Hi

I have been seeing snow chains and snow socks more and more in shops recently and was contemplating buying some for the winter months. I cannot afford snow tyres.

I have seen these snow socks in asda http://direct.asda.com/TEX-Car-Snow-Soc ... lt,pd.html and was wondering if anyone has any experience with these or snow chains and if it is worth getting either chains or socks.

It seems that you simply carry them in the car and then put them on when needed

I would appreciate your thoughts and experience with this

Thanks

I have spent 2 winters driving mini busses in the alps fitted with snow tyres and regularly used snow chains there. I do also have chains for my cars in the UK.
Snow chains are great in snow or indeed in mud and will take you places only tractors can normally go. The only limitation you will have to the depth of snow you can go in will be ground clearance in terms of the front of the car pushing snow in front of it (typically 6-10" depending on how low the front of the car is) BUT they will wear out in a couple of hundred miles in deep snow and just a couple of miles on bare tarmac. Shallow snow or slush somewhere inbetween. You can put them on in just a few minutes with practice but expect it to take 20 mins the first time. Buy chains with the bigger 'heavy duty' 10 or 12mm (from memory) size links. They are stronger and last longer in use and give a better increase in grip. Well worth the extra few pounds over the 'standard duty' smaller 6 or 8mm (from memory) size links. I would go for manually tentioned ones rather than the automatically tentioned ones. The automatic tentioners (work like a tape measure with a chord pulling off a sprung spool) are prone to not tentioning enough and to jamming up when grit and mud get in them.
Snow tyres also do what they say on the tin and, like remoulds, are a very different thing than they were 30 or so years ago when the maximum speed off snow was limited because of them overheating and prematurely wearing out. They grip just fine on dry or wet roads with no snow or ice on them and their top speed rating is well above the national speed limit these days. They do wear out a little quicker than regular tyres but not that much. A 2WD car fitted with newish snow tyres will go as well in snow as a 4WD with standard tyres. Snow tyres advantage in snow quickly deteriorates as they approach 1/3rd to 1/2 worn.
I have no experience of snow socks.

On a different but related note disabling ABS will half or better your stopping distance in snow. All vehicles used regularly in the alps have ABS disabled. In snow ABS causes the tyres to ride over the snow causing the vehicle to just slide and slide like its on black ice. Without ABS when you stand on the brakes the tyre pushes snow infront of it slowing the vehicle somewhat quicker in deep snow and ploughing right through the snow to the tarmac underneath slowing the vehicle MUCH quicker in shallower snow. I always pull the ABS fuse when driving an ABS equipped vehicle in snow. The only downside is that the ABS warning light annoyingly stays lit on the dashboard untill you put the fuse back in (and on one of my cars the ABS fuse powers the car alarm as well so that is also disabled until the fuse is replaced).

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Mike

My neighbour (without 4WD) bought snow chains, we live off a steep minor road that we have to clear, took him forever to fit in his driveway and looked a dangerous exercise, then he had to remove them on reaching the cleared main road again dangerous exercise, my Honda 4WD CRV just sailed up; snow socks are a good stand-by I hear but wear quickly.

Thanks for the replies.

I had heard that snow chains are a pain to fit and remove as opposed to snow socks which only take a couple of minutes to fit and seconds to remove.

I am only wanting them for if i get stuck in the snow as opposed to using them all the time as the main road will hopefully be clear enough to drive as normal. It is because I am starting to work 35 miles away from home so do not want to get stuck.

Until you posted the link I have never heard of snow socks before. I always use snow chains and, with a bit of practice, they come on and off pretty quick. The only advice is to wear gloves because if it's really cold your bare hands stick to them!

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Mike
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Yeah I use snow chains, the exit to my road is a very steep hill and leads onto a busy main road. If it snows 4x4's struggle to get up it.
The only advantages I can see to snow socks is they'll be easier to fit and keep your cars feet warm.

The expenditure is worth it instead of missing work and not being paid I reckon.

Snow socks are almost a waste of time and money imho...they can only be used to get you out of trouble and then you'll have to stop and remove them to avoid completely trashing them on normal roads.

Last time I saw some for sale they weren't cheap either.

wrinx

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www.ilmostro.co.uk

Even though, as pointed out earlier, I have never heard of snow socks until this thread. I doubt I would switch from snow chains because they are good investment and last years. Also with snow chains they help breaking up and distributing the snow in the tyre tracks to make it easier for other road users (I can be considerate occasionally!)

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Mike
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Michellin snow socks are for sale in Costco for a bargain price of £59.99 inc vat, gotta be wortha go at that money
visit the halfords website and it gives you all the info you need, as well as peoples views who have purchased these on how good they are, all the best.

Didn't pay that much for my heavy duty snow chains. Think I got them from Amazon. They are quit a bit cheaper in this country than they were a few years ago - More inline with the prices in europe now.

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Mike