Better Than Chains? | The AutoSock Is The Latest in Technologies to Help Make Peoples Jobs Easier

Snow chains are a sort of necessary evil, especially for over the road big rigs that are usually on tight time restraints and can’t sit and wait on the roads to be cleared. Chains give them the ability to drive in basically any conditions, but they have plenty of drawbacks as well, a few of which are addressed in this video featuring AutoSocks, a possible alternative to bulky, heavy, destructive chains.

As you will see in this deeply informative video, AutoSocks are exactly what the name implies: fabric wraps for the tires, specifically those mounted on eighteen wheelers. The layer of fabric that covers the tread looks to be some type of heavy duty burlap-type material that gives the tires some texture to grab the snow or ice and provide more traction than the actual rubber of the tire.

Where chains can take up to an hour to install, the AutoSocks looks like they can be installed in 10-15 minutes, saving precious time and getting the driver back into the truck and out of the elements, as well as away from the threat of a wayward passing car striking them while they work. Installing the AutoSocks is about as simple as it gets; simply pull the cover down over as much of the tire as possible, tucking it in behind the tire, then drive forward a few feet and pull the over the rest of the tire. The elastic band will straighten them out as you drive, making them basically effortless to install.

As soon as you’re out of the poor conditions, you want to stop and remove the AutoSocks so as not to prematurely wear them out by driving on dry pavement. If treated properly, these should last quite some time, and they’re easier and almost certainly cheaper than chains, as well as being lighter and easier to store.