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Backcountry Access RS Extendable Shovel

$69.95

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    $69.95

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6 Reviews

Trim the fat.

With the Backcountry Access RS Extendable Shovel, weight-conscious skiers and snowboarders no longer have to sacrifice functionality to have a lightweight setup. The heat-treated aluminum construction ensures a superior strength-to-weight ratio, so you can have the time-saving functionality of an extendable shovel without adding a ton of extra weight to your pack.

  • A light and compact extendable shovel for backcountry touring
  • Heat-treated construction increases strength
  • Ergonomic grip is comfortable while digging
  • Easy conversion to hoe mode for digging out snowmobiles
  • Holes in blade allow shovel to be used as a snow anchor
  • Item #BCA000U
Learn more

Blade
heat-treated 6061 T6 aluminum
Handle
ergonomic
Assembled Length
25 in
Blade Dimensions
9 x 11 in
Packed Dimensions
11 in
Claimed Weight
1.6 lbs
Recommended Use
backcountry touring
Manufacturer Warranty
1 year
Learn more

Tech Specs

What do you think about this product?

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Best shovel ever

Familiarity:
I've put it through the wringer
Fit:
True to size
Size Bought
m
Height
5` 9"
Weight
165 lbs

I work as a ski guide, avalanche educator, and ski patroller for much of the winter. This shovel is always with me. I have used it for several seasons now. It's held up great, giving me no reason to switch. There are a few key aspects of this shovel that have made it my favorite. 1) The shovel can be used for normal digging or in hoe mode. Utilizing hoe mode is so much faster than traditional digging! This is true for excavating a snow pit for stability tests as well as in a rescue. 2) The flat blade makes cleaning up snow pit walls super easy. 3) There is no "neck" on the blade. In addition to increasing strength, it also makes it much easier to fit in a backpack. 4) I have the RS Plus version of this shovel. It came with a little sleeve of nuts and bottles, giving it the ability to turn the shovel into a rescue sled. I'm always carrying shovel. Might as well be able to turn into a rescue sled. 5) The shaft is a rectangle. This makes it super easy and fast to assemble. My experience is shovel with a round shaft can sometimes be a pain to line up with the blade to assemble. I've loved this shovel so much, I have purchased three others as gifts for co-workers. Once you try this shovel, you will never go back.

I

This shovel gets it done!

Familiarity:
I've put it through the wringer

During an Avy Rescue course one of our tasks was to have our skis, packs and pole straps on. Then at the word GO take them off, assemble our probe and shovel and dig a pit large enough to lay down in with our gear and get skied over by our guide. With the BCA RS EXT shovel in hoe mode it crushed. It is quick and easy to assemble and the amount of snow that can be excavated in a short amount of time is impressive. Much more efficient than a regular style shovel which this one can transform into both styles. It fits easy into my Float17 pack. It's always with me for backcountry days on skis or my sled. Digging pits, jumps, snow caves, sleds out, on a rescue scenario or the real deal, make it easier and faster with this one.

Really like this shovel

Familiarity:
I've used it several times

Lightweight and sturdy, it fits in my backpack no problem and putting it together is fast and simple. It feels strong enough so that moving snow is really easy and less taxing on my arms! Having the hoe option is awesome if you go snowmobiling a lot!

Moves snow like a champ!

Familiarity:
I've put it through the wringer

I really put in the effort to find a lightweight and flat design that combined a hoe option, it doesn't bulk out of my shovel like a previous shovel I had in the past. I found it in this shovel and the shaft design makes it quick and easy to assemble, much better than a round tube design of most other shovels. Which takes a bit more time to find the holes with attaching the shovel blade to the shaft, if that makes sense, this could be the seconds and time you need to save someone. Easily attaches together and the hoe mode makes for moving snow very easily. I have used this mostly for digging pits and some practice on beacon hunting. I have used this on just about all snow conditions, it is very strong/rigid and so far it has been durable. I know the pictures do not show the shovel in hoe mode, so I shared one. If you have questions about this or any avy gear you need, reach out anytime.

Near perfect!

Familiarity:
I've used it once or twice and have initial impressions

I'm particular about my gear, and this shovel had the kind of things that added up to a winning combination. Flatter shovel profile so that it sits comfortably in your bag, extendable T handle for a quick reliable grip, and the hoe feature. The ONLY thing that results in a half star deduction is that the handle and shovel are connected it wobbles a little bit, it's not a secure / firm connection which makes me a bit weary, but hasn't affected performance and this is just me being a detail devil. Other shovels do this as well.

better than my k2

Familiarity:
I've used it several times

I had a k2 avy shovel that had a short non adjustable handle and it was hard to shovel with when building kickers in the backcountry. with this shovel it compacts to fit nicely on my backpack but the handle extends to make shoveling easier.