Snow Socks

Snow Socks for Tyres | Bottari Evoltion, GripSock Snow Socks | Alternative to Snow Chains | UK Snow Socks

Im not getting any as im sure my Michellin Lattitude cross AT tyres will be good in the snow and ice, wondered how good they would be for standard family cars?!

Quite:




That's our MY2000 Saab 9-3 Cab. Snow socks are great for roads which are snowy (like the one in the second photo) but tarmac tears them to shreds. They take seconds to fit, but are quite a bugger to remove (tight fit + cold hands = difficult to remove).

Grip and handling is very much improved - they effectively stop the treads from filling with snow so you retain grip. A great "get you home/Emergency" item.

I used them to get to work when the weather was very bad last year. The saab was the only non-4x4 able to get up the hill leading to our road, or get down it safely (Corsa in a lamp post was evidence enough for that).

You beat me to it twin-cam.

Even a short bit of tarmac will shred 'em.

Hi Joe,
My FL has the dreaded 225x55x17 alloys = no clearance behind wheels for chains.
French insist on chains regardless for winter alpine access = problem.
I looked at snow socks excellent on packed snow but reputed to shreded when even the smallest area of tarmac exposed.
Also found these - Amazon.co.uk: Customer Reviews: Michelin Easy Grip Car Snow Chain fits 195/55 x 16 they get excellent reviews and are more robust than socks but not guaranteed to get passed the Gendarmes ??
In the end went for front fixing chain sets - loads on money but on and off in seconds.
Sods law when we went never had to use them as roads were clear - ho hum - maybe next time

they are very good we used them last year on our hersaes and limos

TD John said:

Hi Joe,
My FL has the dreaded 225x55x17 alloys = no clearance behind wheels for chains.
French insist on chains regardless for winter alpine access = problem.
I looked at snow socks excellent on packed snow but reputed to shreded when even the smallest area of tarmac exposed.
Also found these - Amazon.co.uk: Customer Reviews: Michelin Easy Grip Car Snow Chain fits 195/55 x 16 they get excellent reviews and are more robust than socks but not guaranteed to get passed the Gendarmes ??
In the end went for front fixing chain sets - loads on money but on and off in seconds.
Sods law when we went never had to use them as roads were clear - ho hum - maybe next time

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Did you actually try fitting 9mm lightweight chains? Or did you just believe those folk who say they don't fit?

£28 with free postage on eBay.

Nope, actually measured the gap between the tyre wall and the spring = < 8mm when standing unloaded on the road. (don't spend that sort of money without checking the facts)
The 9mm chains won't go round without hitting the springs.
Eventually went for a S/H Maggi Trax front fitting set off Ebay - had to machine out the supplied wheel nut clamp to the F/L alloys nut but all perfick now.
Motors still running it's original Synchrones - lots of life left yet.

If you want a fright - have a look at the LR sets for the F/L - they're made by Spike Spider, you need to fit the hub plate in advance "just in case you need to fit the chains" and are >£400 an axle set.

TD John said:

Nope, actually measured the gap between the tyre wall and the spring = < 8mm when standing unloaded on the road. (don't spend that sort of money without checking the facts)
The 9mm chains won't go round without hitting the springs.
Eventually went for a S/H Maggi Trax front fitting set off Ebay - had to machine out the supplied wheel nut clamp to the F/L alloys nut but all perfick now.
Motors still running it's original Synchrones - lots of life left yet.

If you want a fright - have a look at the LR sets for the F/L - they're made by Spike Spider, you need to fit the hub plate in advance "just in case you need to fit the chains" and are >£400 an axle set.

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You're completely right about the set that LR recommend - no way.

I spend a lot of time in Austria and have never needed the chains I carry yet.

I changed to 235/55 17 Continental 4X4 CrossContacts and with a 7mm spacer my cheap chains will fit - but they have never been out of the bag for 5 years. I tried the snow socks idea last year - they don't survive any distance at all on tarmac - I'd need a new set every year!

