Need Help Selecting A Couple High Quality Snow Shovels

[LuxLuthor]

Hmmm... I'm almost sold. Especially since Home Depot (in Canada) carries them, and I live within driving distance.
You are certain that this thing is faster than using a standard shovel? I'm a relatively young guy (25) and pretty strong, so I wasn't sure if the Wovel is only faster for people who aren't very athletic, or if it is faster for everyone.

Well I'm in reasonably good shape, and I start out with a normal snow shovel at a good pace, but inevitably arm and back fatigue develop in direct proportion to the depth and heaviness of the snow. I end up using muscles and twisting in ways that I'm not normally conditioned for.

I'm sure it is faster because you are pushing forward & scooping larger amounts and tossing whenever you wish. If you are young, have a small area, rarely get deeper snows, and don't get any muscle fatigue during your entire shoveling, then I wouldn't bother.

 

[LEDninja]

Here's something you might try:
The Wovel-World's First Wheeled Snow Shovel .It gets a little pricey if you start adding options,but it might be worth a look.(Starts at about $120 or so).I don't own one,sadly,but maybe it's something I can tempt my parents into getting for next winter.

When the local TV station demonstrated the Wovel they were contacted by the maker of the snolift
http://snolift.com/
Works similar to the Wovel.
There is a 2 wheel model which is more stable when pushing snow.
The thing is spring loaded so when you bounce the handle it actually throws the snow.
It is less money than the Wovel. Since the snowlift has to cross the border by the time you add customs brokerage charges it may not be cheaper.

 

[adirondackdestroyer]

When the local TV station demonstrated the Wovel they were contacted by the maker of the snolift
http://snolift.com/
Works similar to the Wovel.
There is a 2 wheel model which is more stable when pushing snow.
The thing is spring loaded so when you bounce the handle it actually throws the snow.
It is less money than the Wovel. Since the snowlift has to cross the border by the time you add customs brokerage charges it may not be cheaper.

That thing doesn't look very durable to say the least. It would snap like a twig in seconds if it were used in heavy snow.
The Wovel looks to be of much higher quality.

 

[Cydonia]

I'd buy one of those Wovel rip offs if they were for sale anywhere, but I would imagine making one yourself would be difficult.

I mean the Wovel rip off in the video posted above where the guy has merely attached a thick (doubled up would work) bungee cord to a standard cheap flat blade snow shovel. Then use a spare plastic "D" handle on the end of the bungee cord. It's a cheap DIY mod. Would take a bit of trial and error...

I'm intrigued about this concept and hope someone would try it out and see if it can work. Or was that video (and the various people testing out the shovel) all a BS fake?
But they were not selling anything... :thinking:

 

[LuxLuthor]

Yeah, I have to agree that their tubing looks rinky dink. Their scoop is small, so you are going to be flipping like a banchee. Their small wheels are likely to get stuck in snow ruts. The spring loaded thing in cold weather is one more thing that can break. It's not hard to have the wovel kick light snow that far, but it's not necessary.

One more thing I used since my last post was the optional wovel ice scraper blade. It works way better than my old ice scraper on a stick...again because you are pushing your momentum walking forward & using the wheel fulcrum, rather than using your arms to work the tool. I wish it was a little wider blade, but it is secure and solid feeling.

 

[adirondackdestroyer]

I mean the Wovel rip off in the video posted above where the guy has merely attached a thick (doubled up would work) bungee cord to a standard cheap flat blade snow shovel. Then use a spare plastic "D" handle on the end of the bungee cord. It's a cheap DIY mod. Would take a bit of trial and error...

I'm intrigued about this concept and hope someone would try it out and see if it can work. Or was that video (and the various people testing out the shovel) all a BS fake?
But they were not selling anything... :thinking:

That's what I was talking about too. That concept should work really well, but making one that is sturdy would be rather hard (at least for me). I'd buy one in a second though. I'm guessing that his video was a gag, because it didn't seem very professional or even serious for that matter.

Yeah, I have to agree that their tubing looks rinky dink. Their scoop is small, so you are going to be flipping like a banchee. Their small wheels are likely to get stuck in snow ruts. The spring loaded thing in cold weather is one more thing that can break. It's not hard to have the wovel kick light snow that far, but it's not necessary.

