SnowClaw Aluminum Pro-Series

Initial Report

Report Date: April 16, 2004

Reviewer Information

Name: Edward Ripley-Duggan
Age: 50
Gender: Male
Height: 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight: 215 pounds (98 kg)
E-mail: erd@wilsey.net
Location: Catskills, New York State
Reviewer Background: See end of report

Product information

URL: http://www.snowclaw.com/
MSRP: $29.99
Listed weight (website): 11.8 oz (335 g)
Tested weight: 11.5 oz (326 g)

Preliminary Information: The SnowClaw shovel arrived via UPS on April 12, 2004. It was loose in a cardboard box, but adequately packaged. There was no product literature or hang-tag. The condition was first-rate—the item appeared to be carefully manufactured.

Description of product: The Snow claw is shield-shaped, 12 in (30 cm) at its longest vertical dimension and 10.5 in (27 cm) at its widest point (the lower section of the handles). It is constructed from a curved sheet of aluminum, painted bright yellow, with the SnowClaw graphic and logo in black at the center. On either side is an ellipsoidal cutout, roughly 4.5 in long (11 cm) by 1.5 in (4 cm) wide: these holes serve as the handles. Mounted over these cutouts are black plastic grips, which enables a secure and comfortable grasp of the implement. The handles are sufficiently large for my hands when clad in the heaviest glove I own. Embossed on the grips is the SnowClaw website address, a patent advisory and the sensible (if hardly arcane) information "Always wear gloves when digging." In addition, there are two pairs of slots for straps at the periphery of the shovel, enabling it to be mounted (how easily remains to be seen) to a pack.

The shovel has a beveled cutting edge (not extremely sharp, but more than adequate for snow) at top and bottom. The top edge is more sharply curved, and I expect this to be the most functional surface for trench-cutting in hardpack, for example, as the force applied is concentrated on a smaller area. The lower edge is only slightly curved and appears suitable for quickly clearing powder snow, e.g. in the preparation of a camping platform. Above both working edges is a raised portion of metal of roughly rams-horn shape. It is unclear to me if this is a stylistic or functional element; it appears to be absent from the plastic version of the shovel as shown on the website, but may represent a refinement of the design, enabling the shovel to better retain its contents. This must be tested. There is minimal flex in the metal, which appears to be approximately 1/16 in (2 mm) thick. This is a sturdy artifact.

Future testing

For the field and long-term reports, I shall be examining the following issues.

• The SnowClaw has no extended handle. How much back strain does digging cause? Can one scoop and throw the snow high on a pile for building a structure?
  
• How well does the tool handle hardpack? Fine powder?
  
• How quickly can snow be moved? Is using the SnowClaw more effort than a conventional shovel?
  
• How easily can it be packed or strapped to a pack? Will it get in the way of my attachment points for crampons, snowshoes, etc?
  
• I don't like to carry snow anchors when camping, usually using snowshoes, crampons, hiking poles or anything else handy. How well does the SnowClaw function in this role as depicted on the website?
  
• Does it make a successful base for a stove when cooking? A decent seat, instead of pulling out my scrap of Ensolite? A sled for chutes rather than doing the venerable "butt glissade?" What other functions can this tool be made to fulfill?
  
• Is the tool indeed sound and durable?
  
• If I did have to dig through hard snow in the wake of an avalanche, is this sufficient to move a lot in a short period? How does it compare with a regular shovel in this regard? Better or worse?
  

Reviewer biography

I hike regularly year-round in the Catskills, with occasional excursions to the Adirondacks and elsewhere. A hiker since my teens, I was born and grew up in rural Hertfordshire in England, moving to the US at age 19. Given the harsh winters of the region where I make my home (and the need to keep active or perish of boredom) I make frequent ascents of local peaks on snowshoes and crampons, with an occasional foray on cross-country skis. Nothing could be further removed from the landscape of my childhood.

I enjoy walking in all its manifold forms, from a simple stroll in the woods to multi-day backpack excursions. I through-hiked the Northville-Placid trail over ten days on 2003. Though by no means an extreme ultralight enthusiast, from spring to fall my preference is to carry a packweight of 12 pounds (5.5 kg), more or less. In recent years, I've rapidly moved to a philosophy of "lighter is better," within the constraints of budget and common sense.