The best
Passenger Car Snow Chains:
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The best of Passenger Car Snow Chains by number of unique Reddit comments:
Top Reddit reviews mentioning Passenger Car Snow Chains:
By not driving on a dry lake bed?
The tires look like they are inflated to normal highway driving pressure when they should be under-inflated, and pushing the pedal to the floor is probably the worst way to try to get out of sand. So a blend of approrpiate technique and appropriate caution. And like u/paragonncrazy said, I also learned from experience.
Also, personally, I keep a duffel bag full of recovery straps, mats, and shackels, and an emergency shovel, plus a couple of traction mats and a mankiller jack for those TIFU/emergency situations after I have (it's a job requirement, otherwise my JK stays mostly on pavement) to go offroad in adverse conditions.
I assume the dude in the picture is trying to get a winch set up, but he has no anchor point nearby.
Or have a couple of these handy..
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BDWRECU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_GH2XMV7KDNSVJZT8K75P
Not with any I've used. The best I've ever seen was from a French Canadian with some thick metal ones.
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B08CCP5CXW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_oLUXFb3HVKRS1 these are the ones I have. If your in a pinch it's always good to have a bag of cat litter on hand
Stock tires (I live in the Bay Area) and SCC cable chains. I was glad to have the chains. The RAV did great. Such a difference to have a heavy vehicle with AWD vs driving on snow in my Prius!
Makes sense! Having them in the car with me got me home more than once if the snow started falling while I was at work, so they were totally worth it in that respect. I bought them after hoofing it a quarter mile home, uphill, in the snow, on Christmas Eve...
The ones I had weren't too bad to put on - very similar to this style on Amazon. You had to make 3 connections on each tire - one behind the tire at the bottom, and two connections up top. It meant that you didn't have to move the car at all when putting them on, although you had to move the car a few feet when you were taking them off. You need some strength to put the big rubber band thing on in the middle, but nothing I couldn't handle. It took me maybe 5-10 minutes to put them on the two front tires, and faster to take them off. Kneeling and dealing with semi-fiddly connections in the cold and were a pain. I usually needed some sort of hook thing (I usually used my snow brush/scraper stick) to pull the chains around the bottom of the tire.
For other reasons, I ended up trading in my Mazda 3 and buying a Subaru (I needed ground clearance and the ability to handle mud and awful pothole dirt roads), but my little Mazda got me through at least 2 winters with the chains!
Or candy cane the tires with towstrap (boards optional)? Or this product. He seems like he knows what he's doing. Maybe sometimes it's just faster to stick with Plan A.
Here's the one listed in the manual OP. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000CQ1YUC
I got em warehousedeals for $50. Were kinda tricky to put on, but I think I was just being dumb the first go round. After some practice was pretty easy.
Haven't had to use em, but just got em in case I encounter super snowy conditions up in Northern AZ.
I cannot recommend traction mats highly enough. They work in both mud and snow, pack small, are cheap, and can be used as a snow shovel, saving you more trunk space. I use these more often than any other piece of recovery equipment (including tow straps).
On short grocery trips between your rental (3ft of snow) and the village (plowed roads) is seems it would be a hassle to take the chains on and off between snowy roads and plowed roads. Also, the product page on Amazon says 'For on road use' which I assumed meant on pavement.
I went with the Z6 from the same company that you linked to. Just make sure to get the version that fits the tire size you're running. I purchased dedicated snow tires for winter, but have these just in case there is a need for something more and for those times when checkpoints at least require you to be carrying chains.
I have a 14 which is basically the same model. It does pretty good on its own, when others were getting stuck I was still able to get around just fine, just be light with the braking. When the snow or ice started getting a little deeper or slicker I got a set of snow chains like these
You don't need them for all four tires, just get a set for the front tires since they do the steering. I had a steep hill to get into my apartment complex and one year it snowed so bad people just parked on the street rather than attempt to get up it. I was able to get in and out just fine.
I got these for my 2021 Prime.
Security Chain Company SZ429... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000HZFDQ4?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
I only have them as a last resort in case they haven't plowed the last stretch to the ski lifts or I get caught in a storm and must drive. They would also satisfy the California rules for carrying chains in the winter.
