"Light" no longer means "plastic". In the never-ending quest to save precious ounces pack a shovel that's strong enough to save a precious life. Our oval shaft and 6061-series aluminum blade give BCA shovels the greatest strength-to-weight ratio in the backcountry--especially when used in conjunction with our integrated Companion Probe. Why Aluminum? Most avalanche professionals agree that aluminum shovels are far superior to plastic shovels for avalanche rescue because aluminum cuts better, digs faster and is less likely to break. What's your partner carrying? Specs: Featuring BCA's innovative Education Graphics Super flat back for clean snowpit columns Optimal proportions for shovel shear and compression tests Super-strong oval shaft with D-grip Fixed-length or extendable 6061-series aluminum blade with oval ferrule Reversible offset grip Optional stowable probe: 6ft/1.8m, 5oz/141g Fixed length: 30in/71cm Extended length: 40.5in/103cm Fixed-length weight: 22oz/624g Extendable weight: 26oz/731g