Chains or socks ? Does price matter??

[Jonbooker44]

Hi All

Off to the Alps in April 

Chains or socks.

 

Also the socks seem to be easier and for very light use I'm guessing better 

[rich1068]

Socks are destroyed as soon as you're driving on tarmac. I'd check local regs for what is required.

[PCM]

I'd go for all season tyres rated M&S...

[Malc]

I'm thinking it depends which part of the Alps you are travelling to and through

Might not be any snow or ice at all in April

Have you checked this out yet ?

Malc

[The-Acre]

30 minutes ago, Malc said:

I'm thinking it depends which part of the Alps you are travelling to and through

Might not be any snow or ice at all in April

Have you checked this out yet ?

Malc

We'll be driving in the Alps in late April and I don't intend using anything. As you rightly say, it depends which part.

[Malc]

I remember in Italy, the Dolomites in April and there are rules specifically about one MUST HAVE winter stuff before a certain date in April

thereafter it's usually sunny and clean and dry

The Alps though are quite vast and approached from several angles including always snowy ones I think 

Malc

[The-Acre]

We'll be mostly in Austria where the winter driving rules don't apply after April 15.

[darrude]

I would never use socks again, they got me to the 1/4 way up a hill then the wheels span, sock came off and wrapped itself around the drive shaft, spent the next 20 mins on the floor, in the snow cutting it off.

[smitham]

I've done  maybe 10  trips to the Swiss and French Alps in my RX400h a few years ago when kids where young and I went for chains from snowchains.com as people didn't seem impressed with socks but socks are easy to fit.  I tested my chains at home when we had snow and they are tricky to fit so a good idea to practice as fitting them in the dark at the side of the road in thick snow and freezing cold wont be fun - dont forget a set of dirty gloves and a towel to kneel on.   In the end I never needed them as the all-wheel drive and regular summer tyre just about got away while on the move with tight spots like snow covered dirt track lanes up to airbnbs.   However I did once park with front wheels on ice and when I went to reverse out, the car uselessly spun the front wheels - really stupid and had to get a push.   I later learnt you either need to disable traction control -  a dramatic, onerous procedure of pushing pedal and buttons in sequel, documented on here somewhere or apparently aggressive turns of the steering wheel either way cause the car to automatically engage all wheel drive but I never got to prove these. 

I would also get advice from the experts on snowheads.com forum.   Also you will need lower temp anti-freeze otherwise you wont be able to wash snow dirty windscreens as it freezes in the tiny pipes.  Also look for other tricks like avoiding tolls via Belgium and cheap Luxemburg and Swiss petrol.  Switzerland and Austria require a vignette (road tax).  Again check with snowheads.com for everything you could ever need to know about alpine driving.  

Happy motoring