If you live in the winter-ravaged areas of the Midwest, odds are you’ve owned your fair share of snow shovels.  Having survived the harsh St. Louis winters of sleet, freezing rain and snow, I’ve gone through a full compliment of shovels, ranging from plastic flimsy pieces of you-know-what to ergonomic, back-saving miracle devices.

This brief series will help you pick out the snow removal device that’s right for you.

It’s been mentioned a bit before, but it bears repeating: before going outside to shovel, you need to stretch.  A lot. Not just the obligatory side-to-side stretching, but a good 2 - 5 minutes of holding poses.  And please, layer up!  And take frequent breaks!  There’s no way your driveway or sidewalk will be cleared if you’ve passed out - nobody wants that.