I was Thinking about what kinda shovel to put in the car for when it starts to snow and cant figure out what would be best. The collapsing Snow shovels I find in local store look like they wouldnt hold up against anything but soft powder. I thought about the folding camp shovels but they always have a saw toothed side which if Im digging out a car most likely it would be near the rubber tires so that would be a no go either. So what shovels do you guys recommend/Own for your cars in the winter?

The best I've found is the smaller D-handle gardening/utility shovels (the ones with an ~ 18" handle). They wont move snow like a dedicated snow shovel, but a true snow shovel is typically useless when it comes to ice and dirt. A long the same lines, the folding military style shovels aren't nearly as durable in my experience.

I've seen them selling for $10 at Home Depot and Tractor Supply, which is a real bargain:

Tractor Supply Utility Shovel

I never take it out....in the summer it's useful for off-roading and in the winter it's useful for snow. Just make sure you have it secured so it doesn't become a projectile inside your vehicle.

I wouldn't worry about that. In my experience, this is not a problem. You exercise a little care when handling metal objects close to your precious car anyway - dings and scratches are totally unnecessary and easily avoided. And those saw tooth aren't exactly razor sharp,


I use a folding metal shovel (NATO trench shovel) for whacking ice. That is a heavy metal object I don't want flying around, and it goes into the spare wheel drum.

I use a plastic collapsible shovel (collapsible aluminium handle, very robust plastic blade) for fluffy snow. This goes under the right front seat. Although pretty robust, this has obvious limitations in hard snow and ice.

These two tools complement each other nicely. Neither of them are perfect - but in between them they will tackle any conditions, and they fit into my car without limiting cargo space. If I highly suspect I will be digging my car out of a snow pile I will bring a proper shovel

The shovel shown in the post above is a very robust all-rounder that will tackle anything. But explicit for the purpose of digging snow there are better alternatives than this allrounder. For loose dry or wet to semi-hard snow (not ice) look for a square alumninium blade about a foot by a foot that has a long handle. The lighter weight and bigger blade means a lot more efficient digging than the smaller and heavier shovel shown above. The snow also slides off the aluminium blade (which it won't on an iron shovel unless it's painted, which it won't be for long if you use it in the summer). The downside is that such aluminium shovels must be used with some care if the snow is rock solid.

Me, I won't bring any of those unless I suspect I really have to...

Also, have a look at this thread: last years car shovel choice thread...

The "Tractor Supply" shovel is what I keep in my car year-round. I find the versatility very useful. I wouldn't leave the driveway without some sort of shovel in the car.

For car use where you don't know whether you'll be digging powder snow (which you can move with your hands) or packed wet snow and ice, you might consider two shovels, one for bulk snow to move a lot fast and a second smaller harder shovel for the ice and gravel you might find under your tires. The Cold Steel Special Forces Shovel would work as would various military e-tools you can find in surplus.

Last year I saw some guy digging his car out with a cookie sheet. These are the same people that have no idea what a snowbrush is.

I have a E-tool in my mom's car, they are "serrated" which is actually rippled and pretty useless unless making ripple cut "tater chips", and in the site listed in my signature, go to the side link named "Entrenching tools and covers" and but G.I. style or used G.I., it will hold up.
No affiliation to the forementioned.

A few years back I gave Glock folding shovels as xmas presents for family. Of course I have one in my Jeep.
I have used it on occasion but not for snow. But it's a darn good tool. Even has a saw in the handle for cutting limbs and roots.

When I'm digging my Jeep out of a snowdrift it's always in the driveway at home and I use several of the tools in the garage so I'm not using my "car shovel." (broom, large plastic snow shovel, various ice scrapers) If things are getting that bad at work I'm on the road headed home. I'd rather be snowed in at home than at work.

In the distant past I've had my car snowed in at the airport and found a genuine metal shovel with wooden handle of a scoop style to be quite effective. Strong enough to deal with ice and long enough to reach a ways under the car.

OK, confesion, I cheat, I drive a truck so I keep a grain shovel in my truck which workes great on some prity stiff snow, but I have to go back to my Gerber shovel for ice or ice encrusted snow. I also carry a Black Diamond Deploy 7 (beware of the price) but you relay do get a great shovel for the snow, sand, but not dirt.
(standard disclaimer, no affiliation or connection)

On a side note it is a fun sled if you happen upon a good hill for sleding


Seriously, if you are looking for a great show shovel look at avalanche shovels.

Black Diamond Deploy 7 Snow Shovel. Looks like a good shovel. That and something with a smaller steel blade for digging in gravel would be a good combination.