This is something we all need to carry if we're venturing into the mountains or if you live in any area that gets Snow!! Affordable, Easy to Use, buy a set and be prepared.

Cable chains used to have a reputation as the poor sisters of traditional chains, but these units with their multiple spring steel sections bite into hard-packed snow and ice extremely well. Used on the rear axle of a 1/2 ton plowing snow and was very pleased with the traction level. The downside is the longevity of the rubber spider tensioners -- after 7 or 8 uses both spiders are showing multiple cracks and separations.

The carrying case it comes with is weird. It’s a hard plastic box that looks similar to a tool box, except it opens, for no good reason as far as I can tell, on the diagonal, which is impractical. It’s very difficult to fit the chains back inside this strange box, and even though there is some room to put a few helper accessories in, like gloves, knee pads, pliers, etc, it’s very troublesome to close.I’ve seen such positive reviews about the chain system itself that we may keep them if I can find a good carrying bag (and find them as easy to install as I’ve read), but I hate that I have to provide my own, and can’t even find a good use for the strange original case.Update: I’ve practiced installing the chains, and indeed they are fairly easy. I’ve never installed chains before, and I was able to figure it out and get the pair installed and uninstalled in about half an hour, including moving the car before removal so the rear fastener would be in a more challenging position. They do require somewhat more strength, patience, and technique than the snow socks, but for the superior durability and performance, I think it will be worth the extra effort. I found a suitable carrying bag, so I will keep the set after all.Although much heavier than a set of snow socks, the whole kit isn’t actually that much bulkier than the socks after their first use, crammed back into their packaging.A couple of tips I haven’t seen mentioned elsewhere:- Don’t worry too much if you can’t get the suggested “sweeping” motion down. If you don’t mind getting your arms and possibly face dirty, you can just reach around the back of the tire and pull it around.- After you figure out the correct starting orientation for installation, use a permanent marker to write TOP, BOTTOM, and TIRE SIDE on a few of the metal tabs. The tabs are stamped “TIRE SIDE” but it could be hard to see in poor light.- Take extra care to adjust the chains so they are as even as possible before you put on the tensioner. They’re supposed to go past the edge of the tread at least 2” all the way around.- Attaching the tensioner: the yellow clip wants to spin around while you’re pulling. Use your palm to stabilize the clip while pushing it toward the cable with the heel of your hand, and grasp the cable with all four fingers of both hands as you pull the cable and tensioner together.- Uninstalling: park with your wheels positioned so that the rear fastener isn’t all the way at the bottom. You don’t want it to be buried in mud or snow, and you don’t want your tires to be resting on either of the crossmembers nearest the fastener. It will probably be easiest to reach if it’s at 3 o’clock or 9 o’clock. It’s going to be directly behind the black keyhole fastener in front.- Count your yellow clips before you put away the tensioners. They can fall off the rubber ring.- Connect the bottom/middle/front fastener before you roll up the chain, and it won’t tangle as easily.

I haven’t actually driven on them yet, but I tried them on, and found them easy to use. Way better than the ones I had before. You don’t have to drive over them and adjust them three times.

These work awesome! So easy to install! I used them while towing a loaded trailer for about 30 miles on a logging road covered in ice and snow. Perfect control of the truck the whole time and never broke traction. No problem traveling at 30-40 mph. I was so impressed that I bought a set for my Jeep.

I really should give it 4*'s because of thinner cable size, but they fit so D*m good. Easy to install, just preview the video FIRST!! You don't need to re-tighten them once they are on and the best part is you can put them on even while stuck, no need to drive on them to attach.Like the directions say, swing them around the back side of the tire at mid point of the chain. Attach the bottom front at ground level, then attach the back half's together at the tire top.....WATCH the VIDEO. Then put them on so you are familiar with them. These say they are rated to 50km/h. I have paint marked my set so I know where to tighten them to. Everything is included in the plastic box. One last thought, get a decent set of gloves and put them in the box along with a flashlight and a heavy red plastic garbage bag to kneel on. There is enough room in the box. Please wear something bright and reflective.

We had a pretty snowy and icy winter last year so I wanted to be prepared for the upcoming winter season in case it turns out as badly. Picked up this set of chains for our new(ish) 2016 Honda Pilot (ZT735 per the owners manual).Pretty straightforward to put on the tire, the instructions are fairly clear. Doesn't take too long to install. The "gloves" included with the kit are pretty much useless...just thin plastic things you'd use to prep food with in the kitchen. Better off just throwing in a pair of work gloves from your garage.The chains come in a sturdy and rugged plastic case making storage easy and convenient.I've yet to use them In snowy conditions but will update this review after some road use. For now this review is based on initial observations and practice installation.

