Winter related Purchases.

Pangea

So for the possible cold winter ahead I was wondering will anyone be buying anything interesting?

I was thinking about buying a pair of ice walkers/grips.
They look something like this



They come in different variations and are called different names, but I hear it was a big trend in Moscow in the past few winters and very useful. :cool:

Also what about snow sleighs?
Where would be the best place to buy one of those.

Cocoon

Just put socks over yer shoes...

snow ghost

Cocoon wrote: »

Just put socks over yer shoes...

The smellier the better... so the St Bernard can sniff you out from under the avalanche.

Pangea,

I had exactly the same plan, after slipping and sliding from the pub last year I thought I'd become prepared and be the envy of all the other hapless drunks.

Pangea

Cocoon wrote: »

Just put socks over yer shoes...

I know people that did that last winter and still had nasty falls...

Tabnabs

Pangea wrote: »

So for the possible cold winter ahead I was wondering will anyone be buying anything interesting?

I was thinking about buying a pair of ice walkers/grips.
They look something like this



They come in different variations and are called different names, but I hear it was a big trend in Moscow in the past few winters and very useful. :cool:

Also what about snow sleighs?
Where would be the best place to buy one of those.

I was introduced to these in Norway last March and they are fcuking first class. If you do a search on ebay you can pick them up for under a tenner. I got the ones with tiny spikes in them to give good results on ice as well.

Am also looking to buy a sledge online. Google it and there's a place in Scotland that sells them. Only problem is they are already starting to sell out

TequilaMockingBird

Oh good idea. Will get some for my mum.

weisses

a pair of tickets to the caribbean :D

cdev

I'm not sure if you'd call it an interesting purchase but I was thinking of getting a set of snow socks for the car. Looks like they could come in handy if we get the snowfest we are all dreaming of

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=68883411
http://www.autosock.co.uk/

Iancar29

Snow board in Lidl/ aldi as soon as they go on sale

Pangea

cdev wrote: »

I'm not sure if you'd call it an interesting purchase but I was thinking of getting a set of snow socks for the car. Looks like they could come in handy if we get the snowfest we are all dreaming of

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=68883411
http://www.autosock.co.uk/

Never heard of snow tyre socks before , Im not sure if it would provide much grip.
I dont really get how real socks can provide grip for walking in the snow either.
I know people that have snow tyres ,they say they are very good.

Tabnabs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNTf-NYXbBw

I became aware of them after they were recommended on the Volvo forum

cdev

Pangea wrote: »

Never heard of snow tyre socks before , Im not sure if it would provide much grip.
I dont really get how real socks can provide grip for walking in the snow either.
I know people that have snow tyres ,they say they are very good.

I don't know anybody using the snow tyre socks either - but I've read up on them online and they seem to get decent reviews - although at €60+ euro they could turn out to be expensive boot liners if they don't work

Graces7

Pack of fleecy socks from Dunne's.. E3 for three pairs.. For inside wellies etc... Not been near a Dunne's for several years..

Min

I'm getting a PS3 and some games along with some hope that we don't have an ice storm bringing down power lines :pac:

thetonynator

Im just going to use my cross country running spikes if we get deep snow . .

Kippure

[IMG][/img]

These

peasant

Those


A/T's are pretty useless in the snow btw

Kippure

There an M&s tire, Have got me out of trouble the last couple of winters.

dbyrne

I went through 2 pairs of these tracks for your shoes last winter, if you have big feet they break really easily, anything over size 10 i wouldnt recommend you to buy them.

I looked at those snow socks for the car, does anyone have them, they look like they could get you home if you got badly stuck

Tabnabs

If you're going all out on tyres then...



They make an interesting noise on tarmac too

Chicken Run

I fancy getting an Icelandic pony - brilliant at getting through snow/ice/floods without getting stuck !!

El Horseboxo

cdev wrote: »

although at €60+ euro they could turn out to be expensive boot liners if they don't work

Or if it doesn't snow.

maquiladora

I wouldn't be splashing out on winter gear just yet. Still every chance we could be in for nothing more than a frosty/dry or wet/overcast winter.

IvySlayer

Min wrote: »

I'm getting a PS3 and some games along with some hope that we don't have an ice storm bringing down power lines :pac:

Santy is generous this year :pac:

IvySlayer

maquiladora wrote: »

I wouldn't be splashing out on winter gear just yet. Still every chance we could be in for nothing more than a frosty/dry or wet/overcast winter.

:mad:

*locks in closet*

Redsunset

Negativity thread is this way

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>

Pangea

maquiladora wrote: »

I wouldn't be splashing out on winter gear just yet. Still every chance we could be in for nothing more than a frosty/dry or wet/overcast winter.

