I fail to see something absurd there...
The absurd bit is that they don't make adult size ones, I'd love a pair as well.
I would have liked that as a child, but now I'd prefer just using my hands. I could as well use a power shovel, but what's the point?
For me, the point is more the work than the result, when playing in the sand.
I also like to make those little sculptures from sand-water drops, you know, when you take a handful of wet sand and let the water drip, then it takes some sand with it and leaves a visible sandy drop. But no bucket, you first need to dig a hole which is deep enough to get at the wet sand or do it dangerously close to the water.