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Snow Socks??
martinq357 - 13/10/11 at 08:16 PM

Has anybody had to use Snow Socks in anger??

My wife wants to get organised for the winter and have a set in the back of both our cars (one is a Ford Galaxy, so heavy).

Are they any good? Did they last well & how did the car drive in the snow??

Most importantly, are they easy to get on and off the wheels??

Thanks in advance,

Martin.


samjc - 13/10/11 at 08:19 PM

Ive been.looking at them in asda for £35 could do with opinions too.


Ben_Copeland - 13/10/11 at 08:29 PM

Saw a lot of council vans and British gas etc with them on last year. They seemed to get around ok, rear wheeled drive vans are crap in snow. My boss asked me to get some for the vans so youve reminded me. Interesting which are the best to go for.


40inches - 13/10/11 at 08:34 PM

WHICH? tested them, pro's and con's.


Markymark - 13/10/11 at 08:45 PM

I used them last year, chuckled and waved as I passed stranded people stuck on the hills

Not so good on slushy snow though and don't last long if the snow on the road clears (just stop and take them off)

Mark


skodaman - 13/10/11 at 08:52 PM

What snow in winter? With all this global warming they tell us about you'd be better checking the air-cons working properly. .


Ninehigh - 13/10/11 at 09:15 PM

No, global warming in Britain means it'll be COLDER. No idea why, I guess God has to urinate on us somehow


skodaman - 13/10/11 at 09:21 PM

' I guess God has to urinate on us somehow'
Wouldn't that make it warmer?


edspurrier - 13/10/11 at 09:23 PM

I used them last year to get up some seriously snowed in hills. Fantastic. They won't last thousands of miles but as a get you out of trouble device they're great.


Ninehigh - 13/10/11 at 09:34 PM

quote:
Originally posted by skodaman
' I guess God has to urinate on us somehow'
Wouldn't that make it warmer?


Well no, that's my point, we want it to get warmer so what we get is rain and cold


onenastyviper - 13/10/11 at 09:57 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Ninehigh
quote:
Originally posted by skodaman
' I guess God has to urinate on us somehow'
Wouldn't that make it warmer?


Well no, that's my point, we want it to get warmer so what we get is rain and cold


So what you are trying to say is that it is just another example of rip-off Britain?


jossey - 14/10/11 at 08:07 AM

Snow chains are illegal but check this out...

a copper last year told me i cant use them on A roads or motorways.

so if you put them on its goto be for B or unclassified roads.


karlak - 14/10/11 at 08:12 AM

I was in Costco this week and saw that they have a variation on the theme.

They look like a strong Net with studs, that slip over the tyres. About £45 I think.


40inches - 14/10/11 at 10:06 AM

Composite snow chains are ok for any road. So I understand Cheaper elsewhere.


r1_pete - 14/10/11 at 10:25 AM

quote:
Originally posted by 40inches
WHICH? tested them, pro's and con's.


I'd like to see how she centred that sock, one frame it was about 200mm off centre, the next it was perfect!!!


mcerd1 - 14/10/11 at 10:48 AM

I just got a pair of all season tyres (with a proper 'M+S' rating)

these are the ones I got (195/60 R15 88V in my case) link
and they got my focus as far as its ground clearance would allow the last 2 winters and I used it every day in the snow because snow is fun
(lots of single track back roads round here )
the best bit is you don't need to stop and put them on / take them off


they arn't quite as grippy in the dry as my summer tyres, but they arn't the worst I've had either so you could leave them on all year if your not too fussed



[Edited on 14/10/2011 by mcerd1]


JAMSTER - 14/10/11 at 12:07 PM

old link ha ha ha

http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=147666


davidimurray - 14/10/11 at 12:43 PM

Winter before last I could barely move my ZR on 205/45/17 tyres, when you did get it going the ABS was so sensitive the moment you touched the brakes it hammered away and gave no stopping.

Last year I decided to get some snow socks and have to say they have been brilliant. Didn't manage to get stuck once with them - despite trying! Even up the 45 degree hill to the house and 12" of snow I just drove straight up - without them I won't get up a 5 degree slope!! That was followed by towing all the BMW drivers out of the works car park after they got stuck - unsurprisingly most of them now have a pair.

I wouldn't hesitate to reccomend them and will always keep a set to hand just in case!


martinq357 - 15/10/11 at 08:26 PM

Thanks for all the comments!

Did you have to remove them to drive on slush then refit to drive on the snow again??


Ninehigh - 15/10/11 at 09:09 PM

quote:
Originally posted by jossey
Snow chains are illegal but check this out...

a copper last year told me i cant use them on A roads or motorways.

so if you put them on its goto be for B or unclassified roads.


Squeeze me? Baking powder? Snow chains are illegal?


Ben_Copeland - 16/10/11 at 04:31 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Ninehigh
quote:
Originally posted by jossey
Snow chains are illegal but check this out...

a copper last year told me i cant use them on A roads or motorways.

so if you put them on its goto be for B or unclassified roads.


Squeeze me? Baking powder? Snow chains are illegal?


Nope NOT illegal, if used correctly.

But they arent likely to be needed in the kind of snow we get unless it gets really bad and you live in a remote area. Socks would be much easier and quicker to put on a off. Plus arent going to damage the road surface if you hit tarmac


britishtrident - 17/10/11 at 04:39 PM

ASDA are selling a snow sock type product called TextileChains for £35

With snow chains I reckon the Michelin EasyGrip composite cord type are the best for the UK roads as they are easier to put on -- for experience ordinary snow chains are a nightmare to put on even with the wheel jacked clear of the ground.

As regard snow/winter tyres normal M+S tyres aren't anything like as good as proper snow tyres the key is the rubber compond. A coarse tread pattern has not that much effect compared to cold weather rubber compound comined with a tread with lots of sipes in the tread. I have seen army 110 Landrovers almost useless in snowy conditions on B roads because the bar grip tyres were not right for ice and snow conditions.

With snow tyres look for the jaggy mountain symbol it indicates the tyre has passed the Canadian winter tyre performance test.


ChrisW - 17/10/11 at 07:47 PM

My only 'experience' of them is last winter. We used to live at the bottom of a quite steep hill. I struggled to get out in my Quattro Audi, and the Mrs' Focus had no chance. Next door put a pair of snow socks on her Yaris and it had no problem getting in and out. She just put them on to get out of the drive and up the hill then took them off at the top. Certainly worked for her. I thought about getting a set for the Mrs but tbh I'd prefer her to stay at home in the snow - too many idiots out on the roads at the best of times but in the snow it was a nightmare!

Chris