“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. The BCA oval shaft and 6000-series aluminum blade give BCA shovels the greatest strength-to-weight ratio in the backcountry. 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?