# Snowdogg XP810 vs Wide-out vs Blizzard



## mtchockey30 (Jun 10, 2009)

I have been trying to research these plows on here and I am wanting to know from the people that have had or have the wide-out style plows if there is a diffenence between the 3? Is it just price and name? The Snowdogg is cheaper and I am wondering if it is just as good? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks


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## Matson Snow (Oct 3, 2009)

Wideout = Chain Lift, Full MoldBoard Trip

Blizzard = Direct Lift , Full MoldBoard Trip

XLS = Chain Lift , Cutting Edge Trip

Snowdogg....Looks like a Chainlift and Full Moldboard Trip....Have Not Seen one in Person so i can't say for sure......

I own XLS's and have used Both the Wideout and Blizzard...All 3 are Very productive Plows and in My opinion well Worth the Money....Thumbs Up

As for the Snowdogg....Can't comment since i have Never used or even seen one in Person....


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## basher (Nov 13, 2004)

Matson Snow;1329412 said:


> Wideout = Chain Lift, Full MoldBoard Trip with expanding rotating blade extensions
> 
> Blizzard = Direct Lift , Full MoldBoard Trip
> with expanding rotating blade extensions
> ...


:salute::salute: that's honesty, too many people on here state opinions with-out experance.


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## DaveCN5 (Oct 19, 2011)

In addition to what Matson Snow said, the Blizzard is 2" taller than the Western and lighter than the Western. I can't speak about SnowDogg either, but I would also consider dealer support and parts availability.


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## mtchockey30 (Jun 10, 2009)

I thought that what he said was helpful.



basher;1329421 said:


> :salute::salute: that's honesty, too many people on here state opinions with-out experance.


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## WilliamOak (Feb 11, 2008)

blizzard is also the only one with steel wing edges last time I checked..


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## got-h2o (Sep 26, 2008)

IMO the Wideout is like a tinker toy compared to a Blizzard, even currently that they're both DD.


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## basher (Nov 13, 2004)

mtchockey30;1329650 said:


> I thought that what he said was helpful.


So did I , I was being complementary.


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## bieriewk (Dec 2, 2009)

Snowdogg has steel wing edges, very productive, had a few issues with it, look in the snowdogg forum there's a post there where I did a write-up of my experience with the plow, its well worth the money, and I have a excellent dealer, which is the key to determining which brand you go with. The wings being fixed I liked, one less button to mess with while plowing, and I can't really see a situation where you need to move them. Also the snowdogg is truly 10 feet with wings, where-as on the others I believe when you fold the wings forward they are shorter.


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## got-h2o (Sep 26, 2008)

bieriewk;1329872 said:


> Snowdogg has steel wing edges, very productive, had a few issues with it, look in the snowdogg forum there's a post there where I did a write-up of my experience with the plow, its well worth the money, and I have a excellent dealer, which is the key to determining which brand you go with. The wings being fixed I liked, one less button to mess with while plowing, and I can't really see a situation where you need to move them. Also the snowdogg is truly 10 feet with wings, where-as on the others I believe when you fold the wings forward they are shorter.


I like your honesty, especially when it comes to admitting the flaws......BUT I think you are a bit confused with how the Blizzard works. The slide boxes have a pivot for the wings and are spring loaded with a stop allowing the wings to fold in or out automatically. No extra button, no additional hydraulics. You open them up, they reach the end/stop and fold forward. It's actually a very simple design if you were to open one up and have a look (that and being spring loaded is actually safer than fixed.....almost like a trip). Also, I believe you are correct with saying it's not an actual 10'.........but in comparison I'd rather lose that few inches by having a larger scoop amount than the 20* that a Snowdogg scoops. I'd be interested to know the cubic yard capacity in comparison.


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## got-h2o (Sep 26, 2008)

..................and don't get me wrong. You get what you pay for. For the money I think the XP is well worth it in comparison. I just don't think that I personally would treat one with the same abuse my Blizzards go through. Even with those, as careful as we try to be, there's always that chance of damage.....costly damage.


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## northernsweeper (Aug 26, 2004)

I run an 8611lp blizzard and an 810. Love them both. My buddy sells the Snow Dogs. The expandable are new for them and there are still some problems to work out. They seem good and are, in my area, about 600-900 cheaper than the blizzards. The rams seem smaller on the snow dogs. The blades are taller and my buddy says they lift higher than the blizzards.....But I do like the Blizzards!


