Althought windy, rainy weather is upon us now, it's never too early to get prepared for a big freeze - we all know it's "snow" fun when the flakes fall fast and you're left stranded in your car without a shovel.
However, even after the deep freezes of the previous two years, many people don't arm themselves with the necessary equipment, meaning they're left out in the cold during heavy snowfall.
This year the Scottish Government launched the country's first ever severe weather readiness campaign. Called 'Ready for Winter?', it aimed to encourage people to take "simple but sensible steps" to prepare for tough weather conditions.
Delivered in partnership with the British Red Cross, the launch followed a survey suggesting more than half of Scots were concerned about coping with extreme weather this winter - and three-fifths admitted they were not properly prepared for heavy snow, a prolonged freeze or flooding.
The HNG Tried and Tested team found out what products are worth ploughing cash into...
Black Diamond Transfer 3 shovel
£40 from www.cotswoldoutdoor.com
2 stars
AS the recent snow came out of nowhere and caught most drivers by surprise, it was a relief to have my car stuffed with jackets, torches, beans, not a hip flask and this two-piece, hard-as-nails shovel.
The Black Diamond sliced through a small mound of thick-packed snow and ice with ease, and it is surprising to find how reassuring it is to have such a sharp weapon in your winter-motoring arsenal. It is compact and small, but deceivingly strong, apart from the wobbly handle.
The downsides is its size. It's too small to be of use for clearing paths or anything larger than an icy obstacle under or in front of a wheel, which limits its abilities to the car.
This makes it handy, but at this price, the short handle, narrow spade, visible glue and slightly flimsy handle attachment are hard to take.
AJ
?Verdo Renewables briquettes
RRP £5 for bag of six, available from Travis Perkins, garden retailers and online at ?www.verdorenewables.co.uk
5 stars
In years of trying to dry out damp logs and lugging in weighty buckets of coal, I'd never seen anything like Verdo's wood briquettes before. The texture is like woodchip glued together and although each one is firm enough to lay on the open fire like a log, they do break up easily if your hearth is small.
In our temperamental fireplace which can take ages to "draw" the fire, we had a problem at first lighting the briquettes without having a good-going kindling base with firelighters too. But once the briquettes took, they burned slowly, lasting for ages with good heat and left hardly any ash.
If you're a little bit OCD and don't like the dirt and dust involved in an open fire, the briquettes could be great as they are so clean and pile up neatly.
And for anyone running a wood-burning stove, the economics stack up too. One pallet costing £300 delivered to your house has the same output, say the manufacturers, as seasoned wood which would cost £800.
And for eco-warriors, it's useful to know that the equivalent of £300 in heating oil would create more carbon emissions and is not sustainable. Unlike the Verdo sourced wood.
MC
Hi-Tec St Moritz 200 women's winter boot
RRP £80, available from www.hi-tec.com/uk/products/winter-boots
4 stars
With the snowy season in full swing, these boots came in extremely handy - in fact they are a must-have for the Highland winter.
Designed with cold temperatures in mind, they contain 200 grams of Thinsulate insulation, boast waterproof suede leather and seam sealed waterproofing.
I sported these bad boys during three days of heavy snowfall, ensuring I was giving them a real run for their money. All day, they proved waterproof, and my feet have never felt so warm!
Although they feature a winter traction sole, as well as a sturdy heel and toecap, I wouldn't say they completely protected me from icy conditions - I could still slip on ice, but in snow they gave a good grip. What impressed me most was how comfortable they were. I had them on all day in the office - and my feet felt quite at home.
HB
Ice Scraper Mitt, De-Icer Spray, ?and Demister Pad
£2.99, £1.99 and £1.49, all available from Halfords
4 stars
ONE of the worst winter feelings is when that alarm rings in the pitch blackness and the first job of the day is to shift snow and ice from the car. This lot helped ease the pain. Sakura's mitt, which has an elasticated wrist which keeps out the snow and is fleece-lined for extra warmth and comfort. When it's freezing outside, having a heated hand is a real bonus.
