Sure, tons of ice and snow falling on your town can mean lost services and difficult travel. But there’s lemonade in those lemons — especially if you’re a hockey fan. More than a few enterprising people have turned this winter’s abundance into home-made hockey rinks!

The kid-sized rink pictured above, for example, was built by this man out of basic lumber, decking screws, some vapor barrier, and a garden hose. Admittedly, he purchased a RinkRake — an ice-grooming tool that (like a Zamboni on big rinks) helps smooth out the ice. But other than that, it’s pretty much a local big-box special.

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So it’s too cold to plant. That doesn’t mean you have to spend the whole winter sitting around on your butt. Sue Bucher of the Adams County Master Gardener co-op in Pennsylvania offers some great suggestions to keep you busy during those winter months. Our favorite (and her #1 recommendation): clean and repair your garden tools.

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While up North you’ve been experiencing snowpocalypse, down here in the South we’ve just been a bit cold. Admittedly, the heavens dumped 12″ of snow on us a week ago, but it was gone quickly — albeit not quite quickly enough to keep me from wishing I owned the ultimate winter warrior’s tool: a snowblower.

But since we’re lucky to see only one or two snows a year — usually less than 2″ — I don’t know a damn thing about ‘em. So educate me: What separates a brilliant snowblower from the everyday — and the crap?

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Ever since we spent some time in a pair of 8″ Wolverines, I’ve become a fan. I’ve generally worn only really cheap boots because hey — they all seem the same, right? Maybe not. While I won’t argue that there’s nothing wrong with a $25 pair of work boots, the $170 Wolverines kicked some serious ass in the shop and around town.

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Thankfully we don’t have to deal with this kind of thing down here in Texas, but for those of you who live in two-season (frozen and not frozen) climates, here’s a product to help save your gutters: a cable-type de-icing kit. Here’s the lowdown: You string this cable around the edge of your roof, then plug it in. Resistance heating clears a path for melting snow, shunting it through your gutter instead of allowing it to run off just anywhere — and possibly damage your roof.

It’s important to note that this product doesn’t clear all the ice and snow off your roof. It just prevents ice-dams from forming. A few other caveats from the manufacturer:

“Never install on a flat roof. Never install on combustible materials. Not suitable for use on metal roofs. Contact Easy Heat for appropriate cable solutions.”

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Next time you need to go logging underwater, your gas-powered or electric chain saw isn’t going to cut it. You’re going to need a tool like one of these air powered chainsaws from CS Unitec. They manufacture a few models of air-powered chain saws, including the underwater model with an exhaust valve.

Besides underwater, air-powered chain saws are safer in hazardous or wet locations. Drawing 92CFM at 90PSI to produce 4HP, the low maintenance saws start easily and the motor and chain have separate lubricating systems.

The saws come with 17″, 21″, or 25″ bars and a standard “Super Chisel” chain. You can also buy carbide tipped and ripping chains for the saws. One of these air-powered chainsaws will run you about $3000 new, but it looks like you can rent them for $130 a day.

Air Powered Chain Saws [CS Unitec]
Street Pricing [Google Products]

Anybody who’s ever left water sitting in their CamelBak or other similar water bags knows how nasty they can get. That’s why it’s important to dry them out if you’re not going to be using them for a while.  Sure, there are drying hangers, both store bought and DIY, but the ZEROGOO claims their hydration bladder dryer works faster and dries them more completely.

Fit the the bladder dryer in the bladder’s fill opening, remove the bite valve, and plug it in. The fan inflates the bladder and forces air out the drinking tube. The constant flow of air removes moisture from all the nooks and crannies of the bladder.

The bladder dryer works on CamelBak’s hydration bladders with either large (newer) and small (older) fill openings. It’ll run you $30.

Bladder Dryer [ZEROGOO]
Street Pricing [Google Products]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]

ArmyNavyUSA.com is offering a deal on Wolverine’s 6″ DuraShocks Slip Resistant Work Boots for $99.95, and all of their boots over $89.99 qualify for free shipping through January 30.

Toolmonger previously covered Wolverine work boots in 2007 and in 2008 with Sean’s detailed Hands-On review of the 8″ Raiders. This winter, since half the U.S. is covered in ice, these #W02038 slip resistant, waterproof boots might be handy to have on hand (or foot).

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Winter’s in full swing and it’s time for all the wacky shovel designs to make their appearance. The SNO-Easy shovel looks like another beaut. You wince when you hear the commercial because the stereotypical infomercial announcer’s voice reminds you of such products as the Egg Wave or Liquid Leather. The only thing that’s missing is a jingle from Linda Ronstadt — It’s SNO-Easy to fall in love. It’s SNO-Easy…

Putting aside the bad marketing, the concept behind the SNO-Easy is that you don’t have to bend over to use it. A second handle attaches to the shaft near the shovel head with a pivoting hinge. With this configuration you can lift the snow closer to the load without bending. Then twisting both handles and swinging your arms throws the snow. The head of the shovel is smaller so you can’t load as much snow, but the makers claim you still can shovel faster than with a conventional shovel.

