dkemp Posted February 25, 2002 Share Posted February 25, 2002 So, Outdoor and More has Lifelink shovels - one has the polycarbonate blade and is $35. the other has a 'composite' blade and is on sale at $35. I've been looking for a LifeLink website to explain the difference but cannot find one. Any ideas on this? Why one or the other? Perhaps the composite is stonger but heavier?-Dox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winter Posted February 25, 2002 Share Posted February 25, 2002 Yep. I just got a lifelink shovel. I forget which is which. I think the polycarbonate is the transparent blade, which is lighter and more flexible, making it worse in hard snow conditions. The composite is a stronger blade and just a bit heavier. I could have those reversed, but the see-through blade is weaker and lighter. I think the weight difference was 6-7 ounces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gregm Posted February 25, 2002 Share Posted February 25, 2002 if you are going to dig somebody out of an avalanche in the PNW you want an aluminum blade i think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hikerwa Posted February 25, 2002 Share Posted February 25, 2002 Aluminium is the way to go, and even then I've seen many crumple on our wonderful cement-like snow. At least with Aluminium you can always bend it back into shape, plastic breaks - gone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkemp Posted February 25, 2002 Author Share Posted February 25, 2002 Acknowledged - and usually I have at least one aluminum blade in the party. I'm planning on carrying this thing on a 20 mile approach and would like to shave a little weight - thus the question. Since my earlier post I found a site that sells Lifelink products with some descriptions. Yeah, it appears the composite is stronger but weighs a little more and (usually) costs a little more.-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jman Posted February 26, 2002 Share Posted February 26, 2002 Life-Link does offer a lifetime warranty on their blades - if one ever does break, they'll replace it for free. But not much of a consolation if a buddy dies because you couldn't dig 'em out in time due to a cheap shovel, eh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedi Posted February 26, 2002 Share Posted February 26, 2002 If the one guy in the team or party has the shovel and gets buried, whatda suppose to do? Does everyone on the the team carry a shovel? Just wondering because I usually see one person carrying a shovel and the rest do not have one. SO in a party of 2, it is a 50/50 chance you will loose the shovel and/or person in an avalanche. Jedi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fern Posted February 26, 2002 Share Posted February 26, 2002 if you and I go on a trip and you forget your shovel then you get to carry mine (: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpine_Tom Posted February 27, 2002 Share Posted February 27, 2002 In Extreme Alpinism, Twight recommends a shovel that connects to the shaft of an ice axe, but doesn't mention any brands. Anyone know what he's talking about? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imorris Posted February 27, 2002 Share Posted February 27, 2002 From what I recall Life-Link used to only lifetime warranty their "plastic" blades - not their aluminum ones, specifically to address the myth that aluminum is somehow stronger than the plastics. Any of those shovels will bend or snap if you put a prying action on work-hardened snow (i.e. av. debris). The aluminum shaft of many plastic shovels has failed before the blade does. Plastics should be fine. Just chop and dig rather than pry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lambone Posted February 27, 2002 Share Posted February 27, 2002 BD used to make one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted February 27, 2002 Share Posted February 27, 2002 get a snow saw and cut your way to the buried victim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bronco Posted February 27, 2002 Share Posted February 27, 2002 quote: Originally posted by Alpine Tom: In Extreme Alpinism, Twight recommends a shovel that connects to the shaft of an ice axe, but doesn't mention any brands.Anyone know what he's talking about? Tom I have been looking for one of these as well and even considered trying to rig my current set up to work like this with no success. So, if you find one let me know and I'll do the same. I tried Pro Mountain Sports and never got a call back which means they may not be available through conventioinal means anymore. I guess I'll never be as EXTREME as Mr. Twight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted February 27, 2002 Share Posted February 27, 2002 quote: Originally posted by Bronco: Tom I have been looking for one of these as well and even considered trying to rig my current set up to work like this with no success. So, if you find one let me know and I'll do the same. I tried Pro Mountain Sports and never got a call back which means they may not be available through conventioinal means anymore. I guess I'll never be as EXTREME as Mr. Twight. Cant you do this with a deadman and some ingenuity? [ 02-26-2002: Message edited by: Dru ] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imorris Posted February 27, 2002 Share Posted February 27, 2002 ...and carry all that extra metal around? Twight insists using the 1/3rd of a whisperlite you're carrying to dig out your buddy. Or use the 1.024 oz of white gas to melt 'em to safety. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nobody Posted February 27, 2002 Share Posted February 27, 2002 I actually cracked a plastic or Lexan blade before, not by prying it either. I am convinced that the aluminum is stronger when used to cut or slice. However, it is true that either can and will break, especially when using it to pry. I know that BD used to make one that fit a standard ice ax handle...but I haven't seen one in some time. DRU: I actually saw someone do an improvised shovel once with a deadman/fluke...it can be done but it really seemed more of a last resort and took some time to set up. For the life of me I cannot remember where I saw this, or how they actually rigged the system up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted February 27, 2002 Share Posted February 27, 2002 remember, with an aluminum blade, you dont have to carry a separate stove stand either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bronco Posted February 27, 2002 Share Posted February 27, 2002 quote: Originally posted by Dru: Cant you do this with a deadman and some ingenuity? [ 02-26-2002: Message edited by: Dru ] why? are they trying to get rid of all those poor people's corpses they discovered at the "crematorium" in Georgia? Thanks anyway, but, I'm not very clever in the first place and I dont think a person's body would work in this case Dru. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted February 27, 2002 Share Posted February 27, 2002 quote: Originally posted by Bronco: why? are they trying to get rid of all those poor people's corpses they discovered at the "crematorium" in Georgia? Thanks anyway, but, I'm not very clever in the first place and I dont think a person's body would work in this case Dru. at least you would have emergency bivy rations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jman Posted February 28, 2002 Share Posted February 28, 2002 quote: Originally posted by fern: if you and I go on a trip and you forget your shovel then you get to carry mine (: My sentiments exactly. If the situation warrants carrying a shovel, then everyone should have one.(And I ain't carryin' no shovel for my *own* sake). I've never had any problem with my lexan blade, even in hard snow... but then again I've never had to dig anyone out of avalanche debris either. As was stated before, I chop but never pry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted February 28, 2002 Share Posted February 28, 2002 quote: Originally posted by fern: if you and I go on a trip and you forget your shovel then you get to carry mine (: does that apply to beer too? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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