What does a snow brush look like?

[Wayland]

It certainly depends on the shell material your are using to some extent.

Natural shells of wool or cotton will tend to retain more snow but even synthetics get some stuck on or held in creases.

A snow brush removes this snow from boots and clothing before moving into a warm environment where it becomes liquid water, soaking into the cloth. (Even waterproof synthetics get damp and when moving back into freezing conditions that can present problems.)

 

[Bumbler]

It certainly depends on the shell material your are using to some extent.

Natural shells of wool or cotton will tend to retain more snow but even synthetics get some stuck on or held in creases.

A snow brush removes this snow from boots and clothing before moving into a warm environment where it becomes liquid water, soaking into the cloth. (Even waterproof synthetics get damp and when moving back into freezing conditions that can present problems.)

This is why on the porch of every house in Norway, you will find a bruch like this, to remove snow friom your boots and clothes before enetring the house.

But in most situations modern clothing is so effective at shedding snow. And I have never in my entire life seen anyone carry a brush on their person to clean snow with.
It's a good idea but for me it just adds to the clutter of kit I am wearing when out. And a twig from a tree or beating it off with my mittens does the jobb.

 

[ex-member BareThrills]

I lived in my bivvy boots in Estonia and found the cordura foot plate did collect snow. A quick wizz over with my snow brush allowed me to get in my bag with them still on. Beating with gloves did not shift it.

 

[Goatboy]

The guys are right, GTX, though good only works A) in conjunction with a layering system and B) a relatively narrow band of humidity, temperature and moisture differential. They wearers work rate and level of physical fitness will play a large part of how comfortable they will be. Some folks feel I'm anti GTX 'cause I don't wear it anymore. I'm not I think for a material that waterproof (I could get into hydrostatic head levels but it gets boring - lets just say that unlike most breathable fabrics it will not allow water to be forced through my equipment rubbing or say kneeling down in a puddle) it's pretty damn good.
In cold wet conditions (like the UK) it can struggle if the user perspires a lot and or they are too well insulated. They fabric relies on the persperation remaining a vapour to escape through its pores. (Water vapour is smaller than liquid water hence why only one gets through). so if you overwhelm it (it has a maximum amount of vapour that can pass through it in a given time VTR) or the persperation cools before passing through the fabric (condensation, it's either too cold outside or wearer is so well insulated that the temperature differential between skin and outer fabric means that the vapour turns to water) that you get wet. Most folks I see outside wear too much clothing, better to start off cold and work/walk harder to keep warm. You see so many folk stop 10 mins after leaving the car/camp because they're too hot. It's not GTX fault If on a hot day you go for a run or chop wood quickly wearing only a cotton teeshirt you'll notice it'll get wet pretty quickly. Wearing a GTX jacket over that will not magicaly dry it out. So you need to manage that moisture away from the skin.
This is where base layers come in. Most folks still use synthetic base layers where the fabric is woven in such a way that the weave transports the moisture in one direction and speads it over a larger surface area allowing evaporation. They're really good at this though they do have drawbacks. They smell (not called smelly Hellys for nothing) and they're nowt you can do about it. All the anti bac washes and silver treatments will not stop it long term. And get to close to a fire and it's melty plastic time - not nice. You can wear the likes of merino wool instead which will transport the moisture and not go up like an old christmas tree next to a fife as wool is a natural retardant and it doesn't smell. It is pricier though.
You'll also need to wear mid layers as the temperature / work load requires.
Most of us who've worked and played outdoors know it's impossible to stay warm and dry all the time. A little bit of discomfort will creep in at some point. Unfortunatley GTX is "Guaranteed to keep you dry" which is over egging the pudding as it's impossible. However within their parameters of Hydrostatic head and VTR nothing does compete. I personally use Paramo as it breathes a lot, lot better but under pressure water can be forced through (say kneeling in damp moss), but the water is pushed back out again when I stand up. So for me who these days is not fit ( I sweat a lot) but not daft enough to sit in puddles it's perfect. It's also a lot quieter for sneeking around. Most of the time I don't wear a waterproof layer at all. I use heavy wool like tweed or Swanndri, (though I covet the bison bushcraft stuff my pals have). While this isn't waterproof, it keeps me comfortable when wet, allows maximum breathability, its quiet and because I keep it treated with lanolin/babyoil actually is fairly water repelent.
The cotton and ventile products that the acrtic crew use are perfect for those conditions, moisture management is your biggest issue out there. Moisture building up in clothing can make it ridgid and rob you of it's insulating properties. GXT wont really work and fuzzy wool will hold on to that snow on its surface. Wet precipitation isn't an issue in -20's conditions. You will get snow collecting on the surface which their brushes deal with before getting into the shelter and you'll always get moisture from your breath condensing and freezing around the head area. Hence frozen hats and beards. (But that makes you look gnarly ).

