Snow chains or winter rubber socks?
Content
In winter, when driving on snowy roads, it is important to equip your vehicle with tire-mounted accessories such as chains or socks. They allow you to maintain traction and drive safely for you and for other users. In this article, we explain how snow socks and snow chains work, listing their advantages and disadvantages to help you choose the best one for your vehicle!
❄️ How do winter socks work?
Mostly used for roads with little snow, sometimes used for vehicles and are inexpensive. Due to their composition in polyester fibers и non-slip fabric, they allow you to ride on snow and ice without slipping. They do not make driving noise and allow the safety systems to work properly (Anti-lock wheels ABS, electronic trajectory corrector ESP ...). By absorbing water, they correctly hold the wheels and guarantee car safety on the road... When driving off a snowy road, they must be removed quickly as they will deteriorate prematurely due to friction against bitumen. As far as assembly is concerned, it is very easy to do even on vehicles without a chain.
🚘 What is the role of snow chains?
Combined with tires beekeeper, snow chains are especially effective when driving on very snowy and icy roads. Comprises steel-reinforced jerseys, Chains grip ice and snow for excellent handling. Like winter socks, they cannot be used on asphalt. snowless roads at the risk of greatly aggravating their condition. There are four different types of snow chains:
- Self-tensioning snow chains : after assembly, they are automatically tightened on the wheel and do not need to be checked on the road;
- Hand-tensioned snow chains : they need to be pulled up twice. The first time when assembling and the second time after driving a few meters.
- Textile snow chains : It is a mixture of a snow sock and a snow chain because the jerseys are made of composite materials, not metal;
- Front snow chains : Also known as spiders, they rest on the tread and are fixed at the level of the car nuts.
👨🔧 How to choose between socks and snow chains?
To select the equipment that best suits your vehicle, you should already check measuring your Tires, a type Tires, the size of your wheels and whether your car can be chained. In addition to the criteria specific to your vehicle and your budget, you should also choose according to the circumstances: road types, snow depth, trip duration, ice extent or not ...
The following table summarizes all the elements you need to know before deciding between snow chains and socks for your vehicle:
📝 What are the legal obligations when driving on snowy roads?
If you need to drive on snowy or icy roads, whether you are in a mountainous area or not, traffic rules dictate strict rules. For your safety, the safety of the passage and other road users, you must equip your vehicle with anti-slip socks or snow chains. These two devices are approved for Panel B26 traffic rules, it's the one that says "Snow chains are required"). Thus, if you are checked on the road, where snow chains are mandatory, you risk 4th degree fine which is equivalent 90€... In certain situations your vehicle may be immobilized if his driving on this type of road is deemed too dangerous by the police.
Now you know the difference between snow socks and snow chains and you can determine which equipment is most suitable for your vehicle. If you are expecting an early departure in a snowy area, check the type Tires what do you have and feel free to mount Winter tires on your vehicle to maximize your safety and traction. Use our online garage comparator to find the one closest to your home and at the best price for this intervention!
