ORIENTOOLS Collapsible Snow Shovel with D-Grip Handle and Durable Aluminum Edge Blade, Portable Snow Shovel for Your Car, Truck, Recreational Vehicle, etc. (Blade 11″)

I grew up in Alaska – lived there for nearly 50 years so I have seen my fair share of snow and winter driving!! Let me say that I have never owned a four-wheel-drive vehicle and have never been stuck to the point that I couldn’t get myself out. That is not because I’m a better driver than most but IS the by-product of being prepared for the inevitable. I have reduced more 4-wheel drives than I can count over the years because they got overconfident and ended up high centered in a ditch without the necessary tools to free themselves. As my kids became driving age I gave each of them an “emergency road kit”. No, not those cheesy things from the hardware store that have some 6’, 10 gauge jumper cables, a can of fix-a-flat and some hand wipes!!! Worthless!!! I mean a real rescue kit that you can put together for about the same price but will actually be useful. My kits have always included a flashlight (the kind with the built in battery like you see strapped to firemen’s helmets), a small tarp, space blanket, waterproof gloves (those insulated ones with the vinyl/rubber coating), hand warmers (6), road flares (2 x 20 mins), and a small SHOVEL!! I used to put those collapsible ones that you could get from the sporting goods or army surplus stores but those were always on the verge of inadequate due to their small size. When mountaineering shovels finally became affordable I started including those which were much more useful for digging yourself out. This year, I have two more entering the winter driving arena and have given them their car kit (along with Dad’s cautionary lecture of course – you can’t have the good without the bad) and have included this shovel as part of it. This thing is very well made and certain things about it impressed me enough to not only entrust my child’s safety to but to also write this review. The entire thing is made of aluminum except for the plastic handle which is very solid and a good comfortable shape – no sharp edges. The handle is in two pieces which I thought might be an issue but I found that the handle collapses into itself and those two pieces don’t ever need to be taken apart. The length of the handle that is inserted into the shovel end is of sufficient length as to provide a good sturdy connection and support for some rigorous digging and with the handle collapsed, it is basically double walled and of a good length to get under a vehicle and dig. All in all, this is a very well designed and thought out piece of equipment that will work excellently for its intended purpose. I highly recommend this as a necessary item for your winter driving – even if you aren’t the one who ends up needing it!!!I have read several reviews from people who thought they would use this to shovel their walk in the winter and that is NOT what this shovel is for. This shovel I’d designed and intended for occasional use at a place and time when a regular shovel is or would be, unavailable. For those who give this (or ANY product) a negative rating because they used it for something it was never designed for, your review was unbelievably useless. Please don’t waste our time with your one star review because the box and/or the item was damaged. Oddly enough, broken things do not tend to work as intended so giving it a negative review is rather pointless – it’s broken, of course it won’t work right!! Kudos to all of you who took the time to write an honest review about this product. You helped me decide that this was the one for me and I hope I have been able to answer some questions for others considering this product. If it doesn’t show up at your door crushed or mangled, you can expect good service from this tool.