One more thing I used since my last post was the optional wovel ice scraper blade. It works way better than my old ice scraper on a stick...again because you are pushing your momentum walking forward & using the wheel fulcrum, rather than using your arms to work the tool. I wish it was a little wider blade, but it is secure and solid feeling.

I was going to buy one from HomeDepot in Canada, but it appears that they only sell them online and not in their B&M. I'm glad it's working out well for you, and it should begin to start selling better in the next few years I would guess.

 

[kaichu dento]

OK, I got my Wovel today. Took about 20 mins to bolt together, and I honestly didn't have that big of expectations. I did not shovel half of the driveway in the last week, and there was about 6-8" with some of it melt-crusted...most of it is heavier due to mid 30's and sunny today.

I felt as dorky as the guys in the video, hawking around this big wheeled contraption. Then I started using it.

I'm sold, and consider it worth the $$$ for several reasons.

1) It was at least 3 times as fast as using a manual snow shovel...in part because of needing to go at a slower/sensible pace, and resting muscles from all the lifting when using a typical snow shovel.

2) It is even faster than the gas powered snow blower, because that has to go at a moderate speed to avoid clogging, and doesn't do well with heavy/wet/icy snow.

3) Because you are pushing, you have the advantage of your forward walking momentum, so less strain/force exerted with arms. This allows you to scoop into hard/crusted snow amazingly well.

4) There is no strain on the back. For all those who have had back injuries, or strains, this is for you. It works on the fulcrum/wheelbarrow principle with the wheel carrying the weight, and you work it as a lever using the handles. You have enough leverage that it is extremely easy to push down with handles and have snow fly forward.

5) The hardest stuff to shovel is all the heavy piled up, sand/salt/sloshy snow from the city snow plows. This wovel scooped and tossed it away like child's play. I was really amazed.
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The only downside (besides the price) compared to a normal snow shovel is its larger and longer size. I got the folding handle model which releases with a single cotter pin, as does the wheel for easy removal, so doing that minimizes its storage footprint.

If I would have known about this before I bought my snow blower years ago, I would have gotten this instead.

Lux, do you think it would work on non-paved surfaces as well? Our driveway and parking area are pretty extensive, and all of it is bare dirt or grass in the summer.

 

[LuxLuthor]

I think all you need to do is lift the bottom edge a bit as you push. They do make a set of small wheels that can go under the blade for this purpose. There are some videos that show their features in use you can look at...in particular the one about accessories.

If you have a lot of dirt bumps like mole hills it will be more challenging, but you can control the bottom of the scoop angle easier with the handlebars as you push than a normal shovel. There are also handlebar adjustments and pin setting angles of the folding model that gives some variations.

 

[adirondackdestroyer]

I have to admit that I'm amazed that this thread received so much support. Thanks a lot guys! I ended up with the following shovels:

Garant Nordic 26" Pusher (model #NPP26KD)
Garant Nordic 18" Snow Shovel (model #NPW18KD)
Ames Artic Blast Bend Handle Shovel (model #1603072)

These were the best shovels I could find locally, and they seem to work well enough. I picked up the first one at a local hardware store, the second one was on clearance at Ward Lumber for $6.75, and the last one I picked up at Lowe's because I had a giftcard.
If anyone has any good (or bad) experiences with a specific shovel please post them. Even though I have enough shovels for the time being, I'm always in the market for something better. Very similar to how I am with flashlights, but not quite as obsessive. :thumbsup:

 

[LuxLuthor]

OK, now get your lazy butt out there and start doing the shoveling! LOL! I can hear my dad saying: "Son, that work won't get done by you sitting here thinking about how to do it."

 

[LuxLuthor]

I have to give one more shout of praise for this Wovel.

Last night we had about 4" of wet snow, then it sleeted and rained. Ended up with about 3" of very heavy slush, and about 8" of extremely heavy pile up at end of driveway from city snow removal trucks.

It was a very fast, effortless cleanup. No back strain. Now I'm truly amazed at how well it handles heavy loads like this.

 

[adirondackdestroyer]

I have to give one more shout of praise for this Wovel.

Last night we had about 4" of wet snow, then it sleeted and rained. Ended up with about 3" of very heavy slush, and about 8" of extremely heavy pile up at end of driveway from city snow removal trucks.