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When the work is done for the day you just want to get out on the water, but in the back of your mind you know your gear just isn’t ready in case you hook the big one. Your line’s beat up and needs to be replaced. So you start pulling it off, wrapping it around your hand, thinking there’s got to be a better way. Well there may be; three different companies make three different products that might fit the bill.

The first is the Berkley TEC line stripper. It’s an apparently battery-powered device that can strip 140 yards off a spool in less than one minute. They make some ergonomic claims, but it’s not like you’re going to be using this tool more than a few times a season. They also don’t explain what happens to the line when it’s stripped — presumably it’s just dumped on the floor.

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A friend of mine in high school had a crappy old Delta 88 complete with that horrid GM 350 diesel. As a result he was endlessly rebuilding it, even in the wintertime. His secret to keeping warm while pulling the engine in 35-degree weather? Insulated coveralls. The ones you see here are a cotton set from work-clothes masters Dickies, but you can find a set at most tractor supply shops — or pretty much any place working people shop.

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You don’t own a boat or a trailer and you’re wondering what to do with your vehicle’s receiver hitch, so why not mount a grill? The Margaritaville from Freedom Grill sits on a heavy-duty swing arm that mounts in any 2″ receiver.

The grill’s 20,000 BTU stainless steel burner heats its 352 square-inch cooking surface using a 1 lb. propane tank or, with an optional adapter, a 20 lb. propane tank. The grill features fold-out side tables, a fold-down condiment tray, and even has carrying handles if you don’t feel comfortable with open flames near your gas tank.

You’ll pay about $400 for the Margaritaville Tailgating Grill.

Margaritaville [Freedom Grill]
Street Pricing [Google Products]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]

Putting up Halloween decorations today reminded me it won’t be long before I’ll be struggling with hanging the Christmas lights. I’m always looking for a better way to hang lights, and I think these stainless-steel loop hooks from Lee Valley look promising — a lot more promising than plastic gutter S-hooks that can pinch your cold fingers.

Think of an eye hook — now bend the tag end perpendicularly away from the shaft and squish the loop so the tag end overlaps the loop. The hook that’s left completely captures the wire, yet you can easily remove the it without backing the entire string through the eye. The loop hook can accommodate wires up to 5/16″ in diameter.

A package of 20 loop hooks will run you $13 before shipping.

Loop Hooks [Lee Valley]

The Smart-Holder holds log firmly off the ground so you can safely saw them without rolling, bending, or burying your chainsaw blade in the dirt.

AMGA in Sweden designed the Smart-Holder to assemble and break down quickly. Once it’s set up you just push the end of log through the swinging jaw of the Smart-Holder and push down on the log to wedge it in place.

The 27 pound Smart-Holder measures 47″ long by 15″ wide and will hold any log 1/2″ to 9″ thick.  When it’s set up it stands 38″ tall and when it collapses it’s just 2″ high. Stihl and Remington also market the Smart-Holder under their own branding. No matter which company sells it, pricing starts at $100.

Smart Holder [Corporate Site]
Smart Holder [Remington]
Street Pricing [Google Products]
Via Amazon [What’s This?]

OK, so I poo-pooed hand stretchers previously, but they do have their place. These chain link tensioners from Malco can be used to stretch fabric and then hold it in place while you fasten the chain link to the post. They work with either T-section or round posts.

A set of two tensioners runs about $43 before shipping.

Fence Tensioning Claws [Malco]
Fence Tensioning Claws [1st Source Products]

If you’re looking for a camp shovel, rather than buying the folding variety, check out this Special Forces Shovel from Cold Steel. Sure, you can use it to dig, but you can also use it as a hatchet, an axe, a cleaver, a machete, a hammer, a paddle, and if you get bored you can throw it!

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If you’re going to carry a walking stick in the winter, why not carry one that doubles as a pick adz?  While you probably won’t be climbing any glaciers, the pick adz can come in handy chipping ice from walkways and steps.

The handle on the Japan Woodworker’s Hickory walking stick is actually a stainless steel pick adz covered in leather sheath that also serves as a cushioned hand grip. The walking stick also sports a stainless steel tip which digs in and helps you maintain your balance on icy surfaces.

The Japan Woodworkers Mr. Trekky walking stick runs $120 plus $9 shipping.

Walking Stick [Japan Woodworker]