Of course thats a possibility, but winter gear is something that has to be bought in advance. As my college lecturer used to say "the best time to buy an umbrella is when its not raining"

maquiladora

redsunset wrote: »

Negativity thread is this way

---

>

Just trying to inject a bit of caution. I just have visions of people coming back to this thread in a couple of months fuming about wasting money on snow tyres etc. :pac:

Redsunset

Yeah i know that maq i was just trying to be funny. Using my crap mobile so not able to use smiley face. Yeah but your right we do live in ireland and we can't let ourselves get caught up with positive forecasts as if they are a given.

nacho libre

redsunset wrote: »

Yeah i know that maq i was just trying to be funny. Using my crap mobile so not able to use smiley face. Yeah but your right we do live in ireland and we can't let ourselves get caught up with positive forecasts as if they are a given.

yes but negativity can influence the snow gods. so i'm holding you two personally responsible if we are subjected to weeks and weeks of raging zonality:mad:

Redsunset

Ah fcuk off .ha. Im probably one of the most positive around. Drilled into the head during sales training years ago. Well just for the record then i visualise exactly what i wrote in the christmas thread. Even the wind will be frozen

Pangea

Where would be the best place to buy ice grips/studs for your feet this year? and which type is the best
Any good place to buy sleighs?.

kenmc

What happened to the ones you got in 2010?

Pangea

kenmc wrote: »

What happened to the ones you got in 2010?

Never got them in the end!

boatbuilder

I'd say there are plenty of winter products around because all the shops stocked up last winter and never sold any because it was so mild.
I've seen plastic sledges in local shops for about €30 for long ones and €10 for small ones.
Made of really thin plastic though.

Calibos

Tesco have salt, snow shovels and.............grips for shoes.

Woodies have snow socks for cars btw

jjdub1

Pennys on O'Connell Street (Dublin) were selling those shoe studs for €1 a pair last week - looks like I may need them afterall

muckish

Autosock tyre socks are amazing. They really do work going uphill and downhill. The only problem is wear and tear. Larger wider tyres will wear out pretty quickly if you drive a distance on them. You have to take them off when you get onto tarmac as soon as you can. One other thing to consider is to have a bucket in the boot to store them when you take them off, otherwise you'll have a swimming pool in the boot. Pair of gloves as well as they are bloody cold. Also sometimes can be difficult to stretch over a wide tyre with limited rim room. They will get you home.

I didn't buy a set this year as I have Kleber snow tyres on. These are just as good on snow IMO. Have a set of RUD easy-on chains to tackle the back of Errigal road. Hopefully this saturday!

otherfrog

Howdy all, have been keeping an eye on this forum over the last few weeks - after reading the latest forecasts, I've been digging out my bits and pieces from the winter of 10/11.

Regarding purchases for Winter - I wore Yaktrax grips which were/are great on compacted snow, but they're lethal on pure ice, so bear that in mind if you've got a pair.

Studded grips/cleats are probably better bet.

Hiking boots are a good idea too.

Some basic advice:
Probably worth picking up another container or two of salt now, because if we get a prolonged spell of cold & snow, there'll be a run on them again and the shops wont have any.

Hardware outlets should still be selling large bags of salt too.

Fingerless gloves are a godsend if you've got a touchscreen phone.

Even if the power stays up:
It's a good idea to have a LED torch lying around & decent set of rechargeables.
A small gas stove gives you options.
The power packs in Halfords etc. with jumper leads and inverter are a useful investment. You can use them to recharge your phone & batteries for radios + torches, as well as start your car
A cheap pair of PMR446 walkie talkies can also prove useful.

More than anything though, if you've got elderly neighbours - keep in touch with them & let them know you're there - and perhaps pick up a few items that could make their lives easier.

gbee

Kippure wrote: »

There an M&s tire, Have got me out of trouble the last couple of winters.

Best tyres in the World. You would not believe what they dug me out of.

Only issue on my vehicle is the heavy steering and front end assembly rapid wear ~ does not happen on better vehicles. But literally saved me more than once and outperformed a Land Rover in mud, pulled out of a freshly ploughed field and quicksand at a beach braking the exhaust and leaving a five foot deep hole.

Brilliant on snow, new they just crush the stuff ans you'd not know it was there, not so great on ice, it can handle it grand up hill, leave everything in a pile behind you as they try to follow, is OK downhill but the engine break is more at play here anyway but if I am silly enough to get it into a skid on ice ~~ it'll go.

Kippure

gbee wrote: »

Best tyres in the World. You would not believe what they dug me out of.

Only issue on my vehicle is the heavy steering and front end assembly rapid wear ~ does not happen on better vehicles. But literally saved me more than once and outperformed a Land Rover in mud, pulled out of a freshly ploughed field and quicksand at a beach braking the exhaust and leaving a five foot deep hole.

Brilliant on snow, new they just crush the stuff ans you'd not know it was there, not so great on ice, it can handle it grand up hill, leave everything in a pile behind you as they try to follow, is OK downhill but the engine break is more at play here anyway but if I am silly enough to get it into a skid on ice ~~ it'll go.

I put them on my isuzu 3litre turbo diesel. Back in 2010 i could plough snow with them on in deep snow just over 2 feet. Let some air out of them to get more span on the snow, unlaiden i could drive over the snow. There not the best in ice tend to slide a little. By far the best tire ive ever bought and last a long time.

Kinda like in this video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lnw1RmO90f8

An Ri rua

http://www.micksgarage.com/winter-accessories/shoe-ice-grips/ for Shoe Ice grips. I bought them at €2-3 less than Aldi were doing their Specials.

The lads are great. F**k Tesco and give them a go. You wouldn't know what would be in the Tesco ones.... Horseshoe nails ?????