This is a cool emergency hack.
But if you can prepare, you can also buy "4x4 tire blocks" that do the same, and have a lower risk of damaging your car.
i.e.: https://www.amazon.com/TRACGRABBER-Tire-Traction-Device-Snow/dp/B01BDWRECU?th=1
I carry a pair of these tracks in the back of my truck in the winter. (Not sure if they're that exact brand, but at least very close.) Similar idea, but nice and compact, easier to place, and heavy-duty. Mine are solid, heavy rubber.
Sadly or fortunately, I haven't yet had the "opportunity" to try them. But they have good reviews and look and feel like they should work well in that situation -- they seem like a better option than the kitty litter or 2x4s.
A pair of cheap traction boards could be nice. Got two cars unstuck a couple of weekends ago in deep snow with them.
Assuming Snow Socks are allowed by Big Bear, they won't have any clearance issues. That said, I'd be surprised if modern, lower profile chains wouldn't clear just fine as well.
That is a very different product. Zip ties bad. Zip Grip good. This is much more like Trac Grabber which is also excellent.
They aren't good for day-to-day driving on snow. They're great if you're stuck in snow or mud and need some quick traction to get a few ft out.
Uh...anyone have experience with "auto socks"? Gotta say, I'm a bit skeptical...
Never heard of these before, but will definitely look into them when my current cables wear out. I use these and generally really like them. Usually pretty easy to put on but once in a while it’ll be off just a little bit and impossible to close all the way. You don’t have to roll your car forward through, which is nice.
Security Chain Company SZ429 Super Z6 Cable Tire Chain for Passenger Cars, Pickups, and SUVs - Set of 2 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000HZFDQ4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_NDAQNPTDA13045BMHGBA
I recently got these low profile cable chains for my forester. If there is ice and I absolutely have to get get someplace I’m looking forward to trying them out.
I’ve heard the socks wear out pretty fast if you drive on pavement and I’ve found conditions can change every few hundred yards.
The owners manual for my Subaru Forester recommend against chains. After some searching I found these chains. These are super low profile what others have reported using successfully with that car.
The concern is clearance in the wheel well. In addition to risk of hitting the side wall there are cables and hoses that run to each wheel that were not designed to accommodate chains or larger wheels/tires.
I haven’t had a chance to use these yet but if there is ice I’ll take my chances with the chains.
I have something similar to this https://smile.amazon.com/Security-Chain-Company-SZ429-Passenger/dp/B000HZFDQ4/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2QXSOXZK4JF9F&keywords=tire+chains&qid=1639768070&sprefix=%2Caps%2C120&sr=8-3
They are easy to put on, dont wear on your tires like actual chains do, and you can drive on pavement with them at slow speeds (this does not mean leave them on all the time)
For the Crosstrek, at minimum you need at least class "S" chains, which the ones you linked are NOT. Class S chains means they are low clearance and are less likely to cause any issues.
I got these ones: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0091RCINU/, and they do not cause any issues on my 2020.
It seems you already know this, but you really want to avoid using chains if you can. Any chain has the potential to get knocked loose and damage the whole area around your wheel well, including your brake lines.
I bought these:
Security Chain Company SZ429... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000HZFDQ4?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
I haven’t tested them for traction yet, but I have tested putting them on and it’s very easy (maybe 5 min total).
I have these ones and have used them on a number of vehicles (all not mine) ranging from 4 door sedans, other overlanders, and up to medium sized RVs. They have not cracked, chipped, or deformed in any way. I’ve had them for 5 years now. I store them in my garage when not in use/on trips. I also put them on uneven ground and run them over in my Jeep yearly to make sure they’re still good. Highly recommend these ones.
Autosocks chain alternative, DOT approved or allowed in every state and only $100.
https://autosock.us/products/regulations/
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001NCHVK6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.ca/Trac-Grabber-Traction-Solution-Cars-Mini-Vans/dp/B01BDWRECU
Product that can help if you get stuck. RWD is only a problem when you're driving the wheels so be disciplined and use light throttle unless your tires are pointed straight. And snow tires, like everyone else has said.
Living in Colorado, I keep a set of MaxTrax knockoffs in the back of both our vehicles. Has saved my butt several times.