(UPDATE 12-5-2013.... I sold my 2010 Silverado and purchased a new GMC 4x4 2500 HD Sierra and the tire/wheel size is larger than my old pickup... I got onto Amazon late yesterday, ordered two new sets for the GMC, front and rear, and less than 24 hours, here they are. This makes my 5th set of these. Needless to say, they worked well for me and anyone that has provided a less than favorable review, I have no idea why they are not as satisfied as I am, except to believe they are not installing them correctly or driving way too fast, or they don't remove them soon enough as they drive off of snow/ice onto payment that is dry or free from snow.)BELOW IS MY ORIGINAL REVIEW..................I purchased a 2010 Chevrolet 2500 4X4 last year and from previous experience of driving 4 wheel drive pickups as a civilian and in the Army, I knew 4x4s gave inexperienced drivers too much confidence in certain snow conditions, especially on roads having hidden layers of frozen ice underneath snow. I would have purchased 2 sets last year, but I read several bad reviews about the cables and decided just to try one pair. When my first set arrived, they were in use a few weeks after Amazon sent them.I was very impressed with the ease of installing these compared to conventional heavy tire chains I've used in the past. I'm pretty darned decrepit but it was very easy installing these. I practiced first in my driveway on a "nice" warm day. It is a simple matter of laying the cables in front of or behind the tires on the ground and then pulling your vehicle directly over the cables and "draping" them on top of and over the tires and fastening a small hook on the back, and a "clog" like catch about the size of a pencil eraser on the outside. I have a torn rotator cuff in my right shoulder and bursitis in both shoulders as well as arthritis, and I was concerned when I ordered these from Amazon, if I would be able to install them by myself, but it literally (and figuratively) was a snap. The rubber tension bands easily connect on the outside and they snug the cables up tight on the tires.When the first snow came last year, I found the cables worked like a charm on my farm. I used them hard-packed dirt roads covered in snow, in mud and slush and as well on the highway having both snow and ice. I was so impressed, I bought a second set to use on the front wheels. Today (exactly one year later), the second set was a life saver. (In the Army, we were trained to use chains on the front and the rear on 4x4s... and chains on all 4 wheels on a 4x4 makes a lot of difference in going forward, stopping and side-slip control and I'm glad I had these cables on all 4 wheels today! See my photo I shot on the day I wrote this review.)I had to make an emergency run to a town 50 miles away (2-3-2011 in Central Texas) and the roads were mostly covered in two inch thick ice. In some places, there were patches of exposed asphalt and in other spots, large chunks of broken ice accumulations about the size of cinder blocks covered the road and I was concerned about damaging the cables. I made the 50 mile trip to town and 50 miles back and saw more than 40 vehicles (some were 4x4s) that had spun off into ditches or fences or off of culverts.As I took the cables off this evening, they were easy to remove and I saw no evidence of damage, despite running them in the conditions I described above.As per the instructions, I'll rinse these off with fresh water tomorrow morning and I'll spray them with WD-40 before putting them back in their plastic box.In reading other unfavorable reviews about these chains, I can only imagine that people were driving faster than 30 miles per hour, or may not have installed the rubber tension bands correctly. The maker claims "Light Truck & SUV" and some of the people giving low opinions were running these on one-ton trucks pulling heavy trailers, not what these cables were designed for. I'd suggest that they invest in chains designed for heavier rigs. In reading complaints about these cables, I also might believe that there could have been some manufacturing defects in the crimping process where the cables bind at the ends or at junctions. China has some work to do in ensuring their products are made properly, but in my experience with these cables, I have no complaints. I'd suggest if you buy a set of these, look at the junctures (crimp connections) very carefully and if you see any frayed wires, contact Amazon for refund or replacement.As for me, after my 100 mile "adventure" on two-inch thick ice and snow and driving partially on exposed asphalt, I am extremely impressed. They provided great traction, allowed me to slow down and/or stop easily and they offer a much smoother ride than conventional chains. I will be ordering a pair for my wife's Volkswagen Jetta. I'm sure she would be able to install them as easily as I was.I'd like to add, avoid making tight turns on exposed asphalt with these because the stress-loads and torque factors might be too much for the multi-strand cables. Avoid rapid acceleration and do not "spin" your tires as one reviewer said he did. Mine never, ever failed to "bite" in snow, mud or ice and I can't understand why someone said he was "spinning" his tires while these were installed. These are not solid "bar chains" and thus if someone needs something that will never fail, get a heavy pair of conventional chains... I am totally delighted with the performance of these on my 4x4. Please see my picture, where I helped pull a driver out of a ditch while having these on my pickup.