Snowblowing with snowmobile helmet

[doxford jim]

Hi Guys,

Today I used the tractor for the first time this winter to blow snow with - pto blower, open station. The weather was perfect at around 20F and no wind at all !!!
I found it so much better today and it got me wondering about using a snowmobile helmet when blowing snow - I can see lots of benefits from it.
I have had to blow snow at 10F and windy conditions and it ain't fun.

Sooo, how many of you use a helmet to keep the elements at bay while blowing snow ? How bad is the misting of the face shield ?

It is the cold wind and the freezing snow around the head that gets me - even when bundled up. Thought the skidoo helmet would be a great help - your thoughts please.

Thanks

 

[oosik]

I have a big yard, mile long gravel driveway and mail box areas to clear. When I had a smaller tractor I had a blower. I never thought of wearing my motorcycle helmet. I wore a stocking hat and pulled the hood of my down parka over that. I believe if you have a full face helmet - blowing snow on the face shield from the outside and your breath condensing on the inside might be a real problem.

My full face MC helmet relies, to a great extent, on my going fast enough for the wind to keep the face shield cleared of condensing breath on the inside. Never rode the MC in a snow storm - and I never will.

And I now have a much bigger tractor and use a rear blade rather than a blower. Seemed that the blower always had blowing snow drifting back on me, no matter which way the chute was turned.

 

[MossRoad]

When I had a snow blower and it was windy, I'd use a full face ski knit mask (bank robber style) and ski goggles. Worked great. I used to wear that same combination when ice fishing in windy weather, too. :thumbsup:

 

[oosik]

I would think that MossRoad's suggestion is a far better answer to your situation. If you need additional warmth - get a jacket with a hood and pull that up and over the ski mask.

 

[RoyJackson]

When I used my snowblower with an open station tractor, I wore a "Mad Bomber" hat and ski goggles (tinted ones are the best and if you wear glasses, get goggles that are made for wearing glasses).
As far as helmets, there are a number of TBNer who do wear snowmobile gear (including the helmets) when clearing snow.

Unless you have a cab tractor (which I do now), getting covered with snow is an occasional certainty when using a snow blower.

 

[Ed of all trades]

I have a front blade and have been using a MC helmet for years. it works well for me but you do have to crack the visor open a little to clear the fog. Don't know how it would work with a blower. Goggles might work better, might pull out the off road helmet and goggles I had for the 4 wheeler and give it try this year, if we get any snow. Ed

 

[BigBoyToys]

Ski goggles tend to stay fairly clear. Works well with a Mountain Hardwear jacket. The hood closes up around your face and googles.

 

[lungdoc]

Snowmobile helmets are warmer and don't get wet. I used to use a full face helmet and leave visor up much of the time, putting it down when needed (going upwind). Many have a "breath deflector" nose shield that minimizes any fogging. Leave visor up after any physical exertion eg getting off to shovel etc. Keep any vents open. A snowmobile specific helmet will be better designed for this than a motorcycle one.

I now have luxury of a cab and front blower. One thing with new blower I only now realize is the value of powered deflection. Being able to keep the plume down most of the time keeps the blowing snow to a minimum. Had rotation but not deflection on the open station unit.

 

[sandalwood]

In the past motorcycle helmet with visor cracked open very slightly worked well, warm and no problems with visor steaming up.

 

[jaydee325]

Snowmobile helmet with heated visor eliminates fogging. I call the snowmobile helmet my poor mans cab!

 

[Garandman]

Balaclava and ski goggles. Good googles have double layer lenses that don't fog up easily.

 

[Toyboy]

I've started wearing ski goggles this year but heck, I thought getting a cloud of fresh blown snow in the face was part of the process:laughing: When your sitting out there in the open like me, you learn real quick to blow snow with the wind, not into it.

 

[RoyJackson]

When your sitting out there in the open like me, you learn real quick to blow snow with the wind, not into it.

That's the plan but sooner or later (probably sooner), that wind will shift or you turn into it and get covered.

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

When your sitting out there in the open like me, you learn real quick to blow snow with the wind, not into it.

Ding! Ding! We have a winner! Even if it means a couple extra trips out the lane to always have the wind at your back. Even with a cabbed tractor, I don't know why anyone would try and blow the snow into the wind when they have a choice. Suburbia is a bit different when you are very limited on where the snow goes. I did 600-700 driveways on the 29th

 

[hvacman]

I use an open face helmet with a curved face shield. Wear a balaclava underneath. The face shield stays clear of fog. The blown snow can get under the shield but not to the point of not being able to see. Feel safer with the helmet on.

 

[ecbaatz]

Ding! Ding! We have a winner! Even if it means a couple extra trips out the lane to always have the wind at your back. Even with a cabbed tractor, I don't know why anyone would try and blow the snow into the wind when they have a choice. Suburbia is a bit different when you are very limited on where the snow goes. I did 600-700 driveways on the 29th

That is a lot of driveways. What was the average time per driveway?

 

[civilian]

That is a lot of driveways. What was the average time per driveway?

If he spent 1 minute per drive, that is 10 hours of clearing drives, not allowing travel time in between drives. Hopefully he had a whole subdivision to clear.

 

[super55]

Snowmobile helmets work great. It's a lot easier to lift/drop the visor than with goggles. The only thing I don't like is the limited amount of peripheral vision.

 

[aczlan]

If he spent 1 minute per drive, that is 10 hours of clearing drives, not allowing travel time in between drives. Hopefully he had a whole subdivision to clear.

My guess would be a townhouse type subdivision where you have a 8-10' wide x 20' long driveway and it is cleared with a 7-8' blower.
Back in once (or twice) and off you go.

Aaron Z

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

That is a lot of driveways. What was the average time per driveway?

If he spent 1 minute per drive, that is 10 hours of clearing drives, not allowing travel time in between drives. Hopefully he had a whole subdivision to clear.

My guess would be a townhouse type subdivision where you have a 8-10' wide x 20' long driveway and it is cleared with a 7-8' blower.
Back in once (or twice) and off you go.

Aaron Z

I was out for 20 hrs, so give or take 2 min a drive average over the whole storm including travel. The main area I was working was 10 km or so from the shop and I had to go back twice for fuel.

When using my regular tractor (Case 120 Maximum with a 92" inverted Normand) in any given route I average 40-45 drives per hr including the drive between them. This time I was using a Case 85C with the same blower and undersized turf tires so travel speed was (just guessing here) 20% low and it was REALLY hurting for power plus I was bouncing all over the place helping others catch up and hitting missed drives/complainers rather than sticking to one specific area. That 6-700 also includes repeat visits to the same place throughout the duration of the storm. Drives are either 1 or 2 cars wide which means 2 or 3 passes wide. Single or double length adds negligible time difference as it's a difference literally of a few seconds to pull an extra car length once you are lined up and going. The company I drive for has about 5000 customers. Most of our drivers are in the 25-30 drives per hr. There's only a couple of us over the 40/hr