"These Are My 4 Best Tips and Tricks to Navigating Cities After a Blizzard"

Retractable Studded Winter Boots

One of the first things I noticed during my first winter in Montreal was the popularity of retractable studded boots. These boots are generally made of heavy duty, waterproof materials- but are also outfitted with a secret feature. On the sole of the boot is a retractable, fold-out set of studs. These metal studs are designed to be flipped out and fold into an inlay cut into the rubber sole, providing extra grip!

One of the most dangerous parts of a blizzard and the days following is the hazardous ice that covers the ground! Some snow melts during the day, pooling into puddles and then freezing as night brings sub-zero temperatures back. These frozen puddles can be everywhere, and difficult to see! Though everything would be salted in a perfect world, taking proactive measures on ones own is the best we can do! Getting a pair of these boots is one of the best strategies against slipping on ice.

Having a full on pair of metal studded hiking boots would be a bit overkill, and you wouldn’t be able to wear them in homes or businesses. But with these boots you can flip them up when shopping, having a meal or visiting a friend. When it’s time to head back into the snowy and slippery outdoors, the studs can be flipped right back into place! Instead of slipping on hidden black ice and potentially suffering a serious injury, these boots will have you as sturdy as a seasoned hiker!

Tuck, Tuck, Goose!

Snowstorms leave cities covered in snow. And while city workers do their best to clear it as it falls, its an impossible task. Even a flurry can drop ice cold flakes onto your neck and leave enough snow to sneak into your shoes! To avoid getting even colder, there’s a couple of very easy ways to block out the cold and the snow! The first thing I figured out was tucking my pants into my socks. I could all but eliminate snow finding a way to give me that cold shock to the ankle! Another part of this was to start lacing my boots tightly. Therefore making sure there wasn’t any room for snow to sneak in, making my foot a cold wet mess for the day!

That isn’t the only thing you’ll want to tuck in though, as the frigidness of snowstorms doesn’t stop at the knee! Tucking in your shirt goes a long way to keeping heat trapped to your body! And if you wear a scarf, tucking it into your collar can help block out those stray snowflakes landing on your neck!

Take the ‘Path More Traveled’

Traveling on more heavily trafficked roads may seem like a surefire way to lose time and beat around the bush. But in blizzard conditions, safety needs to be the number one priority. Additionally, when blizzard conditions are at their worst some smaller roads and especially residential sidewalks are unlikely to be cleared!

In a car, while potentially losing time to traffic, the busier roads are more likely to be plowed and salted. Not only are they safer to travel on, but sometimes they’re actually the only roads where travel is truly possible! In cities, where snow removal can be a complicated process, prioritizing plowing on busy roads is a logical step.

But the same logic applies to walking! When walking during or directly after a blizzard, finding cleared sidewalks and walking paths is difficult! The less busy the road is, the less of a chance anyone else has walked down it before you! That leaves you walking through inches of snow and getting your pants soaked! Instead, I figured out that making a beeline to popular routes allowed me to piggyback on the ‘path more traveled’! If a busy road is lined with businesses, shoveled sidewalks are common as well! Whether driving or walking, the most direct and shortest route isn’t always the best way to go!

Function Over Form!

Though it may sound obvious, when its super cold you’ve just got to forget about being fashionable. Outfits that have numerous visible layers and opened coats will leave you freezing in the cold at any time. After a blizzard this is only heightened as the chance of slipping and getting wet is all too possible! Whether its ice or a snowbank, not having waterproof outerwear could easily mean you need to go home and change! Its not only uncomfortable to continue through a day in wet clothes, there are many potential health risks! I may not have felt like a fashion icon when I arrived to class in university, but I was warm enough to focus!

When the snowstorms get really bad, this might mean wearing equipment usually reserved for skiing! Whether going to campus or if you’re just on your way to get groceries, don’t count it out! Snow pants and waterproof boots make snow banks and unshoveled sidewalks much less of an impasse!