Don’t Waste Money on Snow Ties
As snow drifts down in more northern climes, this is an opportune moment to prepare your car for any potential icy realties. The latest tyre test review from Jonathan Benson at Tyre Reviews sets out to figure which traction assist devices are most effective – with chains, straps, and snow socks all analysed – the preference was internet at having snow tires fitted as the better choice.
Tire chains have been a crucial element of wintertime traveling for decades, because of their clear-cut ROI on icy roads. Benson recently tested out a set of orthodox tire chains and metallic cables fitted onto a Honda Civic Si on the ice. These two solutions showed major improvements when it came to starting or halting compared to the Michelin X-Ice snow tire, and they fared significantly better than the all-season tires used on the same vehicle.
In the video, Benson tested a few other items to see if they were as effective as snow chains. Unfortunately, the plastic anti-skid tie straps proved to be useless since they broke on the very first test. The plastic “chains” that attached to the tire via fabric straps also didn’t do so well. The studs on the plastic came out easily, and while they were slightly better than all-season tires on ice, their reliability was questionable. The last item was a pair of snow socks – big fabric slip-ons that were said to be as effective as chains. However, they weren’t as effective, and in fact, had the same performance as normal all-season tires.
Snow grip is something to consider – enter snow socks! It was straightforward for the vigilant Honda, climbing two hills with little effort when conventional all-season tires faltered. Outperforming typical plastic chains, metal links, and plastic antiskid cables was no big deal for them!
In spite of everything that was mentioned initially, Michelin X-Ice tires just about held their own versus all the other systems in every test. The discrepancy only showed when these tests were conducted on ice, and this can be easily resolved by resorting to studded snow tires.
Benson’s came to a conclusion? If you reside in an area that experiences considerable snow, equip your car with snow tires. Although, if you drive on ultra-sticky surfaces, it may be smart to store metal cables in the boot of your car – just to be safe. These cables are affordable, simple to mount, and they offer superior traction over all-season tires both in the snow and ice.
Source: Tyre Reviews / YouTube
