snowboarding








An avalanche shovel is part of the non-negotiable three — beacon, probe, shovel. Finding a burial with a beacon and probing the exact location are only useful if you can then excavate quickly enough to matter. A quality avalanche shovel moves snow efficiently under pressure, in cold, in gloves, when you are exhausted and working against time.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Avalanche shovels are not garden tools. The blade geometry, shaft length and handle design all exist to move the maximum amount of compacted avalanche debris as quickly as possible.
Look for a large blade, an ergonomic D or T handle you can grip in gloves, a telescoping shaft, and enough blade rigidity to cut through compacted debris.
A shovel is part of the non negotiable three: beacon, probe, shovel. Finding a burial with a beacon and probing the exact location are only useful if you can then excavate quickly enough to matter.
BCA, Black Diamond and Mammut all make dedicated avalanche shovels tested and refined for exactly this use.











