plastic shovels

Anyone know where I could find a study on the use of plastic vs. metal shovels? I need help settling a debate....

Try search function on TGR( Teton Gravity Research). Don't know if one exists regarding shovels but they talk about everything ski related there.

My 2cents. I ALWAYS want my ski partner to have the strongest shovel money can buy so they can dig my sorry ass out of trouble. Plastic shovels are for the sand pit IMVHO.
2-3 mins to find me then 10-15 mins hard digging;broken shovel or too hard digging for a plastic and I'm dead.Save weight in places other than life saving equipment.
;

I would only use a metal shovel. Here is a link for you. www.telemarktips.com/TeleNews69.html

Thanks for the link-it will be helpful in convincing a skeptical partner that his shovel is a piece of crap! In the meantime, I'll trade shovels with him at the trailhead.

The easiest thing is to find a nice, icy snowbank or some avy debris and challenge them to a digging contest (say, whoever moves more snow in 5 minutes gets a free dinner and beers). Plastic shovels bounce off, bend, and/or break. Even stout Al shovels (Alpine Pro, etc) have a "non-trivial" time busting through hard stuff.

Many years ago when I got serious about back country skiing, my best friend, Jon, bought me a lot of good quality equipment such as metal shovels for Christmas presents. At first I thought that he was just a generous good friend until I realized that he was just looking after #1.