The De-Icer Spray which works at temperatures of up to minus 10 and worked well for me. Finally, the demister pad is probably the best of the bunch we were offered the chance to try. It not only cleans effectively, but also leaves the windows dry and smudge-free.
PC
Ice Trekkers Diamond Grip
£39.95, available from www.icetrekkers.co.uk ?or www.icegripper.co.uk
4 stars
I NEARLY broke my neck while taking the wheelie bin out the other morning as the steep driveway leading to the house was like a curling rink. I was slithering about like Bambi on ice.
Then, I remembered I had a set of ICEtrekkers in the house and this was the perfect opportunity to put them to the test.
Made of case hardened steel with diamond beads, the grippers fit over the sole and heel, have hundreds of biting edges that grip in all directions. The concept is simplicity itself. They are strung on steel aircraft cable which is attached to strong rubber foot-shaped tubing you pull over your boot or shoe.
The grip was amazing - even when I deliberately tried to slide, I couldn't. They are a tad expensive - but I suppose anything is better than a fall injury.
LF
Salopettes
RRP £45 for the pants or £85 for jacket and pants. Available from www.didriksonskids.co.uk
4 stars
Whether sledging or trudging to school in the slush, it's snow fun if you're freezing like a penguin so kids really need to be togged up in proper ski attire. It's not always easy to find suitable outfits in shops but the newly launched DidriksonsKids website sells a range of products from the Swedish outdoor clothing specialist, set up by Aberdeen mum Steph Allison who found it hard to find quality children's outdoor clothes on the high street.
Founded in Sweden in 1913, Didriksons originally produced oilskins for fishermen, and now specialises in reliable, affordable and stylish outdoor gear.
The salopettes my five year old sampled are available in sizes up to nine years old. Just looking at them, I could tell they were really good quality. They were easy to slip over my son's trousers, and the braces ensured they stayed up and in place.
Out on the snowy hills, where he wore the pants, he was running around happily - without his usual moans of being cold. With the pants carefully tucked into his boots, his feet and legs were dry, warm and comfortable, allowing him to enjoy the snowy outdoors. Being black, they are ideal for wearing to school - always a bonus.
HB
Horizon Merino Hiker socks
RRP £12.99 call 01202 874874 for stockists ?or visit www.horizonsocks.co.uk
4 stars
THERE can be few things more annoying when walking in the snowy great outdoors than to feel your socks slowly slipping off your foot.
No matter what you do, there is no way of stopping it from gradually parting company with your foot until only your toes are covered. The only solution is to unlace your boots or pull off your wellies and start from scratch.
Now, however, help is at hand from Horizon who have been making "technical" socks since 1999, and whose latest offering the Merino Hiker, is ideal for all hiking and walking activities.
Horizon's blurb says fine Merino wool is blended with polypropylene to provide warmth, comfort, durability and performance, and I can't argue with that. The socks have gentle grip sections in all the right places to prevent movement, and extra padded sole and a fine toe seam which reduces the risk of blisters.
I wore them on a day out in the hills inside a pair of shooting boots and was delighted with both their warmth and comfort, without the slightest suspicion of slippage.
At £12.99, they're not cheap, but well worth the money given that when you put them on in the morning, they will stay in place all day until you take them off at night.
LF
Astra Automotive ?winterkit
£6.60, available from www.astraautomotive.co.uk
2 stars
I snake 100 miles along the Moray Firth every day, and in the winter months a windscreen can take a heavy beating, with grit, spray, rain, dirt and snow all taking their toll. My car's screen gets a fresh layer of salt coming in off the sea every night, to heap on the fun.
So it is important to keep screenwash topped up but this mixture was a touch weak, failing to wipe away much dirt, even after a few sprays. That's just not good enough. The anti-freeze spray and scraper are better suited to their task, but the bland packaging and average performance of the screenwash mean this, like all the other similar offerings, is little more than a winter white good.
AJ
