Black Diamond "Lynx" Backcountry Snow Shovels
Real World Review

by Louis Dawson

In the dark ages of the early 1970s, we'd build our own backcountry snow shovels out of grain scoops and aluminum sidewalk scrapers. The beefy ones weighed a ton, and would last a season till they broke. Our lightweight tools were strictly throw-aways for one-time use. Out of frustration, one avalanche consultant I knew carried a steel spade that weighed about eight pounds. His shovel never broke, but the sight of him tumbling down a slope, with the deadly implement flopping near his cranium, was worse than a slasher film.

With the dark ages behind us, shovels designed specifically for backcountry skiers and riders have been available for a while. Most are adequate for emergency use. All have their strengths and weaknesses. Some are shaped for optimum shoveling ergonomics, others are harder to use but pack easily. Most importantly, every shovel is a compromise between weight, durability and size.

Thus, for the committed winter backcountry enthusiast, one shovel may not be enough.

My shovel quiver always includes a standard "avalanche" shovel for hardcore mid-winter trips, and I've always got what I call a mini-shovel, a small cut-down lightweight job that's designed to stay out of sight and unnoticed. Add to that my steel weapon mounted in the back of our family SUV, and then consider the huge shovels we use at the huts.

You get the idea. Lots of shovels.

For strictly emergency use, I've always liked Lexan shovels such as those made by Life Link But plastic has its problems. It is more durable than most people think, but it lacks heat resistance. I like to use my shovel blade as a stove base, and in event of emergency bivouac I like the option of melting snow and heating water in the shovel over a fire. Aluminum is the only choice in such situations, so this winter I decided to go back to using aluminum shovels for most applications, especially for my standard avalanche safety shovel.

Black Diamond sells their own brand of affordable aluminum shovels, as well as those of Ascension Enterprises, a company which they acquired some time ago. For this review I'll cover the Black Diamond side. Basically, the BD shovels are available with three blades, and a number of interchangeable shaft options: collapsible, non-collapsible, D-handle, T-handle. The collapsible shaft is large in diameter. It's strong and feels good in large hands.

The D9 blade is the largest BD shovel, and is designed for the on-snow pro or expedition member who shovels every day. The Bobcat is the next down the line in size and weight ( 1 lb. 11 oz. with non-telescope shaft. Black Diamond's lightest weight shovel is the Lynx (1 lb. 7 oz. with non-telescope shaft).

I chose the Lynx for testing, and the dedicated employee-owners of BD had my samples to me immediately. I guess they didn't know what kind of abuse I had in mind.

Looking at the Black Diamond Lynx, you know it'll last long enough to dig your buddy out of an avalanche. Yet the eternal question: How much torture can this thing actually stand? I had to see how far it would go.

First test: hand shovels to two 10-year-old boys, with instructions to keep sidewalks clear. Two weeks later the results are in: While the aluminum is worn from the concrete, the Lynx stood up to prying ice cakes off the walk, with plentiful horseplay to double the wear.

Next, adult abuse. Out came Rumble Bee, our 1947 Jeep, and over the Lynx we did roll. The bladebent, but it didn't break, and after stomping the shovel back to shape it continued to perform.

Conclusion: The aluminum used in the Black Diamond Lynx is good: just hard enough to hold up, but soft enough to roll with the punches, rather than snapping or cracking. The shaft was particularly strong, probably due in part to a larger diameter than some other brands. 
 
 

If you're wondering, we did use the Lynx shovel in the backcountry. It packs fine, though we'd prefer a few more and larger lashing holes for weird situations. (Have electric drill -- will travel.) The shape moves snow, and as we found above, it holds up. The choice in shafts was a dilemma for some of us. My thoughts: The collapsible shaft is good if you plan on using the shovel often. Otherwise the fixed length shaft works fine, though I'd prefer it to be a few inches shorter. In all, any breed of the Lynx is a good choice.

[click here for the mini shovel modification how-to]