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## wizardsr (Aug 8, 2006)

northernsweeper;1329943 said:


> I run an 8611lp blizzard and an 810. Love them both. My buddy sells the Snow Dogs. The expandable are new for them and there are still some problems to work out. They seem good and are, in my area, about 600-900 cheaper than the blizzards. The rams seem smaller on the snow dogs. The blades are taller and my buddy says they lift higher than the blizzards.....But I do like the Blizzards!


PH1 Blizzards lift plenty high with a couple minor mods. They also tend to wear the pins in the lift arm assembly so they lose height over time as well.

The big rams are a strong point on the PH1 blizzards. Everyone wants speed, but I say screw the speed and give me strength! Thumbs Up That's been something that all the manufacturers have been pushing as a selling point, saying "our plows are faster than theirs", but I could really give a rats behind if a blade angles fast or not.

I looked at the snowdogg at the fair last year with interest, until I saw the cheesy trailer jack and turned and walked away. If that's all the more thought they put into the jack stand, what about the rest of the blade? If they cheaped out there, what else did the cheap out on?


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## hiranger (Jan 5, 2002)

Haven't been too impressed with the looks of the Snowdogg.. Looks kind of cheap to me. I do like the Salt dogg spreader. Buyers products can be hit and miss though.


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## bieriewk (Dec 2, 2009)

I stand corrected, so do the western or blizzard wings work at retracted lengths? I have found the dogg to be quite useful for doing drive-thrus, because I can shorten the blade until it fits perfectly in the drive thru, then push all the snow out, without dumping it on/over a curb, its something I have been complimented about several times. The thing most people don't understand about snowdogg is that it is cheaper for a reason, convinences like power jacks are not present. Personally I don't mind the jack, bc Its one less hydro system to leak or break. I have posted in the snowdogg forum that I don't think the a-frame is strong enough, I took my feelings to the dealer, they photographed the area of concern, and the same day I had reassurance from the dealer and buyers that if it ever fails, they will take care of it. Once again, dealer support is key.


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## Matson Snow (Oct 3, 2009)

bieriewk;1330002 said:


> I stand corrected, so do the western or blizzard wings work at retracted lengths? I have found the dogg to be quite useful for doing drive-thrus, because I can shorten the blade until it fits perfectly in the drive thru, then push all the snow out, without dumping it on/over a curb, its something I have been complimented about several times. The thing most people don't understand about snowdogg is that it is cheaper for a reason, convinences like power jacks are not present. Personally I don't mind the jack, bc Its one less hydro system to leak or break. I have posted in the snowdogg forum that I don't think the a-frame is strong enough, I took my feelings to the dealer, they photographed the area of concern, and the same day I had reassurance from the dealer and buyers that if it ever fails, they will take care of it. Once again, dealer support is key.


XLS, Wideout and Blizzard all retract to an 8 Foot straight blade.......


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## bieriewk (Dec 2, 2009)

So you can't partially retract the wings without them folding flat again? Can you individually adjust how much each side is retracted? Or is it an on/off thing? With the snowdogg I can change how far out each wing is, and the blade is always in "scoop" mode. Seems like an advantage to me.


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## wizardsr (Aug 8, 2006)

bieriewk;1330232 said:


> So you can't partially retract the wings without them folding flat again? Can you individually adjust how much each side is retracted? Or is it an on/off thing? With the snowdogg I can change how far out each wing is, and the blade is always in "scoop" mode. Seems like an advantage to me.


In some cases yes. Back dragging and windrowing I'd rather have the wings straight out.


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## bieriewk (Dec 2, 2009)

I would agree with back-dragging, which is the one big flaw I have experienced with this plow, there is always a foot or so of snow you can't get because the wings would hit whatever your trying to back-drag away from. In terms of windrowing, I haven't noticed a difference compared to my straight blade. I think the only way anyone could get a clear picture of the comparison of these plows would be to plow a season with each, and learn the advantages/disadvantages of each. Personally, in my area, dealer support was a big issue, the closest dealer for Fisher/DD products are each 40 mins away from me. Also in my area for some reason both Fisher and DD are priced way higher than what seems to be the norm. I saved 1800 bucks by buying the snowdogg over a blizzard, wideout, or XLS.


