All brushes are not created equal. I frequently hike in muddy conditions, which leave my boots and hiking shoes caked in mud. In the last six months our area has received far more rain than normal, which means a lot of mud. Even a trip to my compost pile in the backyard results in my footgear caked in mud. In the past, cleaning my boots was a chore, partly because I never thought to dedicate a brush to this task. I would usually dip the soles of my boots in water and attempt to remove the crud with a scrap of wood. The results were time-consuming and less than effective. All that is changed with this pick brush. The stainless steel spike makes quick work of scraping mud (and sometimes worse stuff) away from the lugs on my hiking boots. Then I can finish the chore off with the brush. I don't care what happens to the brush, because the brush will only be used for cleaning my shoes. The bristles are stiff enough to remove the muck from my boot's soles, yet safe to use on leather and canvas uppers. But it is the spike that really sets this brush apart. I no longer have to search or something to clean the mud from the bottom of my shoes. The spike is integrated into the brush. Where the brush is, the spike is. And since the brush features a built in hanger, I have dedicated a space to store the brush in the garage. So I know exactly where the brush is whenever I need it. This is one of those tools that I never knew I needed. Now that I have it, I wouldn't want to be without it.