SKU: 423-D Voile Hoback D Avalanche Shovel

When looking for an avalanche shovel, the only question you should have is do I want the regular size or the mini size. I prefer the mini for ski touring and I prefer the regular size for camping trips and to keep in the back of the truck through the winter. There is no question that Voile's Hoback shovel is the best avalanche shovel on the market. Period.

Avy shovels need to tick a few boxes and this one does it all. It has a full sized shovel blade, ergonomic for efficient digging, and a flat blade for digging snow pits. Great tool to use as an avalanche professional.

The offset handle is both ergonomic and ingenious in supporting both shovel and hoe mode with a simple 180 degree rotation of the handle in the blade socket. A load balances well in the shovel and the hoe chops, scrapes, and pulls aggressively. Though the back of the shovel blade is flat, the socket protrudes about 1/4" beyond the plane of the blade. When trying to cut a pit wall smooth with the back of the blade, you get a little gouge from the handle socket. Not a huge deal, but something to tighten up in future iterations.

It's pretty widely recognized that Voile avalanche shovels are the best out there. My first was a gift, and more than 7 years later it's still one of my prized possessions. I've avoided the whole "hoe" mode craze, everybody wails about their shovel icing up and the transition being clunky. That is, until now! This beautt is easily the most impressive advance in backcountry safety gear in the last three years. I don't know that I'll use the hoe mode frequently, but damn if I haven't already used it to dig out my car! The ergonomics of this design are incredible. Five stars, and a hearty "bravo!" to Voile for making a superb product even better.