrated hole; don’t park it tines‑down on concrete.
• Avoid baking it in direct sun for months. Fiberglass is UV‑resistant, but grips hate it.

There’s a limited lifetime warranty listed. Keep your receipt and note the model number. Warranties typically cover manufacturing defects, not misuse or normal wear.

Value and alternatives

You’ll pay more for fiberglass than wood. In return, you get weather resistance, vibration damping, and consistent feel through seasonal swings. If you prefer the traditional feel and slightly higher ultimate strength of a straight‑grain ash or hickory handle—and you’re disciplined about storage—wood remains a viable option and may cost less.

If your work skews toward digging and prying in soil, consider a 4‑tine, square‑tine digging fork with a shorter D‑handle. If you primarily manage straw, hay, or very airy manure, a wider head with more tines can move more volume per scoop. For mixed yard waste heavy on brush, a steel tine rake plus a tarp or a poly scoop may be faster.

The DeWalt fork finds a nice middle ground for mulch, chips, bedding, and light compost. It’s not a one‑tool‑does‑all solution, but it doesn’t pretend to be.

Who it’s for

• Homeowners and landscapers moving mulch, woodchips, and straw.
• Gardeners who want to turn fluffed compost and spread organic matter.
• Folks who value a long handle and clear grip positions for repeatable technique.
• Anyone who stores tools in a shed or garage and wants weather‑tolerant materials.

Who should look elsewhere: people who need to pry roots, dig into compacted soil, or haul brushy debris regularly.

Practical tips for better results

• Use a scoop‑and‑shake technique: lift, then give a small forward flick to shed fines while keeping larger chips.
• Load from the side of a pile to avoid burying the head and over‑torquing the handle.
• Keep the mid‑grip as your upper hand anchor; it reduces wrist strain and keeps loads balanced.
• For compost, aim for moisture like a wrung‑out sponge; saturated piles defeat any fork.

Recommendation

I recommend the DeWalt garden fork for moving and spreading loose materials—mulch, woodchips, hay, bedding, and fluffed compost. The forged head, comfortable long handle, and thoughtful grips make repetitive tasks efficient and easier on the body. However, I would not choose it for prying, digging compacted material, or hauling brushy debris. If you stay within its intended use, it’s a reliable, comfortable tool that earns its keep. If your work regularly demands heavy leverage or mixed woody waste, opt for a digging fork or a different carry system instead.