That would be it then - spacers!
Fit 7mm spacers plus < 8mm clearance = > 14mm to play with
Skinny chains will then fit - BUT - we had standard LR chains for the Disco - hoops round the back, loose tensioning the hoops driving on and then resetting the tensions
Not too bad in the dry but when we had to do it at the bottom of the pass in the dark in the slush and snow - cold hands, wet knees and you are always wondering if that noise was just the chain or did it hit something vital on it's way round at the back???
Front fitters where the chain sits accross the tread like a ladder, is made (rubber cross tensioned) to the correct circumference for the tyre/wheel size and is held in place on the tyre by spring steel webs from the front is the way to go.
Quick to fit and remove, nothing round the back, just like driving on a tank track.
Least that's what it feels like when we tried them here in the UK, yet to find out how they feel on a serious climb round hairpins??
Downside is they're not cheap!!
Did you check out the Michelin alternative - sort of bungy with metal cleats. If it survives better on the bald patches it may prove a viable alternative but I could not get a definitive answer from Michelin or the constabulary as to their suitability to be used when chains are mandatory?? Thr wording in their requirement states metal chains (making snow socks a no-no).

I've had differences of opinion with the polizei in Slovenia & in Bosnia about what tyres and / or chains meet the regulations. So far I've been OK with M+S tyres, with more than the minimum of 4mm. I've never felt the need to put the chains on, or been forced to fit them. I'm sure a day will come though, and you'd be foolish not to have chains or something acceptable in the boot to show them.

I've even had guys with a nice little sponge mat kneel down with a torch to read the spec on the sidewall, with a torch, in the middle of the night. Then they usually argue about the tread depth.

The poor sods are underpaid and cold and are looking for fining the foreigners. If you ask for a receipt you have to 'wait for my boss to come from the town.' So you don't wait. They are not too greedy and good luck to them. £5 - £10 usually - I treat it like a donation to charity - wouldn't work in Germany or Austria though.

The problem with all these new type devices is the patchy asphalt bits in between the white bits. If its miles of pure white its fine, but you often come to a few hundred metres of clear road. With chains you would just go very slowly (and noisily) over it. with socks its a no-no, especially if its a hairpin that has been cleared. I see lots of 'clever' Germans from the north of their country left sockless.

The Michelin jobs I've not seen yet - I'll keep a look out next month.

Have fun in the snow everyone.

I don't want people to get the wrong idea here about snow socks - they are an emergency item.

Yes - tarmac will shred them, but it does take a while. Ours are starting to get holes in, but this is after 3 winters use and a few miles on tarmac (in tree covered sections of road, the tarmac was clear of snow).

They can take a good bit of abuse, but like anything made from polypropylene, it will wear out quickly if abused.

twin_cam_turbo said:

I don't want people to get the wrong idea here about snow socks - they are an emergency item.

Yes - tarmac will shred them, but it does take a while. Ours are starting to get holes in, but this is after 3 winters use and a few miles on tarmac (in tree covered sections of road, the tarmac was clear of snow).

They can take a good bit of abuse, but like anything made from polypropylene, it will wear out quickly if abused.

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A very good post, point taken, twin cam.

If used correctly, for their intended purpose, as an emergency item, they are a very good idea. In fact I'm going to get a set for the situations that don't warrant metal chains.

My comments about folks who had damaged them was really referring to the smart types who overtake you, and speed off, as if trying to 'show you how to do it'. I usually catch them up a few miles later.

Those show off guys always come a cropper eventually.

spot on Singvogel and many thanks.

They are approved for use up to 30mph, but I've never seen 30mph in the conditions we've driven the Saab in whilst using the snow socks.

You still have to drive very carefully, remembering that on a front wheel drive sleigh you will have far less grip at the back, and vica versa on a rear wheel drive vehicle.