HOT SCOOPS

Digging into winter’s most efficient accessory

by MATTHEW WOODLEY

Do you know your shovel? These days, the choice of models on the market is enough to overwhelm. Big? Small? Plow? Plastic? What about those angled handles and the huge sleigh things? You probably have a sore back even thinking about it. Allow us, then, to guide you through the modern science of scoops.

GET A GRIP

When it comes to handles, the “D” shape has all but dominated the shovel market. This handle allows for a firm grip, accords with joint biomechanics and easily accommodates the mitten. Of the common materials used, fibreglass comes most highly recommended—unlike wood, it won’t splinter, warp or dry rot. A small minority do swear by wood for its natural, “classic” feel, but these tend to be types who also swear by wooden skis and have pieces of food stuck in their beards.

The Yardworks Impact Eliminator Snow Pusher ($24.99) takes the “D” to the A level, with a shock-absorbing handle that deals with some of the impact normally destined for the operator’s wrist, elbow and shoulder. Other companies offer similar handles on smaller-blade shovels and ice choppers, which may be convenient depending on whether the task at hand requires pushing, lifting or a downward cutting motion.

PUTTING THE CRAFT IN SHAFT

The shaft is a much more complex element of your tool, and in some ways the most important. The repetitive motion involved in shovel operation is particularly hard on the lower back and spine. As such, angled shafts have gained significantly in popularity over the past decade, such as the Yukon Ergonomic Snow Pusher ($24.99). This type of shaft greatly decreases spine compression by keeping the body more upright, and also reduces some of the sheer force in moving a heavy load.

The Sno-Easy ($26.99) may have your back even more covered, allowing a completely upright scooping posture. The device has two handles, joined at the bottom by a pivot hinge, by which you rotate the main shaft to dump the shovel’s contents (see photo). The scoop itself is designed small to keep the weight load reasonable, and the handle is adjustable to conform to users’ different heights.

Raising the bar even further, up towards the great heavens above, is the Wovel ($149.99). Named one of TIME Magazine’s 2006 gadgets of the year, the Wovel has leaped all as-seen-on-TV novelty item hurdles into mainstream northern culture, via a hardware store near you. The machine works like a seesaw with a 36-inch wheel as axis, clearing heavy loads of snow with an effort the makers describe as “comparable to simply walking.”

ON THE RECEIVING END

There are three common materials for shovel blades: plastic, aluminium and steel. Steel is by far the most durable and efficient for breaking trough ice but it is also the heaviest, and it’s prone to rust. Aluminium is much lighter, but its edges will curl back in deference to ice and pavement, if not break off completely. Unless you’re constantly dealing with ice, or just looking for an intense workout, the most efficient material is plastic (just ask the Wovel), for its combination of lightness and durability.

The Oskar Snow Shovel ($14.99) has a compact plastic scoop and retractable handle that makes it ideal for a balcony or the trunk of your car, with the added bonus that it looks great with your broom. If you’re far away from the comfort of home—say, in an avalanche—the Matrix ($79.99) is a highly compact rescue device, made of high-tech Delrin and Zytel materials, and weighing in at a mere 1.3 pounds.

WIDE LOAD

The mid-’80s saw the introduction of the mega scoop to the market, designed to handle an extraordinary amount of powder in one go. Though their popularity has hit a plateau, shovels such as the Yardworks 22-inch Poly Sleigh ($32.99) are still popular for their big-load-bearing ability. The sleigh is particularly good with light, fluffy snow—the type that’s easy to pick up—but is weak with icier snow. It’s also virtually unliftable, thus inadequate when working between high banks. As they say, “it ain’t the size of the boat, it’s the motion of the ocean.”

With that adage in mind, whatever shovel you choose for this winter, make sure to practise proper technique. Whether you have a Wovel or a 1950s shitscoop, proper shovelling posture, with a straight back and wide stance is a must. Anyway, get the Wovel.