AutoSock HP697 Snow Socks Review

The first time you put on an AutoSock you'll wonder why chains exist. Pull the fabric over the top half of the tire, roll the car forward half a turn, pull the rest on, drive off. No hooks, no ratchets, no second stop to re-tighten. The textile is engineered so the fibers stand up and grip snow crystals, and on packed snow and mild ice it works better than it has any right to — good enough that Caltrans lists it as an approved alternative traction device, and several other states accept it at chain-control levels.

Who actually needs one: owners of performance and luxury cars whose manuals prohibit chains entirely (zero clearance behind the wheels), and people who've decided they'll never get comfortable fitting chains on a shoulder in the dark. For the latter, a traction device you'll actually use beats a better one that stays in the trunk. They also weigh nearly nothing and pack flat, which matters in a sports car's trunk.

The limits are real. Fabric on dry pavement shreds quickly — if the road clears, stop and take them off or you'll need a new pair. They're less aggressive than link chains on sheer ice and in deep unplowed snow. And the legal status is the thing to check: 'approved traction device' rules are set state by state and sometimes pass by pass, so confirm before you plan a trip around them. For the many drivers who fall inside those limits, though, AutoSocks are the traction device that finally gets used.