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## got-h2o (Sep 26, 2008)

All of the above was discussed accurately IMHO and all were valid points. One other minor thing I want to mention is for having one less thing to worry about with the jack/mounting system, is that the Blizzard doesn't use any more hydraulics or moving parts for that either. The lift cyl is what is used for that, and is very simple. It's a double acting cyl. For dismounting it simply extends farther and the claw pivots down off of the frame. IMO there is no mounting system that beats the simplicity of Blizzard PH1. I'm not trying to sound like a spokes person for Blizzard, really. I just am trying to make it clear for those who are a bit misinformed is all. They are a complex design, but with very simple, basic ideas. 

I've recently taken 2 down to scratch. Figuring out how everything works is pretty cool.


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## bieriewk (Dec 2, 2009)

I apologize for my ignorance, my only real experience with another brand has been Curtis. I appreciate the clarification. I was using the example to point out why the snowdogg was cheaper. Perhaps the forum could use a post containing all the info we can compile about plows in general. It seems that these questions get asked alot, and a post containing info about each plow would help people decide which plow fits their needs. Unfortunately, these would have to be objective, and as we all know plows are like trucks, brand loyalty runs deep. I will take some photos and put together a review on the xp, anyone who runs other plows might want to try to do the same.


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## wizardsr (Aug 8, 2006)

bieriewk;1330369 said:



> I apologize for my ignorance, my only real experience with another brand has been Curtis. I appreciate the clarification. I was using the example to point out why the snowdogg was cheaper. Perhaps the forum could use a post containing all the info we can compile about plows in general. It seems that these questions get asked alot, and a post containing info about each plow would help people decide which plow fits their needs. Unfortunately, these would have to be objective, and as we all know plows are like trucks, brand loyalty runs deep. I will take some photos and put together a review on the xp, anyone who runs other plows might want to try to do the same.


That's a GREAT idea. Kind of a who's who and what's what of snowplows. I'd be all over trying to gather that info and put it in an easy to understand format, if I only had the time...


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## got-h2o (Sep 26, 2008)

Bieriewk, please don't think I'm attacking you..............I was just clearing up a few misunderstood facts (by others too, not you in particular) that I know from personal experience.......I don't mean to sound like some know it all.


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## DaveCN5 (Oct 19, 2011)

wizardsr;1330419 said:


> That's a GREAT idea. Kind of a who's who and what's what of snowplows. I'd be all over trying to gather that info and put it in an easy to understand format, if I only had the time...


You guys mean something like this?


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## got-h2o (Sep 26, 2008)

Where did that come from^^^? B/c I don't think its too accurate. It shows the 810, 8611, LP, and Wideout to all be 10' expanded. It also shows 8611's and LP's to have 4 trip springs when they have 6, and shows 1/2" cutting edges when they're 5/8. That's just at a glance too.


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## DaveCN5 (Oct 19, 2011)

got-h2o;1330501 said:


> Where did that come from^^^? B/c I don't think its too accurate. It shows the 810, 8611, LP, and Wideout to all be 10' expanded. It also shows 8611's and LP's to have 4 trip springs when they have 6, and shows 1/2" cutting edges when they're 5/8. That's just at a glance too.


Correct. I had some stuff off from typing too fast. According to Blizzard the Edges are only 1/2" not 5/8". That's just going by their site. I corrected the other stuff.


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## got-h2o (Sep 26, 2008)

My 8611 edges are thicker than my LP or 810 edges. Also, my point with the width was not only that 8611's were not claimed to be 11', it's that when they are scooped they get smaller. Obviously an 810 is 8' and 10'.......but scooped they lose a few inches so it wasn't 100% accurate, and that's what Bieriewk was getting at in one of his posts saying that the SD was an actual 10'. I'd have to hook up 3 of my plows to get exact measurements, which probably won't happen for a few more weeks.


