Backcountry Access Tour Shovel - 2007 BCS

Wow, great shovel... It is EXTREMELY light. Lighter than most plastic shovels. Right size and very comfortable to use. The price is also a bonus. The probe integration is also a nice feature if you choose to go that way. Get this shovel.

I bought this shovel primarily because of its light weight. It is the lightest shovel I've found and used. It is small enough to pack well. The oval tubing provides better grip than round tubing and it is plenty strong. I used it to chop through layers of hard compacted snow and ice and I was able to move a lot of snow in a short time. My only complaint is the paint on the blade. It chipped the first time I used it. Upon inspection I could see where the painting process (probably dipping) had left the paint bubbled along the cutting edge. It's not a big thing, but is annoying, otherwise I would have rated it a five.

The only reason this shovel didn't get a 5 is because it doesn't collapse with the handle in the shovel. I could see no reason it shouldn't, except it just won't go. It would, sometimes, be convenient to leave the handle in and just collapse it in. Otherwise, excellent shovel.

After the recent flap about the ineffectiveness of Lexan shovel blades in work-hardened snow (see Black Diamond's spring 2006 news release on the subject), I figured it was time to suck it up and get an aluminum blade. I prepared myself for the extra weight, but not so: this shovel is just as light as my old plastic Life-Link, just as compact and easy to pack. Better yet, it sort of fits on the shaft of my ice axe-- bonus.