+1 on studless snow tires.

They work.

They work on snow.

They work on ice.

They work on clear roads without tearing them up.

You don't have to wait for snow to put them on. They are better than all-seasons once the temps drop.

I-70 was a breeze this morning. All wheel drive plus snow tires = getting where I need to be.

Of course, the same cannot be said for our pilot this morning, but that is a different story.

drn92

But they don't work where the roads are designated "Chains Required" which happens in the mountain passes. And 4WD does not eliminate the need for chains in some conditions. 4WD is helpful in that you can go slow enough yet still keep moving and it does give you extra bite in the corners, but it doesn't help you stop any better, and in the end it comes down to traction, where chains are the top of list. I've seen plenty of steep icy roads where no 4WD/regular tire combination is going to get you up (or down) but chains will do it.

Spikes Spider snow chains are much easier to put on. I've never owned them although they are spec'd for my land rover. You might consider them if ease of installation is worth more than saving money...as they are pretty expensive. They give more wheel well clearance than most regular chains which is why they are supposedly required on my truck...although I've heard some types of regular chains work as well.

With (full time) 4WD systems like mine there is debate about whether you should chain the front wheels or the back wheels, or always all 4. All 4 is of course the best. If you chain the front you get good acceleration, good braking, and good steering...but the back end can come around easily which can be very bad. If you chain the back you get good acceleration, ok braking, and lousy steering control, but you don't have the fishtailing problems. Most people put them on the back. Of FWD cars of course they go on the front.

Holy crap. I've lived in Colorado for decades, including the past 10 on the western slope over 9K. I have NEVER owned chains nor winter specific snow tires. I have never gotten stuck or had any issues on the passes, back country, I70, 285... no where. That is while driving 4 wheel drive and/or front wheel drive.

What the heck has become of Coloradan's. When did the citizens of this state become so wimpy that they can no longer drive in the snow. I always thought that CDOTs new rules on snow tires were just a handout to tire companies. I guess maybe it is needed. Absolutely crazy stuff. If you don't know how to drive in the mountains when it snows, stay home or take a bus up to the mountain.

To the OP. If you have a front wheel car and are having issues, get a good pair of all weather or yes, if need be, get snow tires. If you don't know how to drive in snow at altitude, I suggest a class. They now exist, take advantage of it. If you absolutely feel you need to use chains, plan on getting a lot of strange looks from those of us who have lived here decades.

To the person saying salt doesn't work at altitude, that is patently false. CDOT does use salt, at altitude and on the highest passes in the state. Drive to the western slope, every CDOT shed has a salt pile handy, I'm sure it is the same on the Front Range. Salt does not work as well when the temp drops or it is cloudy. That's one of the reasons they use mag chloride which they will actually mix with salt. Mag Chloride changes the temperature at which the road freezes which makes it easier for CDOT to clear new snow that is getting compacted by vehicles. CDOT have pretty much stopped using sand/gravel due to the brown cloud.

Also when you really may need them is when CDOT will close everything or there will be so many drivers that shouldn’t be on the road that will make sure you can’t get anywhere.

I’ve thought about getting them for that just in case blizzard scenario, and always come back to CDOT not letting you through if it’s really that bad.

For BLeP, there's no such thing as an unwanted moose impact.

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Slowguy

(insert pithy phrase here...)

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If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went. - Will Rogers

Emery's Third Coast Triathlon | Tri Wisconsin Triathlon Team | Push Endurance | GLWR

 
Can't help with the chains, even living in somewhat Northern Idaho I have never needed them. However, snow tires might be worth looking into depending on your weather.

My wife drives a rear wheel drive BMW year round. I put Blizzak tires on it in early winter and she runs those until it warms enough to not need them. It doesn't snow much where we are, but those things are straight boss on snow, ice, black ice, fog ice, etc. We get some days where there is enough moisture in the air for the road to get slick and I feel much better with her having those tires.

Not sure what you are looking to spend on chains, but there are deals out there for used snow tires all the time. I got all 4 with less than 100 miles on them for $200 a few years ago. Have used them 3 seasons now and they still look and work great. I have a second set of rims so swapping them is as simple as changing the wheels out. No cost to swap the tires in Fall and Spring.

I see deals for used snow tires on wheels all the time on cragislist. Might be worth checking around a bit to see if you can't find a couple for cheap. They will work great for the ski hill and you will be better off all winter with them on.

+1. I got sets for a couple different cars in our stable and paid less than $400 for each set, including being mounted on spare wheels so I can just swap them on/off myself as needed w/ a floor jack, impact wrench, and a couple beers. I don't like to just leave them on all season since the studs really do chew up the streets & driveway, so usually they only go on for a week or so at a time or for specific trips where we live; some mild winters they've sat in the garage the whole year, whereas the worst case I had them on for about a month & a half total in 2-3 bouts during our 5-month legal season (Nov-Mar). With limited use like that (or even folks who just leave them on most of the season), people are often selling/swapping their cars more often than the tires wear out, so they they have to sell the old set when it doesn't fit their new vehicle.

Ideally a awd vehicle or snow tires would be the best option. We're not ready for a new car so that's out.
I live in a high rise and storage is one thing I don't have alot of. So storing a second set of wheels and tires would be tough.
The situation that made me want chains would not happen very often. We drove up Sunday after a night of snow. The traffic was bad to the ski area and we stopped on a steep incline. If I was able to keep the car creeping I'd of made it up no problem. Instead I slowly crept up, going a little sideways.
I went back up today and the roads were clear. So I thought having chains for the rare instance would be an ideal back up. Seeing other cars with them on in the parking lot gave me the idea for them.