Snow Chains
 

So I have ended up with a car with 275/35R22 tyres.

The choice of snow chains is limited to:
1) Konig K-summit XXL 67 £390
2) Spikes-Spider SPORT SXXXL £405
3) Spikes-Spider Easy SPORT SPES4 £300
4) Polaire GRIP polyurethane front-fitting snow chains size 150 £260

Does anyone have any experience of these or recommendations?

(We are off to the Alps and will be high enough and isolated enough to require them)

Thanks in anticipation.

Will you be fitting winter tyres on the 22" wheels? This is assuming you can even find tyres that size as they'd be a poor combination in difficult conditions.

Starting this year (from Nov through to Mar) there's a legal requirement in some areas of the French Alps for winter tyres to be fitted. The exact areas covered are determined by the local authorities.

Personally, and regardless of the legal requirements, I wouldn't venture into the higher parts of the Alps without winter tyres on reasonable size wheels (I have a home there so I'm familiar with the conditions).

I thought there has been laws in place in Germany and other EU countries for a while now, where ever there is snow on the road, you have to have winter tyres fitted or you can be prosecuted.

It varies from country to country. In Switzerland for example (surprisingly perhaps) there's no requirement to fit winter tyres. However, if you have an accident (or cause an accident) or do not have 'appropriate' tyres for the prevailing conditions then you are breaking the law.

Also, legal requirement or not, I've seen the police stop drivers going up mountain roads because they didn't have winter tyres and/or snow chains.

Have you seen the price of winter tyres in this size !!!!!!

I suppose one could buy some alloys a few inches smaller just for winter tyres.

Yep, which is why I bought a set of Volvo Rims.

tbh, a set of summers in that size I would imagine is obscene, and while you have winters on you not using summers, so in theory, it will not cost you no more on wear, just the fact you have to go and buy a set of tyres before you needed new ones.

I might add a set of Volvo rims and Nokians WR4 cost me around £1400 all in so rims not far close from free if I had fitted a set of 21" tyres on my rims, P/N 32259083 I did negotiate a decent discount from dealer. XC60 MY2019

They are 19"'s and on my car. They are good, and no complaints so far, slightly noisier road wise at slow speeds but still very quiet. They are also higher, (they not look as good , but rims do look great) but again not a lot of difference driving at a decent pace, as for in rain they are excellent and outstanding in deep water as I found out by accident 6" + water at 60 right across the road, at night just ploughed straight through off the throttle, steering or car did not flinch, I just could not see for what seemed forever from the sheet of water that was all over the screen.

Here’s the legal requirements in EU, country by country:

https://www.michelin.co.uk/tyres/lea...re-regulations

As far as law is concerned- you’re ok in France. But I wouldn’t personally go anywhere in France (nevermind the Alps..) on summers..

Fitting chains on 22” wheels is also a bad idea- vibrations, rubbing, etc..

Spikes Spiders are crap- do a search on youtube - there’s plenty of tests showing how badly they perform.. the rest of the proposed options I haven’t had experience with..

My winning combination for the Alps is winters on all 4 starting mid November + Michelin Easy Grip (https://fr.michelin-lifestyle.com/en...grip-evolution) in the trunk, for offroad/powder adventures.

I’d say your best bet is getting a set of winter wheels in a smaller dimension (19”, or even 18”..). Or leave your Volvo in the garage and take Eurostar/TGV :)

I've just re-checked the article about the new requirements for France. They start next year, not this year: https://www.morznet.com/news/winter-...-france-720190

A set of 22" winter tyres would cost ~£1,600. As alluded to above, for that money one could buy a set of 19" winter wheels and tyres from a Volvo dealer and get a much better result.

I've used Spikespiders for several years and found them to be very good. The beauty of them is that they clip on in seconds at the moment you find you require them.