The retractable handle is the best part — it collapses down to almost nothing and slides right into my hip pocket. I was skeptical about nylon holding up on roots, but it bit through a stubborn one without flexing at all.
Dug through packed, rocky ground on a weekend trip and this thing didn't flex or crack once. The retractable handle is a clever touch too, it tucks down small enough to disappear in a side pocket.
The trowel is light and the retractable handle does save space in my pack, but the glass-reinforced nylon feels a bit flexy when I hit roots. It works fine for loosening soil in soft ground, just don't expect it to replace a metal trowel on rocky digs.