Avoid slippery situations with Michelin socks

First there were driving shoes – now motorists can purchase snow socks. The latter facilitate safer driving on snow and ice and – in a stroke of genius – are fitted to the vehicle rather than the driver.

Michelin launched its own snow sock range, Michelin S.O.S. Grip, at the start of this month. The tyre maker states that Michelin S.O.S. is an approved solution ideally suited for use in emergency situations on snow-covered or icy roads. The socks are designed to be fitted to a car’s tyres in less than two minutes, and Michelin reports that the structure of the fabric used in the socks “ensures outstanding grip and traction.” Thanks to the fabric’s “ultra-absorbency,” Michelin claims the Michelin S.O.S. Grip can provide “a level of performance on a par with that of snow chains.”

To support this claim, Michelin points to tests performed in France in February 2016. A car fitted with Michelin Primacy 3 tyres and S.O.S. Grip was compared with a Primacy 3-shod vehicle minus the snow socks. The tyre maker states that the socks improved traction by 135 per cent, braking performance by 91 per cent and lateral grip by 73 per cent.

Michelin S.O.S. Grip is available in ten sizes, a range that covers more than 90 per cent of the car parc, from small city cars to large saloons and 4x4s. All products are compatible with ESP and ABS systems and are said to be vibration-free. To improve vehicle visibility in darkness, S.O.S. Grip also comes with ‘Night Vision Security’ reflectors.