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## wizardsr (Aug 8, 2006)

got-h2o;1330686 said:


> My 8611 edges are thicker than my LP or 810 edges. Also, my point with the width was not only that 8611's were not claimed to be 11', it's that when they are scooped they get smaller. Obviously an 810 is 8' and 10'.......but scooped they lose a few inches so it wasn't 100% accurate, and that's what Bieriewk was getting at in one of his posts saying that the SD was an actual 10'. I'd have to hook up 3 of my plows to get exact measurements, which probably won't happen for a few more weeks.


Seems to me the lp's are actually 11'3" fully extended, don't quote me on that though. What got me on that spreadsheet though is the new lp's are only 990lbs?  Sheesh, where did they take 100lbs from!  With all the reinforcements on my lp's, 5/8 edges (they come with 1/2"), urethane wings, and deflectors, my lp's have both surpassed the 1200 mark.


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## got-h2o (Sep 26, 2008)

wizardsr;1330746 said:


> Seems to me the lp's are actually 11'3" fully extended, don't quote me on that though. What got me on that spreadsheet though is the new lp's are only 990lbs?  Sheesh, where did they take 100lbs from!  With all the reinforcements on my lp's, 5/8 edges (they come with 1/2"), urethane wings, and deflectors, my lp's have both surpassed the 1200 mark.


Nice. I'm honestly scared to know what my full size 8611 is going to weigh in at. I'm putting it on a 1 ton Dodge. I overdo things but this has me cringing at the thought of 1500lbs hanging on the front of it........


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## DaveCN5 (Oct 19, 2011)

wizardsr;1330746 said:


> Seems to me the lp's are actually 11'3" fully extended, don't quote me on that though. What got me on that spreadsheet though is the new lp's are only 990lbs?  Sheesh, where did they take 100lbs from!  With all the reinforcements on my lp's, 5/8 edges (they come with 1/2"), urethane wings, and deflectors, my lp's have both surpassed the 1200 mark.


I agree with you, but that's just what I got from Blizzard, so I don't know what to tell you. If you guys would be interested in a large version of this, I could probably find some time to throw stuff together and make it a PDF file for download since I have some down time before Michigan winter kicks off.


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## plowguy43 (Jan 2, 2008)

The thing I like about the Snowdogg - never used any but Repoman207's XLS was a nice unit - is that its a scoop in any length. There are times where I'd like to have a scoop but don't need the plow at a full 10'. The DD products need to be fully extended to go into scoop mode, the Dogg always has the scoop available. 

Also, of course the Dogg is going to have some corners cut to save costs. But in reality, its not a poorly designed unit at all and the others have their problems as well. 

Thats all I'll say since I have no real experience personally using them.


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## got-h2o (Sep 26, 2008)

I can agree with that^^^ I love my buddies SnowDogg V. I was very impressed with what it was for the cost. 

One thing I like that is opposite, is being able to pull a wing out of scoop yet leave it extended for windrowing. With a Blizzard you can scoop one side and let the other side runoff. I'm sure it's not THAT big of a deal in comparison, but it's another point to consider. Obviously you CAN still windrow with the SD.


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## got-h2o (Sep 26, 2008)

And Dave, it was nice that you took the time to do that. Maybe we can all pool together with actual weights and measurements once we all get our plows hooked up and rolling. Weight will probably be a tough one for some of us to figure, but............................


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## wizardsr (Aug 8, 2006)

got-h2o;1330822 said:


> I can agree with that^^^ I love my buddies SnowDogg V. I was very impressed with what it was for the cost.
> 
> One thing I like that is opposite, is being able to pull a wing out of scoop yet leave it extended for windrowing. With a Blizzard you can scoop one side and let the other side runoff. I'm sure it's not THAT big of a deal in comparison, but it's another point to consider. Obviously you CAN still windrow with the SD.


IMHO, that's a HUGE benefit to the blizzards. Between the scooped leading wing allowing you to take a bigger bite, the extra width of the extended trailing wing, and the aggressive curl that really throws snow, I can't think of any plow I'd rather have for windrowing. Yes, it would be cool to have the ability to scoop at varying widths, that would require extra cylinders (think of the troublesome early 4 hose models), extra hydraulics, extra switches, etc. As you mentioned in an earlier post, the spring loaded design and single cylinder per wing is quite simple in design and works well!


