If you live in area that receives even a minimal amount of snow per year, you are likely aware of how important it is to be prepared for this snow. It is so secret that it can accumulate quickly and create a huge mess for people trying to navigate through it. Most people who live in snowy regions probably have been caught off guard at least once or twice in their life to where they wished they were better prepared.
To ready your car for a potential unexpected event or emergency during the winter, you should put together a winter survival kit and store it in your trunk. Ready Wisconsin has created a helpful list of items that you should carry in your survival kit. As you probably guessed, a shovel is one of those items on this list.
We have put together our own list below of the best snow shovels for your car. These portable shovels are much smaller than your typical driveway snow shovels in order to fit comfortably in a car trunk. However, don’t let their size fool you. If you buy a quality car shovel, it will help you immensely if you need to dig your car out from the snow in an emergency.
Additionally, these car shovels are great beyond a snow emergency. They can be used for camping or other outdoor activities when bringing along a traditional shovel just isn’t practical. Some people even opt to keep their snow shovel in their car year-round to use it as needed.
Table of Contents
The Best Snow Shovels for a Car
Lifeline AAA 4004 Aluminum Sport Utility Shovel
- 3 PIECE COLLAPSIBLE DESIGN: Breaks down to 3 pieces making it easy to store and carry
- LIGHTWEIGHT: Constructed of durable high-quality light aluminum weighing 1.3 lbs.
- BE PREPARED: You'll never know what adverse weather conditions you may run into
- ADJUSTABLE: Shovel can adjust from 21” to 26” to 32”
Last update on 2022-11-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Cartman Portable Aluminium Sport Utility Shovel
- LIGHTWEIGHT & STURDY - Made of superior aluminum alloy, weighs only 1.3 pounds, our sport shovel makes the snow removal tasks easier and happier.
- ADJUSTABLE LENGTH - Our aluminum snow shovel can be adjusted to 3 different heights - 23’’, 26’’, 32.5’’ for maximum leverage and efficiency.
- MULTI PURPOSE - Perfect shovel to carry when go camping, snowboarding, backpacking, snowmobiling. Ideal tool for car, truck, SUV, recreational vehicle.
- EASY TO CARRY - Innovative folding design allows the snow shovel to quickly and easily collapse so you can attach to a backpack or stow away in your car.
- BEAUTIFUL COLORS - Treated with advanced coating technical methods, the surface is smooth, environment-friendly and not easy to be scraped off in use.
Last update on 2022-11-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
SOG Entrenching Tool F08-N- Folding Shovel
- 18.25 INCH FULL LENGTH, 24.5 OUNCES: Lightweight foldable outdoor, hunting, military shovel is versatile to get the job done. E-Tool features a wood saw edge to cut or chop small branches and trees for kindling or fire building
- COMPACT AND PORTABLE: The multi-use shovel folds down to be barely bigger than your hand. 10 inches in length when folded, it takes up about the same space as a stack of paper plates. A needed tool that is easy to pack and takes up no space in your backpack, or camp kit
- HIGH-CARBON STEEL CONSTRUCTION: Super durable to handle the long list of jobs the shovel was designed to handle in extreme conditions. Dig through dirt, sand, gravel mud, and snow with the tempered steel blade. The triangular handle is strong and fits the hand well for optimal use when digging, trenching, cutting, or slashing
- 3-WAY FOLDING DESIGN: Hand shovel collapses into a portable outdoor shovel, emergency shovel, and hiking shovel. The rotating spade blade can be adjusted to act as a pick or hoe. Ultimate camp tool to dig fire pits, bury waste, or trench drainage lines
- SOG TACTICAL SHOVEL FOR LIFE: Take care of your folding shovel and we’ll take care of you; SOG shovels for digging are built to last, and we consider all repair and replacement requests
Last update on 2022-11-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
True Temper AutoBoss Emergency Car Shovel
- Clears areas around tires and hard to reach places
- Simple extension and retraction makes for quick work
- Compact and foldable for easy storage
- Multiple grips for hand placement options
- Lightweight and portable
Last update on 2022-11-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Here is a shovel designed with snow emergencies in mind. The shovel is able to fold or unfold when the latch on the middle of the shove is pulled. The shovel locks into position once the latch is pressed in like is shown in the photo above. You typically use the shovel by placing one hand on the handle by the scoop and the other hand on the top handle. This shovel is super easy to store and fold/unfold. Check out the below video to see the shovel in action.
Power Foldable Shovel
- PERFECT SHAPE FOR SEVERAL USES: Compact shape makes this a perfect tool for a variety of outdoor activities, including hiking, camping and gardening. Super easy to store due to the small dimensions and its format.
- IT FITS EVERYWHERE: The Power Foldable Shovel folds nicely into included carrying pouch, making it easier to transport in bags, toolboxes, backpacks, cars, etc. It is available and ready to be used in a simple adjustment.
- HIGH QUALITY MATERIALS: Includes a PP blade (9.6” x 11.2”) with aluminum edge and reinforced ribs. The handle and head are connected by screws. D shaped grip makes the use much more comfortable. Perfect for your needs!
