Can add-on tire socks provide winter traction when you need it?

In the winter, there are times when most drivers wish they had a bit more traction, whether scaling a slippery hill or ascending an icy driveway. Beyond winter tires and all-wheel drive, there are aftermarket products that promise to provide added grip for occasional use.

Consumer Reports recently evaluated three textile products that fit over tires to aid traction. Think of them as alternatives to clunky metal snow chains. (For use on public roads, check your local and state laws to see if they are legal substitutes where regular chain use is required.) Two of the products—AutoSock and ISSE—resemble a cloth sock that is slipped over the tire enhancing snow traction by clinging to the white stuff. The Michelin Easy Grip looks and works more like a snow chain made out of rope. Like the “socks,” the Easy Grip slips over the tire.

Installing these products is straightforward, but by no means is it easy or clean. Kneeling in the snow and working in close proximity to a wet, cold, and dirty wheel well is no treat. Plus, it takes some muscle and patience to slip one of these products over the tire. All are intended for use on snow- and ice-covered roads only, and they have limited speed ranges of 25 mph (Michelin Easy Grip and ISSE) to 30 mph (AutoSock).

We purchased all three products online, in a size to fit the 215/60R16 tires on our 2012 Toyota Camry. (Tip: Be careful when ordering to get the appropriate size, as proper fit is vital.) Each product comes with a pair for the drive wheels of a front- or rear-wheel drive car, but they can be used in a set of four for an all-wheel-drive vehicle. The Michelin Easy Grip cost $139.60, the AutoSock was purchased for $109.95, and the cheapest was the ISSE for $71.96. Prices will vary depending on retail outlets.

Where the sock meets the road

We measured the snow traction performance of these products on a set of Michelin Premier A/S all-season tires in our standard snow traction test where we accelerate from 5 to 20 mph. Less distance needed to reach 20 mph equates to better snow traction. Setting the baseline, our Michelin Premier A/S took 73 feet to reach 20 mph. The AutoSock and ISSE “tire socks” significantly improved snow traction, needing just 58 feet to reach 20 mph, and the Michelin Easy Grip was even more impressive at 49 feet. For comparison, a dedicated winter tire took 57 feet to reach 20 mph.