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## got-h2o (Sep 26, 2008)

Amen to that


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## T-Trim (Nov 8, 2005)

Look at basic thinking here. know your producted from head to toe and in and out. Buy parts and have them on hand. Its the snow fighting way. Snow is no time to depend on other. No question ...! Any brand is good. What matters is YOU the End user. Not the other guy. Know the equiments + and - and be proactive. Key in a storm Proactive. Thanks again you been wonderful. Goodnight.


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## plowguy43 (Jan 2, 2008)

wizardsr;1330888 said:


> IMHO, that's a HUGE benefit to the blizzards. *1* *Between the scooped leading wing allowing you to take a bigger bite*, *2**the extra width of the extended trailing wing, and the aggressive curl that really throws snow*, I can't think of any plow I'd rather have for windrowing. Yes, it would be cool to have the ability to scoop at varying widths, that would require extra cylinders (think of the troublesome early 4 hose models), extra hydraulics, extra switches, etc. As you mentioned in an earlier post, the spring loaded design and single cylinder per wing is quite simple in design and works well!


1- The Snowdogg always is scooped, so it also takes that bite but the outter wing can be extended further while in Scoop than the DD Products.

2- I'll have to check again but I believe the moldboard of the Dogg is taller and is at 70* which is great for throwing snow. Also, I don't know if the argument of windrowing better with a straigh edge is really valid. Thinking about plowing a road I had last winter, at full angle the snow would roll back down the bank because it wasn't "Thrown" far enough. I ended up not angling full right, but just a little before that and found it threw the snow over the banks better and kept the blade wider.

Once again, not arguing with your points, just brining up a few contrasts that popped into my head.


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## bieriewk (Dec 2, 2009)

I used mine to plow a Kroger parking lot last year, and in terms of windrowing, I thought the snowdogg performed better than my straight blade, I could take that bigger bite because at full angle the leading wing was almost parallel to the truck, meaning I could make a pass that was almost the complete width of the plow without any snow rolling off the leading edge. Plus the trailing wing would tend to create a "box" between the windrow and the plow, which resulted in more snow making it to the pile at the end, and less clean up. It also helped by not throwing the snow off so far, making the windrows more compact and easier to clean up, where-as the straight blade throws the windrow over further, and when you're trying to clean it up, it's wider instead of taller. 
h2o- I wasn't thinking that you were attacking me, I appreciate the information that you have brought to this discussion.


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## plowguy43 (Jan 2, 2008)

bieriewk;1331597 said:


> I used mine to plow a Kroger parking lot last year, and in terms of windrowing, I thought the snowdogg performed better than my straight blade, I could take that bigger bite because at full angle the leading wing was almost parallel to the truck, meaning I could make a pass that was almost the complete width of the plow without any snow rolling off the leading edge. Plus the trailing wing would tend to create a "box" between the windrow and the plow, which resulted in more snow making it to the pile at the end, and less clean up. It also helped by not throwing the snow off so far, making the windrows more compact and easier to clean up, where-as the straight blade throws the windrow over further, and when you're trying to clean it up, it's wider instead of taller.
> h2o- I wasn't thinking that you were attacking me, I appreciate the information that you have brought to this discussion.


That is exactly what I was thinking in my head actually. Having the wing angled in would create a wider area (almost like a straight blade being straight) since its parallel to the truck. Great post and information.


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## REAPER (Nov 23, 2004)

Snow Dogg
XP810 29" Moldboard height

Blizzards are 31" 810PP/8611FP and 34" for 8611PP


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## plowguy43 (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks for the info, 2"s isn't a huge difference. What about attack angle?


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## bieriewk (Dec 2, 2009)

In response to an earlier post, the snowdogg only has cylinders to extend/retract the wings, the same(I'm assuming) as the blizzard. In all actuality the snowdogg is a simpler design, less moving parts, less points of failure. The major disadvantage is backdragging, as was mentioned earlier. Have any of you guys with blizzards tried windrowing with your trailing wing folded out? And then done the same with it folded in? I would be curious to see what the difference is. Also, I am simply discussing design here, not necessarily reliably, durability and such. Purely the concepts the plows are based on.


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## DaveCN5 (Oct 19, 2011)

EDIT: The Snow Plow Comparison Database now has it's own thread. Please go to that thread!

http://www.plowsite.com/showthread.php?p=1331723#post1331723


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