G3 AviTECH Shovel

This is my 2nd one, the shaft of my first AviTech bent (I subtracted one start bc of this) enough that I could no longer use the extension after 2+ years of moderate to heavy use and purchasing a new one was cheaper than shipping and replacing the part from G3 in Canada. Great blade and feel while shoveling, the new Avitech is 0.5 oz lighter than my old one (I weighed them in my house).

The specs for this shovel speak for itself: D handle, extendable shaft, flat blade.

In the hand, this shovel is sturdy and light.

A great balance between something that gets the job done fast and a shovel which is packable. (I fit mine into a Mammut Protection R.A.S. 18 litre backpack)

Fantastic shovel !

I've had a few different shovels over the past ten years and settled on this one for a few different reasons. The three things that I require in a shovel are a D handle, extendable shaft and flat back blade profile for digging snow profiles.

"The" shovel to have if you are working in the snow industry. As mentioned earlier, the flat blade profile makes it easier to dig smooth faced snow pits/profiles.



Update - After quite extensive use in preparation for a professional avalanche course, I have discovered one minor flaw with this shovel. The lower holes in the shaft (the ones that the pins sit in when the shaft is in its smallest position) allowing snow to enter with use. Depending on temps, I have had the locking pins that lock the shaft in the smallest or extended position frozen rendering the shovel useless. It was remedied in the field by disassembling the shaft and clearing the ice with a pocket knife. Under normal conditions, where the shovel remains in your backpack and is not assembled/used until you need to perform a rescue, this would not be an issue.

D-handle compact shovel that is great for digging snow pits for avalanche awareness training. Easily disassembled for stowing in a backpack for safe travel in the backcountry.

Easy with mittens. Sturdy when assembled. Consistent and confident when used. This shovel is it when you need something you can really use. Others might be lighter and have a more clever design, but the avitech is what you want in your hand when you really need it. Epic shovel, get it.

Love it! Does the job perfectly, and digging works fine with mitts to thanks to the D-handle. I don't think you can require much else from a shovel. Although it might be a bit on the heavier side for long touring.

Seems to be a well built shovel. ive only used it to dig a few snow pits and to test the snow pack. thankfully not for a rescue. It is well built and sturdy however a bit heavier than i expected. i decided to use it primarily for my snowmobile backcountry travels. i have a black diamond shovel i will continue to use for ski touring!

Seriously sturdy and large enough for shoveling thru avy debris and ice layers.
I misplaced my old shovel, and after a look on other shovels I came to the decision that the only right thing to do was to buy i once again.
It fits perfectly in to my osprey switch 16 which seems to have been tailored around this shovel.
As others have mentioned, the fit between the shaft and the blade can be a little tight, but this really just makes the shovel less rattly when digging.

All of the features you want in a shovel plus a few extras. The D-grip handle attachment is great for attaching to the outside of a smaller pack when going light.

Three years of digging in the coast and cascade mountains and this shovel is still going strong!
Built to last!

There is a lot to love about this shovel. Ive had one (my first and still the original one Ive owned) for five years and have used it all over the world on numerous expeditions, as well as when I was working as an avalanche forecaster. To me, it is the Golden Standard of all backcountry shovels.

Pros
- The D handle works with mittens and you can pass straps through it to securely lash it to a pack or sled (cant do that with a T grip)
- I love the flat back on the blade as it cuts nice, clean pit walls without scalloping
- The extension tubes are a very precious fit which means that it doesn’t feel all rattly and loose when you are using it.
- The blade ferrule is machine bored, which means that it has an excellent, tight fit with the handle. This is important as over time it doesnt get loose and wobbly like other shovels.
- The sidewall are deep enough to hold a good load of snow, yet not so deep that it makes it hard to fit the blade in a day backpack.
- The material is very durable and will withstand being driven through hard snow with a solid kick from a boot.
- The top of the blade is nice and square which helps when you are stomping on it with a boot as your boot doesnt deflect.

Cons? Hard to find any, but the tight fit between parts can sometimes make it a bit hard to extend the shaft or engage it into the blade, but this is a small issue. Oh, and the name (AviTech) is kind of lame for such a great product.

Perhaps one of the best things about this shovel is that it is so reliable. If I have to dig a friend out of an avalanche, I want a 100% shovel and the G3 AviTech is it.

I've had lots of trouble getting the shaft into an out of the blade smoothly. It can really waste time that buried buddy may not have.