the bright orange is the best thing about it. It's only a one section shovel, unlike my LifeLine, but you get what you pay for....

Don't skimp on a shovel. Plastic sux. Whether your digging up your buddy or digging out your car, or simply making a kicker, it'll be no fun when this guy breaks

Spend the extra money and get a metal shovel. Breaking a shovel while frantically digging to find your buddy would be a bad place to be. After a slide avalanche snow can be extremely compressed, so spend the extra ten or twenty to get a blade that won't break

This shovel’s blade is small. If you're using a pack with an external shovel blade carrying system, make sure the dimensions of your shovel's blade are compatible. In my case, I bought a Dakine Heli pack and an Ortovox Orange shovel but the shovel blade slops around in the external pocket even when it's strapped as tight as possible. It seems possible that the blade would come free in a violent fall or if it got hooked to something. Dakine, and other brands I am assuming, make their packs to fit Dakine brand shovels, or other shovels with similar dimensions.

I disagree with all these guys. I like this ortovox shovel. It's super light weight yet has decent extension. Metal blades are nice if you're shoveling out your car but they're heavy in your pack... and this fits perfectly in my 1200 cu in dakine pack (handle goes on the side, blade in the front pocket, badabing).

If looking for a shovel to throw in the car or just use here in there this isn't a bad choice. I wouldn't use it for my avie shovel though. The blade is a little small and it is pretty light weight. I Have a Black Diamond deploy and love it.