It was a very fast, effortless cleanup. No back strain. Now I'm truly amazed at how well it handles heavy loads like this.

Great! The Wovel could be one of the first gimmicky items that actually works as well as the manufacturer claims.

I stumbled on a great writeup on shovels, here it is:

http://www.outyourbackdoor.com/article.php?id=896

I've also noticed quite a few new shovels that look pretty nice. Here are some links:

http://www.ezplow.com/index2.html
http://www.cleaningsolutions4u.com/index.html
http://www.snoeasy.com/

Both the "EZ-Plow" and the "Sno-Easy" are as seen on TV items. I am reluctant to buy either one, because neither of them have any user reviews online. The second link is for an item called "The Snow Plow". It sells all over the place in MN, and gets positive comments from users. People outside MN have to order from their website.

 

[LuxLuthor]

The sno-easy looks like the bungie cord type we discussed earlier...but looks 'rinky-dink.' With its cheap price, may be worth trying. I'm not impressed with your other two links.

The SnowPusher Plus uses the forward dual handle momentum and would likely be my second choice, but there is a real advantage in being able to throw the snow, and have the weight leveraged with a large wheel like the wovel. I think this video shows it is a smaller blade, but it does demonstrate the kind of speed I was talking about with the Wovel which is similar. If you have a deep snow, and I can't see it working like the Wovel, nor for those really heavy, packed city snow plow "deposits" in front of your driveway.

 

[Sub_Umbra]

In my experience, most folks don't know the difference between a "snow shovel" and a "snow blade." In my decades of living in serious snow country I've found the 'blades' much more handy than the 'shovels' at least 80% of the time.

I'm not trying to be a jerk (like I had to try).

If you don't know the difference -- check it out. If you DO know the difference and you're really looking for the best shovel, you're in it deep and I don't have any advice. Good luck.

 

[adirondackdestroyer]

The sno-easy looks like the bungie cord type we discussed earlier...but looks 'rinky-dink.' With its cheap price, may be worth trying. I'm not impressed with your other two links.

The SnowPusher Plus uses the forward dual handle momentum and would likely be my second choice, but there is a real advantage in being able to throw the snow, and have the weight leveraged with a large wheel like the wovel. I think this video shows it is a smaller blade, but it does demonstrate the kind of speed I was talking about with the Wovel which is similar. If you have a deep snow, and I can't see it working like the Wovel, nor for those really heavy, packed city snow plow "deposits" in front of your driveway.

I agree. The Sno-Easy does look pretty cheap in terms of build quality. Another decent looking shovel is "The Man Plow". It is similar in design to the Garant 36" Pusher, but it has an edge that makes it easier to use.

In my experience, most folks don't know the difference between a "snow shovel" and a "snow blade." In my decades of living in serious snow country I've found the 'blades' much more handy than the 'shovels' at least 80% of the time.

I'm not trying to be a jerk (like I had to try).

If you don't know the difference -- check it out. If you DO know the difference and you're really looking for the best shovel, you're in it deep and I don't have any advice. Good luck.

I hate to sound like an idiot, but what exactly are you talking about? Are you simply talking about what kind of blade a shovel uses, or are you talking about the type of edge the shovel uses, OR are you talking about something different all together?
I live in serious snow country too (Upstate NY) and the majority of people have a truck with a plow, or own a snow blower.
Please explain what you are talking about with more detail.

 

[Sub_Umbra]

...I hate to sound like an idiot, but what exactly are you talking about? Are you simply talking about what kind of blade a shovel uses, or are you talking about the type of edge the shovel uses, OR are you talking about something different all together?
I live in serious snow country too (Upstate NY) and the majority of people have a truck with a plow, or own a snow blower.
Please explain what you are talking about with more detail.

OK. Snow blades are like snow shovels in that they are both for moving snow...and they often have wooden handles -- that's where most of the similarity ends.

With a shovel...one shovels. Most know what shoveling is -- you jam the shovel into somethung -- in this case, snow, and then you pick it up and throw it.

Snow blades are completely different. you never scoop snow with a blade. While it has a wooden handle, it has a blade which looks very much like what is on the front of a snow plow. It looks far more like a snow plow than any kind of shovel. It is used like a plow also. It is held against the concrete/pavement at an angle (like a snow plow) and it is pushed foreward (again like a snow plow) and the snow slides along it in a sideways motion and is thus pushed out of the way.