- YOU’LL BE A PART OF OUR FAMILY! We’re not just any old company, we are a family. Providing the absolute best customer service is the cornerstone of our business and we promise to treat you like you are part of our family. We’re located in Orlando, Florida, and love hearing from our customers. Your contact will be made directly with the owners of the company and we will respond to all questions, doubts and complaints. We guarantee that!
- 100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEED OR YOUR MONEY BACK: for us, it is straight forward: if you, by any chance, do not like our products, please feel free to return them and we will refund you. You can do that anytime and we promise no hassle at all. We want your purchase experience with us to be as smooth as possible. No questions asked.
Last update on 2022-11-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The Power Foldable Shovel folds down to a nicely compact 12.5 inches from 26 inches at full extension. It would be difficult for most people not to be able to accommodate this shovel in their car space. This is mostly made from a durable plastic with strip of metal at the blade. The shovel comes with a nylon bag for protection while stored or for easier carrying. We put this shovel on our list of best car snow shovels for its ability to scoop a large amount of snow in comparison to several other car shovels.
Suncast SCS300 Automotive Snow Shovel
- COMPACT SNOW SHOVEL: Features a 11" x 13" blade to effectively clear snow and ice from behind tires, and it can also be used to clear driveways, sidewalks, steps, and pathways
- ANGLED CHANNELS: Angled rib pattern on the blade efficiently collects snow for more convenient shoveling
- DURABLE CONSTRUCTION: Galvanized steel wear strip lines the exterior edge of the heavy duty no-stick plastic blade to protect it from cracks and chips over time, and the steel-cored shaft prevents bending and snapping while shoveling
- ERGONOMIC HANDLE: Ergonomic D-grip provides increased stability to make shoveling easier and more comfortable during repetitive use
- TELESCOPING HANDLE: Handle extends from 30" to 36" long to provide the ideal length and leverage
Last update on 2022-11-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Hopkins SubZero 17222
- Heavy-duty aluminum construction for demanding jobs and maximum durability
- Handle extends to 30 inches for a long reach
- Collapsible for easy and convenient storage
- Dual-function design makes this a must-have item for ultimate safety in winter conditions
- Available in assorted colors
Last update on 2022-11-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The Hopkins SubZero is a durable aluminium shovel that would make an excellent addition to your car winter survival kit. As you can see in the photo, it can collapse to a relative small size. The shovel extends to 30 inches to provide a decent length for emergency shoveling. It can adjust to a side-mount position where the shovelhead is at about a 90° angle to the handle. This allows the user to more easily clear snow from under their car. You can purchase this shovel in your choice of blue, red, or green.
Pinty Aluminium Lightweight Utility Shovel
- PREMIUM MATERIALS: Built with high-quality aluminum and made to last with superior performance in rust-resistance & anti-deformation, ideal for digging out a car, truck, SUV, recreational vehicle, or snowmobile etc.
- ADJUSTABLE & COMFORTABLE DESIGN: The ergonomically designed shovelhead measuring at 11” x 8” ensures a larger digging volume while the adjustable handle can be modified to lengths between 26” and 32” to accommodate a variety of users!
- SIMPLE ASSEMBLY: 3-piece construction for easy assembly and disassembly, ready to use in less than 5 minutes!
- COMPACT & LIGHTWEIGHT: Our snow shovel can be retracted to 26” x 8” and is incredibly light weighing only 1.8lbs, so you can take this with you anywhere and store it easily on the go!
- FOR ADVENTURE & EMERGENCY SITUATIONS: Whether you are embarking on a wilderness adventure or preparing for emergency situations, make sure you’re ready for anything with this Snow Shovel!
Last update on 2022-11-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Here is another lightweight aluminum shovel that disassembles into three pieces for convenient storage. A nice feature of this shovel is that the handle length can be adjusted from 26 inches to 32 inches based on your preference. Most users will have little trouble handling the weight of this shovel at 1.8 pounds. The shovel head measures 11 inches x 8.3 inches. Yes, this is not the largest of the shovels featured, but it will likely have no trouble with many tasks you put in front of it.
Car Snow Shovel Q&A
- Do I really need an emergency snow shovel for my car?
- Most people have ample room in their car to store a snow shovel through the winter. Why risk getting stuck, when you can buy a quality and relatively inexpensive car snow shovel in case of an emergency where you need it.
- Is a car snow shovel just as good as a traditional snow shovel in terms of performance?
- The idea of a car snow shovel is to have a practical way to dig yourself out in an emergency. A traditional shovel is typically consider a better option in terms of overall performance, but most people realistically can’t or don’t want to store a full-sized shovel in their car. The compact size of a car snow shovel greatly reduces the burden of having to store it in your car.
- Can I use my portable car snow shovel as my primary snow shovel?
- It is probably not a good option for most people due to its small size. Most people will be better off using a traditional snow shovel for clearing off their driveway, sidewalks, etc. because they are much better designed for long-term use.