Need Help Selecting A Couple High Quality Snow Shovels

adirondackdestroyer

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Oct 31, 2005
Messages
2,018
I live in Upstate NY (around 10 miles from the Canadian border) and we get a lot of snow! I've done quite a bit of research on this, but I'd like to know what other CPFers use to clean your driveway or whatever. Getting a snow blower is not an option, so if you are lucky enough to have one, keep it to yourself! :crackup:

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. Here are some of the better ones that I've found:

Garant Grizzly 26" Heavy Duty Pusher
Garant Alpine 30" Pusher
Garant Grizzly 18" Mountain Mover
Garant Grizzly All Purpose Poly Shovel

Any help is greatly appreciated by both me and my aching back! :thumbsup:
 

allthumbs

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Nov 21, 2006
Messages
96
Can`t help you with the snow pusher, but the best thing I ever did was buy a snow shovel with the bent handle. They have names like back saver, Ergo master etc. It really makes a difference on your back.
 

LukeA

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jun 3, 2007
Messages
4,399
Location
near Pittsburgh
The bent handle ones are great for throwing, but watch out using specific ones for pushing. I have a True Temper bent handle (I paid less than half that for it) that you can't push with at all because the snow just slides up over the back of the blade. But it's great for throwing snow over the 4-foot walls on either side of the driveway. The other bent handle I have doesn't have that problem, but it has a plastic blade that the retaining screws keep stripping. Overall I think the True Temper is better.

As far as pushers, the D-handles are nice but I prefer aluminum blades. If you ask me, this is about the ideal pusher. I have one with that same blade (but no D-handle) and it's still going strong after over a decade with no bending or cracking of the blade.
 
Last edited:

eluminator

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 7, 2002
Messages
1,750
Location
New Jersey
I live in Upstate NY (around 10 miles from the Canadian border) and we get a lot of snow!
You can blame Canada if you want to (I do :)) but I'll bet you are on the leeward side of lake Ontario. That's the culprit. Drain the lake and your troubles are over. :) Well the snow troubles are over, but I suppose the lake moderates the air temperature somewhat.

My ideal shovel would be light in weight and strong. And something the snow won't stick to, if there is such a thing. Maybe a variety of shovels to match snow conditions would be a good idea.
 

jayflash

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Oct 4, 2003
Messages
3,909
Location
Two Rivers, Wisconsin
During 45 years of shoveling, I still prefer the regular steel snow shovel. Steel is heavier, but it's stiff and allows you to get under hard packed snow and scrape down to the pavement. Pushers can be handy sometimes, but I don't use one often.

It probably depends on a persons shoveling technique when it comes to what is best.

Aluminum shovels with a steel blade are OK if very well made, but they usually seem to bend and twist when used hard. I haven't had any luck with plastic shovels, however, YMMV.
 

TOOCOOL

Enlightened
Joined
Jan 6, 2007
Messages
780
Location
Westchester NY
Can't help with the choice but if you use a thrower give it a spray of WD40 or even furniture polish before you start so that all the snow comes off the shovel :)
 

Cydonia

Enlightened
Joined
Dec 8, 2006
Messages
958
Location
Vancouver BC
Depends on the type of snow. Fresh dry powder is best pushed away in narrow "passes" with a wide (36inch+) heavy pusher. Go slow and easy, "peeling" 6 inches width off the snow mass at a time. Like with a lawnmower in tall grass. Don't let the snow build up too deep - if possible I'm out there clearing before it gets more than 2 inches deep.

If you wake up and you have over a foot... then the same principle still works. Slow methodical and logical "mowing" the snow with a wide pusher.
A lot of walking back and forward the width of the driveway as you slowly "peel" away 6 inches at a time and push it to one side then the other with each "pass". With the right wide "bar" pusher handle it is just like mowing the lawn and can be as easy.

Pushers are good if you happen to be home while the snow is falling.
Clear the snow while it is a few inches deep. Not allowing it tp accumulate is nice if possible. Now I know a lot of the time it snows overnight and you have a foot or more to deal with.

