Backcountry Access Companion EXT Shovel - 2008 BCS

I have a nasty tendency to bring along entirely too much junk, which not only sucks to carry up, is a real pain in the ass to ski down with, so the combination of being a very useful tool when it comes to digging efficiently (my hope is to only ever use this thing to build jumps, but regardless...) and being lightweight and therefore not cumbersome, it is a winner in my book. I have been carrying it around the BC for two years without ever having any problems with it functionally, and I don't even notice it in my pack until I need it.

This may be a good shovel for all I know, but I was looking for a 40 inch shovel and this one is only 31.5 inches fully extended. Check Backcountryaccess.com for the correct stats on this product.
When I asked Backcountry.com to pay for the return, they graciously did so, but also told me that the assembled length as described "30-40.5in (71-103cm)" is a range that covers the 31.5 inches I measured. You've been warned.

This shovel is sweet for the money but the top shaft is a little wobbly when digging in harder snow. It is quite effiecint for moving lots of snow.

This shovel is the right size and strength... small enough to comfortably stuff in your sack and strong enough to accidentally dig into some not-so-soft boulders. I would definitely recommend the metal blade over any plastics, no matter how "light" or "small." If I need to dig out my bud from the slide he started doing a 270 of a cornice, this is what I want attached to my back!

Great lightweight shovel. Big blade but still fits in small volume pack without the handle sticking out. Pop it out, extend the handle and move some snow.

If you are want a good quality shovel, lightweight yet strong enough to cut thru the hard stuff, this shovel is great. I like the extendable handle, stows nice but extends so the shovel is more functional. The blade is bigger than the Tour shovel, just what you need when you need to rescue someone quickly. I only use BCA products, and i love them all. Backpacks, shovels, probes or beacons they just put out quality products.

This thing is relatively light when compared to other shovels. Super durable elliptical shaft and flat shovel back for snow analysis (shaves cross-sections for layer analysis clean and crisp) and "large amounts of snow" removal. Great buy and the EXT aspect is a must! Worth the extra oz. or so! Buy this one........... do it!