Overall: 5 stars for the probe, 4 stars for the shovel. Rounded up to 5 stars overall for the value of this bundle. Both are very usable in avalanche terrain but the shovel had a few drawbacks which I detail below.Usage: The cable on the probe is easy to use with gloves on and the probe deploys nicely. The probe auto-locks open and the markings are color marked every 50 cm for quick reference when probing. The probe is a 240 cm so it’s more for light snowpack or just be prepared to be hunched over a lot for probing. It does however pack down quite nicely and comes in a lightweight storage bag.The shovel is fairly long even when fully collapsed at a little over 26in. It does break down to make it easier to pack but that will add a little time in reassembling.My main concern with the shovel is that it locks in the closed position as well as the open position. I understand why they designed it this way so it won’t open on the outside of your pack, but this makes it frustrating to use. With my heavy mountaineering gloves on I struggle to depress the lock on both sides to open the shovel. With medium or light gloves it’s not a problem. In the cold I can see this being an issue with heavy gloves on and I’ll probably relegate this shovel to my car as an emergency snow shovel rather than for mountaineering use.Quality: Both the shovel and probe are aluminum and seem to be of pretty decent quality compared to other mountaineering tools I’ve used. The handle on the shovel is cheap plastic but it’s secured well with screws. The numbers on the probe are painted rather than etched so I’d worry about them rubbing off after multiple probes, but time will tell (and hopefully you’re only using the probe that much because you’re practicing with it). The numbers don’t chip as I scratch at them and the paint seems durable.Both are pretty lightweight for what they are and at a good price point. However, please don’t use these as the primary reason for purchase. The important thing to keep in mind when buying mountaineering equipment would be to buy something that you can operate easily and be comfortable with in an emergency.