 

[Teepee]

It certainly depends on the shell material your are using to some extent.

Natural shells of wool or cotton will tend to retain more snow but even synthetics get some stuck on or held in creases.

A snow brush removes this snow from boots and clothing before moving into a warm environment where it becomes liquid water, soaking into the cloth. (Even waterproof synthetics get damp and when moving back into freezing conditions that can present problems.)

Exactly Wayland. I have yet to find any material that won't collect snow or ice to some degree. Brushing it off removes 90% of the potential problem. Even firewood benefits from brushing off sometimes.

As bumbler says, twigs, spruce, gloves etc are all very effective at removing it but stubborn partially melted snow that has refrozen is far more easily shifted with a stiff bristled brush made for the job. Shaking will remove most, a brush takes off more. Its just much more efficient and speedy at the job.

Its not just snow, ice and frost also build up on tarps and other equipment. Removing it before it melts in and wets kit from heat from the sun makes sense over just leaving it to a shake. Its just weight that can avoid being carried, and moisture that can be prevented from slowly wetting kit and equipment. The weight and bulk of a 30g (yes, I've weighed it ) snow brush is easily offset by the weight and volume of stuck on frozen water. The flat scraper end is also very useful fro scraping stubborn ice off equipment.

Essential kit for myself and others in the snow and very widely used.

 

[Bumbler]

I'll continue to use clothes that sheds most of it. My jacket just requires a shake and the snow is off. I got enough around my waist with the possibles bag, my tinder collection bag, knife, and FAK and water bottle.

But perhaps I'll throw one in my camp kit to use to brush off before going to sit by the fire, and before changing to dry kit. It's not like weight is an issue, as I normaly go with a pulk now in winter.

It is a good idea to carry one, specially if you go the nostalgic route in clothing, as keeping dry can be more of a problem then.
I would probably do the same in my climate if I where to use that kind of clothing, as the coastal scandi climate is snowy, yet wet.

Stil...I do have a craving to get myslelf a traditional smock, so who knows if you won't see me sporting a dish washing brush on my belt as well
Or I'll just get one of them Norwegian army clothes brushes to keep in the pocket, like we had to with the old cotton combat jackets...
Well, they were actually meant for brushing off nuclear downfall...might be a good idea if that Kim decides to push the button

 

[rg598]

I'll continue to use clothes that sheds most of it. My jacket just requires a shake and the snow is off. I got enough around my waist with the possibles bag, my tinder collection bag, knife, and FAK and water bottle.

But perhaps I'll throw one in my camp kit to use to brush off before going to sit by the fire, and before changing to dry kit. It's not like weight is an issue, as I normaly go with a pulk now in winter.

It is a good idea to carry one, specially if you go the nostalgic route in clothing, as keeping dry can be more of a problem then.
I would probably do the same in my climate if I where to use that kind of clothing, as the coastal scandi climate is snowy, yet wet.

Stil...I do have a craving to get myslelf a traditional smock, so who knows if you won't see me sporting a dish washing brush on my belt as well
Or I'll just get one of them Norwegian army clothes brushes to keep in the pocket, like we had to with the old cotton combat jackets...
Well, they were actually meant for brushing off nuclear downfall...might be a good idea if that Kim decides to push the button

I think you nailed it. If one wants to go the nostalgic route in clothing, then a snow brush is very useful. When I use to wear a lot of wool clothing, the snow would stick to it without exception and it would get packed into the material. You would have to spend some time getting it off before going somewhere warm.

With modern shells it's not an issue. Virtually nothing sticks to them, and if it does, just moving around shakes it off. There is no need for a snow brush. Nothing wrong with carrying one, it's just not needed. And that's not limited to GoreTex. I just gave it as an example because that's the shell I was wearing in the picture. Most modern shells will have the same effect.

 

[treefrog]

Mine looks like this

…and I use it to clear snow off the car

from Clas Ohlson £4.39

 

[Tor helge]

The brush Bumbler talks about looks something like this:

Works OK if you need one