And yes, a square steel shovel for flaking up ice sheets.

In the Vancouver area we have had somewhere around 75cm or 2 1/2 feet since early December.
 

Cydonia

Enlightened
Joined
Dec 8, 2006
Messages
958
Location
Vancouver BC
That Wovel thing looks interesting. Funny videos they have showing how easy it works. :ironic:

"And with 72,000 annual emergency room visits annually in the US attributable to shoveling with snow shovels and snow blowers, the Sno Wovel has earned its reputation as the World's Safest Snow Shovel!"

:eek:
 

mechBgon

Enlightened
Joined
Nov 3, 2007
Messages
567
We had record-shattering snowfall this year, including about 19.5 inches / 50cm in one 24-hour period. Storm after storm after storm. Snow shovels were hard to find in local stores. I ordered this one (fiberglass handle, large aluminum scoop) via Amazon.com, but am still waiting for it. I like aluminum blades for general snow shoveling, and steel for really heavy chopping and prying.
 
Last edited:

mechBgon

Enlightened
Joined
Nov 3, 2007
Messages
567
Do they make one with a light mount? :D

LOL, well how about a TwoFish BikeBlock :thumbsup:

DBS_on_helmet.jpg


I stuck a flashlight on my dad's little 5HP snowblower using the TwoFish Cyclopblock (typically used to mount flashlights on bicycle handlebars). It gives a new meaning to the term thrower flashlight :)
 

McGizmo

Flashaholic
Joined
May 1, 2002
Messages
17,290
Location
Maui
Do they make one with a light mount? :D

Well my snow shovel is titanium and I do have a light mount on it:

Ti-Mule-Shovel.jpg


And my snow shovel has never seen snow and I have no idea if it is any good with snow. It works great with beach sand though. :eek:
 

Stereodude

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Dec 19, 2006
Messages
1,654
Location
US of A
Had a steel snow shovel for over 20 years. They are the only way I would go.
Lies... Plastic pushers rock! They don't last forever, but I'm not wasting half my effort moving around a shovel that weighs as much as the snow I'm shoveling with it.
 

tiktok 22

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Sep 8, 2002
Messages
1,273
Location
Illinois
Lies... Plastic pushers rock! They don't last forever, but I'm not wasting half my effort moving around a shovel that weighs as much as the snow I'm shoveling with it.

Steel doesn't crack...the main problem with most plastic snow items.
 
Last edited:

wmirag

Enlightened
Joined
Nov 22, 2004
Messages
411
I have used a UHMW 10" x 36" scraper for 6 years. These babies are very robust (more so than steel which dents). They are also self sharpening. Of course after two inches of snow, ANY pusher will toss the snow to the side after 10 linear feet or so. So I use my scraper AFTER snowblowing. 36" wide is just right for my 320 x 15 foot driveway.

http://www.gemplers.com/product/CF1036/Poly-Scraper-Blade-36x10-UHMW

W.
 

orbital

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Feb 8, 2007
Messages
4,252
Location
WI
+

Bought one of these last winter,
soo damn good, got another as 'backup' this year!!
The handle is a graphite type outer sleeve & textured, really solid feel.

http://www.suncast.com/productdisplay.aspx?id=108&pid=43

Light and torsionally stiff,....$16.97 locally.

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

____________________________________________

{{Real story}}:
Last winter, I was talking to my brother-in-law and had this shovel in my driveway.
My neighbor was plowing and drove into my lot and accidentally drove over this shovel,..it flexed and that was it,... no damage to it at all!!!
 
Last edited:

Stereodude

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Dec 19, 2006
Messages
1,654
Location
US of A
Steel doesn't crack...the main problem with most plastic snow items.
I haven't had that happen to any of the ones I've used. They eventually just wear away from being plastic from rubbing on the concrete continually to the point you can't use them any more, but that takes years.
 
Top