First Look: Pure Peak Carbon Avalanche Shovel

The Pure Peak carbon avalanche shovel. 300g, UIAA Certified.

The eye candy that is carbon fiber meets a test of function in the Pure Peak Carbon Avalanche Shovel.

A few years ago, I was in Chamonix with a French friend, packing his bags for a trip to ski Mount Logan. Among his gear piles, I spotted a full carbon avalanche shovel from Elite Climb; I chuckled and made some joke amounting to “Why bother?” He didn’t get the joke (language barrier) and dove into a dramatic story of a Himalayan bivvy made possible by this exact shovel–serious business indeed.

I think most of the modern ski world is on a similar page to the one I was on about non-metal shovels for avalanche rescue. Some time ago, we decided that plastic shovels were a bad idea, and then in the past few years, we have decided that a UIAA testing protocol and subsequent certification are worthwhile. The UIAA standards haven’t drastically changed the way we look at shovels, especially on the heavier/more robust end of the spectrum. Meanwhile, it has instilled confidence in shovels on the lighter end of the spectrum, like the BD Transfer LT, which many of us have had good luck with for a few years. Given these standards and the broader social pressure to have a big robust shovel and extra long probe, otherwise, you don’t care about your partners, carbon shovels haven’t been on the table outside of big alpine climbs or perhaps skimo racing (though some races like the PDG have adopted the UIAA 156 standard).

UIAA Certified. Similar to the BD Transfer LT, the Pure Peak shaft only locks in the open position, which I feel is a great feature to prevent icing and speed up deployment.

I’m already the subject of critique from my more traditional partners—” Why does your shovel blade have so many holes in it?” “That carbon probe is a toy,” etc.… Most of them have faith, at the end of the day, that I am thoughtful in choosing my gear and am well versed in actually using it. What will they say when I show up with an all-carbon shovel? How about when I reassure them that it is UIAA-certified? Skepticism is certainly warranted here; our avalanche shovels walk a fine line between critical life-saving equipment in the case of burial while being subjected to pretty light-duty work digging pits or skintrack corners 99% of the time (hopefully 100%).

While the stated surface area is a touch smaller, the Pure Peak is as wide as the BD Transfer LT and BCA Dozer 1T, the surface area difference comes from the blade being a few cms shorter.

In avalanche rescue courses, we learn to dig by cutting and excavating blocks or chunks of debris. This is a hard skill to practice, as oftentimes, avalanche debris is harder and denser than we can easily recreate. Digging in plowed-up snow banks is a good substitute for real debris. We learn not to pry with our shovels and not to stomp on the blade, either. Like many lightweight/ultralight pieces of gear, it works well with good technique. I suspect that the Pure Peak is not especially friendly to prying and stomping, in the same way that a carbon probe isn’t friendly to sloppy technique or bending and flexing. 

A glimpse and the molded in steel edge. The steel continues a few cm back into the blade and adds some meaningful cutting power as well as durability (I imagine)

I’m not totally sure yet if/where this shovel fits into my avalanche rescue kit. I’m excited to get it out and dig in some snow banks and avalanche debris, as well as some day-to-day usage in skin tracks and study pits, to see how it holds up and what quirks might present themselves. I’m trying to have an open mind. I love the idea of shaving 100g off my current shovel but also fret about the perception or reality that I could be carrying a compromised tool that would put my partners at risk.

Weight: 299g [verified]