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#74407 - 10/03/06 08:26 PM Equipped 4 storms etc in Chicago - need suggestion
Equipped4Chicago Offline
Journeyman

Registered: 10/09/05
Posts: 75
Loc: Chicago
Ok. So a massive storm. Flooding on the expressways. 2 hours to get to my work ( I work from 11:PM to 6:30AM) Flooding down all the streets. Well, what I thought of for that would be some type of boots and pants to help people stuck in their cars. What else?

Secondly, I want a GREAT compact shovel for the car for winter use. No cheap stuff. I really am sick and tired of it.

Also, snow duster? Snow shovel for sidewalk use that will last over 2 years? Any suggestions?

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#74408 - 10/03/06 08:31 PM Re: Equipped 4 storms etc in Chicago - need sugges
Malpaso Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 09/12/05
Posts: 817
Loc: MA
Boots/pants, how about fishing waders?

Compact shovel, Glock makes a great E-tool with a saw in the handle. Not your standard snow shovel, but works better in crusty snow and ice than a snow shovel.
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#74409 - 10/03/06 08:47 PM Re: Equipped 4 storms etc in Chicago - need suggestion
Blast Offline
INTERCEPTOR
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 07/15/02
Posts: 3760
Loc: TX
Areas here in Houston are prone to flooding. With that in mind I keep some industrial waste bags in my car (along with the normal equipped gear). These bags are about 30" tall and made out of a thick, strong plastic. When I'm stuck wading I slip these bags over my feet and duct-tape them to my legs to protect my shoes/pants. Ugly but effective and they don't take up much room.

-Blast
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#74410 - 10/03/06 09:32 PM Re: Equipped 4 storms etc in Chicago - need suggestion
billym Offline
Addict

Registered: 12/01/05
Posts: 616
Loc: Oakland, California
If you want a good portable shovel; go to your local REI and ask for a "backcountry skiing / boarding" shovel. Something that is made for skiers to carry in their pack.
A few brands are Black Diamond Equipment, Volie', G3, Life-Link and Back Country Access.

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#74411 - 10/04/06 02:04 AM Re: Equipped 4 storms etc in Chicago - need sugges
ironraven Offline
Cranky Geek
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 09/08/05
Posts: 4642
Loc: Vermont
The BEST car shovel for all around duties that I've found, bar none, is a standard garden shovel with the handle cut down so it is about two feet long including the blade. I've dug my car out a few times with it, and while it might not work as well as snow shovel with powder, it works better on anything crusted over with ice, or piled up by the snow plow in big chunks.

And it's cheap, to. Like $15 for a good shovel at Home Despot, a minute with the saw in a Leatherman or SAK, and you are all set before you even leave thier parking lot. And what you take off makes a good thumping stick.
_________________________
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When a man dare not speak without malice for fear of giving insult, that is when truth starts to die. Truth is the truest freedom.

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#74412 - 10/04/06 02:24 AM Re: Equipped 4 storms etc in Chicago - need suggestion
KI6IW Offline
Enthusiast

Registered: 12/23/05
Posts: 203
Loc: San Francisco Bay Area, USA
Remember that just a few inches of fast moving flood water has much more power that you might expect. Be cautious and think through your actions (as you seem to be doing with your post).
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#74413 - 10/04/06 01:41 PM Re: Equipped 4 storms etc in Chicago - need suggestion
KenK Offline
"Be Prepared"
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 06/26/04
Posts: 2208
Loc: NE Wisconsin
Also, you never know when a manhole cover had been popped up and out due to the force of the flood water and your next step will send you down into the hole (and a watery grave). In flooded streets my advice is to call 911 and let trained emergency crews do their job.

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#74414 - 10/04/06 01:44 PM Re: Equipped 4 storms etc in Chicago - need sugges
KenK Offline
"Be Prepared"
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 06/26/04
Posts: 2208
Loc: NE Wisconsin
I always carried plastic bladed shovels in my truck. They may not last as long, but they also don't do nearly as much damage when I accidentally slam them into the sheet metal. They're usually pretty inexpensive too.

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#74415 - 10/04/06 06:42 PM Re: Equipped 4 storms etc in Chicago - need sugges
Susan Offline
Geezer

Registered: 01/21/04
Posts: 5163
Loc: W. WA
Do they get brittle enough to break in low temps?

Sue

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#74416 - 10/04/06 08:00 PM Re: Equipped 4 storms etc in Chicago - need sugges
KenK Offline
"Be Prepared"
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 06/26/04
Posts: 2208
Loc: NE Wisconsin
Nope. I bought a pair of plastic bladed shovels for our trucks when I first got married (hmmm, I think that was 14 years ago - I'd better ask my wife ... yeah right, not a good idea) and they are still working well. My kids have used them to help clear the driveway since they could carry them and that was about eight winters now and they are still in very good shape...and you know how hard kids can be on anything. Thanks to the miracle of modern plastics!

Plastic shovels without a metal edge aren't much use for scraping ice, but they work great for clearing snow.

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