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How many snow removal outfits do you have, and what's in them?

2K views 14 replies 14 participants last post by  enigma-2 
#1 ·
I have two main outfits for snow removal depending on snow depth and conditions. Ski gloves and a balaclava are standard for all outfits. I also have cabs on my two main snow movers but I still get blow back from the Ariens walk behind.

1) For storms under about 6" I wear my nylon winter parka over a long sleeve t-shirt, jeans and my Keen ankle height boots.

2) For snow depths over 6" I wear a set of Walls Coveralls over my clothes and my Baffin calf high pac boots. If its wet or extra cold I wear the my parka as well. This outfit is comfortable and warm for hours.
 
#4 ·
I don't move snow normally that can be driven threw. This years gear was normal work boots with two pairs of socks, insulated gloves, my normal winter goes every where sweater shirt and a hooded sweat shirt. I have no cab as yet. If it get real cold and the snow just has to be moved a pair of insulated coverall and an artic cap gets added.
 
#5 ·
Depending on how cold it is, I'll wear either
-light, safety hiking style boots, Heat socks, jeans, long underwear, couple shirts, a thinly insulated plaid jacket, ball cap, and gloves
-taller, thicker winter boots, Heat socks, ski pants,thicker long underwear, thicker shirts, a winter parka, ball cap (or if it's very cold, below -30C or so, a toque), and thicker mitts

Either way, also hearing protection, which double as ear muffs.

I do need better shoes/boots when the temp is around freezing, as the ones I have aren't particularly waterproof. I might take extras along (mitts, gloves, hats) depending on conditions, as I'll sweat a lot if there's a lot of manual removal or the snow is really wet.

I also need to find a solution for the hand grips on my Snapper walkbehind plow. It has all-metal levers for controlling the wheels, that you have to hold all the time when the controls are unlocked, and they just suck the heat out of my fingers when it's really cold. Maybe gluing rubber strips to the hand-side of the controls...
 
#6 ·
Insulated boots, winter motorcycle gloves and an old (probably 20 years old) Eddie Bauer Ridgeline Parka (I have a "new" Ridgeline parka that's only 5 or 6 years old that I use for my regular winter coat). I have a cab on both winter duty tractors, the JD X500 with the plow and the Kubota BX25D with the blower. I even have an open back soft cab on the walk behind blower that also has heated hand grips, so I'm usually unzipping the parka parway through the snow removal process.
 
#7 ·
Parka without the hood, hat, gloves and sneakers. If it gets really cold Wolverine boots and wool socks. It's never cold in the heated cab but it takes up to 15 minutes to clean off the snow before putting the tractor back in the garage. Otherwise I would get gallons of water on the floor mostly from the snowblower. I also have to clean up a couple places I can't get to with the tractor. At 10° or less, unless I'm in the cab, it gets cold fast.
 
#8 ·
I wear insulated coveralls when its frigid and windy during snow removal using my tractor or a snowblower--the "Zero-Zone" one piece type..for gloves I usually just use thin mechanic's gloves with half fabric and half rubber construction ,they do not keep your hands warm,but you can use your fingers and hands much better than with thick clumsy gloves or mittens--when my hands get cold I just put them in the exhaust flow coming out of the muffler for a few seconds,that thaws them right out..

If I need to shovel snow though,I usually just wear long johns and regular pants & a sweat shirt,because using the coveralls will make you drench with sweat in short order--and we all know how getting wet,then frozen,feels..good way to get pneumonia..as I've aged,I learned to pace myself,when I feel myself starting to sweat,I stop shoveling and wait a few minutes,let my heart take a rest--then once the job is done,get out of those wet clothes ASAP and take a warm shower..otherwise my back will seize up and stay locked up for days..

I used to use felt lines snowmobile boots when I'd be out in the snow for hours,but I haven't used them in years ,once I outgrew the pair I had--my feet would sweat almost instantly wearing them lately,so I wear my steel toed boots,if I put thick socks on,my feet wont sweat right away and stay plenty warm,unless I step in a puddle and they get wet..
 
#9 ·
Depending on the machine...When plowing with the AC 710 I wear whatever I have on, appropriate to the weather and it's usually jeans, warm jacket, ball cap and fleece gloves. Mostly tennis shoes, but maybe hunting boots if it is real snowy. When blowing with the walk-behind or Simplicity 7016, I add side-zip hunting pants and wear a carhartt jacket with hood and a ball cap so I can duck away from the storm. If it is icy I wear old pacs with ice cleats. The watchword for winter weather in Northwest Montana is "if you don't like the weather, stick around a few minutes and it will change", so if it is real nasty, I usually try to wait it out for a little better conditions.
Regarding snow melting and dripping all over the garage - I sweep off the big stuff outside and then toss a couple of old bath towels under the tractor to catch the wet. Swap out towels and hang them over the utility sink to dry.
 
#10 ·
All the wrong things.

My winter jacket, that isn't warm enough for Maine winters, and under that my fall jacket. Sometimes a watch cap, sometimes a balaclava, and more often than not gloves.

Might wear sneakers, might wear boots, depends on how much snow.

I really do know how to dress for the cold, I just don't care these days lol.
 
#11 ·
Varies depending upon the weather. Usual hooded winter coat, regular shoes with rubber(er) soles or boots if really deep snow.

In really cold weather, I use miltary surplus cold weather, leather mittens with a pair of wool mittens under. (Important to layer).

I drop a hand warmer into each mitten and that keeps my fingers warm for hours. (My fingers get cold quickly, were frozen when I was a kid and been sensitive ever sense). Thses hand warmers stay warm for hours, but its important to start them (they start by squeezing or crushing them to mix the ingredients and start the chemical reaction). They take about a 1/2 hour to reach full heat, so plan ahead.
 
#14 ·
If it is above 10F, then jeans and a shirt, a fall canvas jacket, stocking cap, light gloves and hiking boots.

If it is between -10F and 10F, then jeans and a shirt, a thick parka, stocking cap, medium insulated gloves and insulated hiking boots.

If it is colder than -10F or if the wind chill is below -25F, then a heavy shirt, long underwear, sweat pants, snow pants, the thick parka, an insulated bomber hat, heavily insulated snow gloves, wool socks and insulated hiking boots.

In all cases, I wear ear plugs.

The snow cab on my Prestige keeps the wind and snow out and actually holds just enough heat to make it comfortable. I am considering a 12v seat warmer or car blanket to sit on next year.
 
#15 ·
If it is above 10F, then jeans and a shirt, a fall canvas jacket, stocking cap, light gloves and hiking boots.

If it is between -10F and 10F, then jeans and a shirt, a thick parka, stocking cap, medium insulated gloves and insulated hiking boots.

If it is colder than -10F or if the wind chill is below -25F, then a heavy shirt, long underwear, sweat pants, snow pants, the thick parka, an insulated bomber hat, heavily insulated snow gloves, wool socks and insulated hiking boots.

In all cases, I wear ear plugs.

The snow cab on my Prestige keeps the wind and snow out and actually holds just enough heat to make it comfortable. I am considering a 12v seat warmer or car blanket to sit on next year.
You could also consider heater clothing such as gloves, cap and vests such as those worn on a motorcycle. I have heated gloves and the really work (except I use an Ariens walk behind and must use batteries to heat the gloves. Rechargeable batteries, but still a pita). A tractor electrical system sho uh ld have sufficient power avaliable to power gloves or vest).
 
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