We’ve talked a lot about shoveling.  And you know, that’s important.  But what if you just wanted to push that snow around?  Well, now you can, thanks to the Suncast SP2725 27-inch snow shovel pusher.

Pushing snow isn’t new - plows do it all the time. In fact, it’s typically *because* of plows that I find myself needing to push snow around to spring my car free from the elements.  Well, the Suncast 27-inch snow shovel pusher does just the trick.

Unfortunately, my garage is too cluttered for either my wife or I to park our cars, so we’re stuck on the street.  I try to stay ahead of most storms and winterproof our vehicles, but you can’t do enough preventative measures to stop a big ‘ole  snowplow from dumping the contents of the street all over the side of your car (below).

It’s times like these that I’m glad I own more than one shovel.  And really glad that I can push that snow back into the street to get my car out!

I know that old man winter’s not done.  This warm(er) weather? Yeah, a false sense of security, I know.

So with the shovels put away at most big retailers and the spring wares coming out, now is the BEST time to buy winter gear because NOBODY ELSE is looking.  The selection and stock at the major brick-and-mortar stores will no doubt be plentiful, so why not pick up supplies for the last hurrah of winter?

As mentioned before, I’ve been through a wide variety of shovels and other snow-removal gadgets and gizmos.  For my money, it doesn’t get any better than the ergonomic handled shovels.

Take, for instance, this gem: the Suncast SC5350 20-Inch Snow Shovel/Pusher Combo with Ergonomic Shaped Comfort Grip Handle, No Stick Graphite Blade, And Wear Strip.  I KNOW that’s a mouthful.  But when you consider the wear and tear on your back when you’ve got to push a lot of the white stuff, it suddenly seems worth it to let your mouth do the majority of the workin’.

The Suncast SC5350’s ergonomic grip does wonders for snow removal, and the galvanized steel edge and 20″ x 13″ blade make quick work of even the sleetiest of snowfalls.

This shovel comes HIGHLY recommended.  Your back with thank you!

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.

One of the most important things to keep on hand this winter is a good, sturdy outdoor broom.  But don’t keep in outdoors when snow is in the forecast.  Keep it in your basement, a utility closet, by the front door - anywhere but outside!  We’ve found that, much like in Warner Brothers cartoons, “That first step is a doosy!”

Having an outdoor broom indoors will help you get outside and put your best foot (cleanly!) forward.

We’ve tested a lot of brooms over the years, and we’ve found that a nice sturdy broom, like the Goldblatt 16164 Wood Finishing Broom provides the best combination of value and durability.  In our particular corner of the Midwest, we get an awful lot of sleet, freezing rain and snow.  Each bout of inclement weather brings us a new challenge, and time and time again, the Goldblatt has been up for the task of clearing off our porch and some of the steps leading down to our walkway.  Sure, everything eventually gets shoveled, but why put up with the hassle of having to keep a shovel inside?  It’s not like you’re going to shovel the area outside of your door while still inside your house, right?

Now, I’m a big supporter of the United States Postal Service, so I always make sure my walkways are cleared before I leave for work.  It may take a little extra time and effort, but imagine how it must make your mail carrier feel to not have to trod through snow, sleet and/or freezing rain and have favorable conditions to walk on?  The broom is an essential first step to get rid of the top layers of snow to make everyone’s lives easier.

(Please note: this post was not approved by the Nor’easterly affected folks in the Northeast.  They’d scoff at the use of a broom to clear the top layers of snow off their porches.  But for you midwesterners and southerners, this is a good first step!)

I’m snowed in today, with the nasty-nasty sleet + snow combination keeping me from unearthing my car and heading into work.  My wife, on the other hand, wasn’t so lucky.

At 5:30 this morning, with the snow tapering off to light flurries, we started the long and arduous process of digging her car out from beneath the plowed snow.  Now, I won’t bore you with too many mundane details about shoveling technique, but I can suggest a few items to help you adequately prepare yourself for the cold.

First things first: stretch!  A lot of the shoveling motion is a bend-and-twist, so make sure to get your back all good and limber.  Once your back is in working condition, make sure to stretch out your legs and arms.  Being good and loosened up is a great way to avoid injury in the inclement weather.

Next, make sure you drink plenty of fluids before going outside.  It may sound stupid, but staying hydrated in the cold is very important.   While hydrating, you may want to pop a few ibuprofen or tylenol if you’ve been privy to back aches and pains — it’s better to head it off at the pass now than having to wait the 30 or so minutes for the pain relief to kick in.

Finally, before heading outside, make sure you layer up!  This means to put on two pairs of socks, long johns, t-shirts, sweatshirts, jackets and a coat if you need to.  A nice warm hat is also highly recommended, as well as a scarf.  If you’re ready for the elements, you can stay active longer in the cold.

I’ll leave you with some advice: Please don’t stay outside for prolonged periods of time shoveling snow, clearing sidewalks or clearing off your car.  Take a few breaks, drink some water and take it easy.  The snow will still be there waiting!

A roof rake?  Seems kind of silly, right?  Sure, until all that snow melts just enough to refreeze into ice after sunset.  Then you get ice dams – and no one wants to deal with ice dams and the water trapped behind them.  Enter the Garelick 16′ Roof Snow Rake (it is also available in a 21 foot length for those with multiple stories or steeper roofs).

We all know from childhood shoveling that snow is extremely heavy.  Since the roof rake is made of aluminum, you do not have to pull the weight of the snow plus the weight of a rake, making snow removal much easier on your back and shoulders.  The rollers on the edges of the rake ensure your singles are not damaged (though, of course, don’t push the rake “up” the roof!).  The handle is cushioned so even in cold temperatures the chill of the aluminum does not transfer through to your hands.

After a particularly bad snowstorm, you may have to take a couple passes due to the depth of the rake, but I feel if it was any deeper it would become unwieldy.  My main tip for using the roof rake is to stand as far back as possible!