Ortovox Pro Alu III Shovel for Sale, Reviews, Deals and Guides

I have 3 avalanche shovels in my gear closet and this one goes out the most due to it finding the right balance between weight, size, and performance. I also carry the Pocket Spike to convert the shaft into a substantial self-arrest tool for Spring ski mountaineering tours. I am an Ortovox Ambassador and received this shovel to test and use.

Light weight, easy to assemble and take apart. Fits well in my Osprey pack.

This shovel has a larger blade which makes it super efficient at moving snow. You can keep this as a short shovel, extend the handle for a little more length, or convert it to a hoe for an even faster dig. There is a nice notch on the top of the handle to give you extra force when in hoe mode. It all packs up nicely enough. Solid shovel.

The larger blade is great for moving more snow, more quickly and the extending handle offers up more leverage which is a great thing when working with a larger blade. The handle is comfy enough, everything folds down nice and small, and the ability to use the shovel as a hoe is great for chopping through crustier snowpack. I am a fan.

This shovel has just what you want, nothing more, nothing less. It's a great size (big enough to move snow, small enough to keep my backpack happy), durable, and lightweight. I enjoy the quick-lock feature - I can have it out and ready to use in seconds. From avalanche courses, building winter camps, and digging out cars from the road, it's been my go-to winter tool for the backcountry.

Great little shovel. I upgraded from a BD shovel because I wanted 1). A bigger blade 2). A longer shaft Hey, I'm a girl! What can I say!??!? Ortovox Pro Alu III was the ticket. The blade is sturdy, sizable and sharp, it really chops through ice or harder snow because the blade is so sharp along the edge. (ON that note, be careful with stuff in your pack - my shovel has scratched stuff before). Shovel is super straightforward and easy to use. I like the shape of the handle and the width of the handle is good too. One reason I didn't like my old shovel was because the handle did feel too small, it was difficult to grip with gloves or mittens on, and this wide T-style grip is much more user-friendly. Like the length on this model. I've never had issues with the telescope feature failing or freezing up. This shovel also fits nicely in my Ortovox pack. I've used this for 2 winters now with no complaints. Added bonus, you can flip the shaft around to convert your shovel to 'HO' mode, which is really handy for digging pits and chopping action.

The Pro ALU III is most definitely my favorite shovel. Lightweight and strong, and the clearing function is the icing on the cake. I'm hoping to get my hands on an Ortovox Pocket Spike to turn the handle into an ice axe for not-so-technical ski ascents!

Over the years I've ended up with 4 avy shovels and this is by far my favorite! It's light enough to get packed every time, and can move snow. I've never had to dig anyone out, but we did use the entrenching function clearing snow for a snow-cave and I won't have another shovel without it.