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Ortovox Orange Avalanche Shovel
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Ortovox Orange Avalanche Shovel
The Ortovox Orange Shovel is an affordable, lightweight shovel with some killer high-end features. The telescoping handle is super versatile for fast packing and shoveling, and the transparent orange T-shaped grip and torsion-free shovel blade are made from strong plastic (and look really cool, too!).
Bottom Line: Dude, it's Orange! Orange could save your life!
Talk shop with all the gear freaks out there: ask 'em questions, upload/browse photos, and give your 2¢.
POS
By: Brian Muller
December 3, 2009
Don't purchase. Breaks immediately. My buddy had this on our level 2 avalanche course and got laughed at by the size, strength, and its ability to do anything. Couldn't function or keep up. Shoveling takes the most time out of any avalanche scenario and why have a shovel that is the most likely to break. Get a metal shovel
Is Lexan a better material to tour with than aluminum based on
Is Lexan a better material to tour with than aluminum based on weight to strenght ratio?
By: Bob
January 7, 2010
Aluminum is definitely the way to go. I would never use a plastic shovel, and neither would most ski patrollers. Despite however hard or durable a manufacturer may claim a plastic shovel blade is, and no matter how good there warranty is, plastic can crack and break, and aluminum won't. Although engineering and technology has made plastic shovels more durable, they're still not as durable as aluminum. When I took my avy class last year, I remember one of the instructors saying this, "A manufacturers warranty and free replacement won't do me any good when I'm trying to dig out a buried victim and the blade breaks." Those words really stuck with me. The fact of the matter is that is totally true. The extra 15 bucks is definitely worth the peace of mind of knowing you have good, solid, durable gear that will perform when needed.
I've never seen a patroller use a plastic blade shovel. That says something about their durability and trustworthiness. Bottom line is when dealing with avalanche safety, you want to do everything to give you (and your buddies) the best chance of survival. With regards to shovels, that means an aluminum blade.
Bottom line is that aluminum blades are stronger, will last longer and are pretty light in weight. And however much heavier they may be than a plastic shovel, the weight is going to be unnoticeable in your pack, and you won't have to worry about the blade breaking. Aluminum is definitely stronger than plastic and worth the few extra bucks.
By: Matthew Tabrys
January 8, 2010
No, I do not think so. A beefy aluminum shovel is always better for digging in avalanche debris. Lexan shovels deflect and have a difficult time punching through hard debris.
By: Evan Stevens
January 7, 2010
you get what you pay for
By: Shedd
October 21, 2008
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
Doesn't Break
By: fal2874741
January 3, 2010
this shovel doesn't break... it just bounces off hard pack snow. Would be great if the your digging through blower pow, but not for an avalanche.
does this shovel fold up small enough to fit into a backpack
does this shovel fold up small enough to fit into a backpack
By: vince
November 5, 2009
Yeah of course, that's what it is designed for.
By: Shane O'Donnell
November 6, 2009
Metal, not plastic
By: Seldom Scene
March 18, 2009
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
works fine
By: jibtheworl2326704
December 23, 2009
haven't broken it yet, does its job, and is small enough for my pack
Ortovox Orange shovel
By: stbham
October 24, 2005
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.
Easy to spot in the snow
By: Helloshark
March 23, 2009
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....
shovel
By: JOHN GILCHRIST
December 12, 2006
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.
light weight, gets the job done
By: Jim Holland
February 17, 2009
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).
Change me.
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