One does not dig with a blade.
One does not shovel (throw) snow with a blade.
It does have a handle, but all things with handles are not shovels.

If all else fails reread your Original Post on this thread:

...I'm most likely going to get a large pusher (24" blade or larger) and then a smaller scoop shovel, so that I can push all the snow to the sides and then scoop it up with the smaller shovel....

Emphasis mine.

 

[LuxLuthor]

I understood the concept of push blades vs. snow shovels. I have both. I've more been talking about overall effectiveness for the type of snow we get in CT....a lot of heavier, sometimes deeper snows.

The problem if you have much snow (especially heavy/wet snow) is the push blade gets harder and harder to use as you go to the next row that includes the side ejected snow plus fresh. The video of the Snow Pusher I linked in my last post is in 1-2" of snow in a long, narrow sidewalk where it can be cast aside into the grass. Fine tool for that application.

Hand push blade strategy doesn't work well for a larger driveway, or with larger, heavier snowfalls. The ending side wall pile-up of snow limits the blade's use once it gets higher than the blade.

The city snow plows and handyman pickup trucks use blades because they have the engine force, and only care about shoving it off to the side of streets, or to one side of a parking lot. Once snow reaches a certain pile-up limit, they have to bring in front loader scoops and truck it away.

 

[adirondackdestroyer]

OK. Snow blades are like snow shovels in that they are both for moving snow...and they often have wooden handles -- that's where most of the similarity ends.

With a shovel...one shovels. Most know what shoveling is -- you jam the shovel into somethung -- in this case, snow, and then you pick it up and throw it.

Snow blades are completely different. you never scoop snow with a blade. While it has a wooden handle, it has a blade which looks very much like what is on the front of a snow plow. It looks far more like a snow plow than any kind of shovel. It is used like a plow also. It is held against the concrete/pavement at an angle (like a snow plow) and it is pushed foreward (again like a snow plow) and the snow slides along it in a sideways motion and is thus pushed out of the way.

One does not dig with a blade.
One does not shovel (throw) snow with a blade.
It does have a handle, but all things with handles are not shovels.

If all else fails reread your Original Post on this thread:Emphasis mine.

Thanks for the detailed reply. I already use a pusher blade when I shovel. The only thing is, we get so much snow where I live, and it rarely ever melts. This makes it nearly impossible to simply slide all the snow to the side and leave it there, as this will cause you to have a 4-5ft mound of snow surrounding your driveway. I push all the snow to the sides, and then pick it up and put it deeper across my yard.

I understood the concept of push blades vs. snow shovels. I have both. I've more been talking about overall effectiveness for the type of snow we get in CT....a lot of heavier, sometimes deeper snows.

The problem if you have much snow (especially heavy/wet snow) is the push blade gets harder and harder to use as you go to the next row that includes the side ejected snow plus fresh. The video of the Snow Pusher I linked in my last post is in 1-2" of snow in a long, narrow sidewalk where it can be cast aside into the grass. Fine tool for that application.

Hand push blade strategy doesn't work well for a larger driveway, or with larger, heavier snowfalls. The ending side wall pile-up of snow limits the blade's use once it gets higher than the blade.

The city snow plows and handyman pickup trucks use blades because they have the engine force, and only care about shoving it off to the side of streets, or to one side of a parking lot. Once snow reaches a certain pile-up limit, they have to bring in front loader scoops and truck it away.

At some point the snow has to be picked up and moved. The extra wide pushers do have their place, as they work great in less than 3" of snow. But for heavy wet snowfalls the snow has to be picked up and moved.

 

[jzmtl]

I've found with small amount of snow a shovel can push as well as blade (push as in push to a destination, not simply push to the side), but once it exceeds 7 inch or so both will get stuck pusing snow off driveway. Luckily I live on a relative major street so all the snow on street are actually removed within 36 hours of snowing, so I can throw most of it outside and not worry about too much piling up over the winter.

 

[alaskawolf]

i just call them all shovels and use what ever i have available. most of the time i pay the neighborhood kids to shovel the snow for me

a heavy ice pic works good for ice