Most collapsible backcountry shovels just dig and scoop. K2's Rescue Shovel Plus has you more than covered there. The twin points on the blade give it more bite—and increase its structural integrity—when you're, say, furiously chopping through concrete-hard avalanche debris and your buddy's crappy old plastic shovel is buckling. You can also affix the blade to the uniquely shaped grip, which essentially turns the shovel into a hoe, allowing you to quickly scoop out an igloo or build a backcountry kitchen. But, true to its name, it serves another, totally unique function. Because it has the necessary nuts and bolts stashed in its hollow handle, and the blade and shaft have been pre-drilled in the right places, it can also be used to construct a rescue sled. The instructions are in with the pouch of hardware; all you need are a few ski straps, ten yards of cordelette, and skis with holes in the tip and tail (like all of K2's and Völkl's backcountry skis). We hope you never have to assemble it, but it's nice to know that, in a pinch, you've got options.
Photographer: Inga Hendrickson
