AutoSock were launched in Norway in 2002 after a long period of testing, evaluation and improvement. Sales have grown exponentially, with over 330,000 pairs sold around Europe last winter, mostly on recommendation. When you've had the opportunity to test them for real you'll soon realise why. Most people are not only surprised but astonished at the difference they make to general traction, cornering, and braking.

"This cheap alternative to snowchains or to winter tyres is staggeringly easy to fit... I used them while driving in the French Alps last week and can confirm they are absolutely superb." (Nat Barnes, AA Motoring Writer of the Year)

They're also now approved by many car manufacturers, including BMW, Fiat, PSA Peugeot Citroën, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, and VW.

The bottom line is that AutoSock will provide a massive boost in all round confidence when driving on ice and snow, and hopefully "Get you home" or to wherever you're going, but don't overcook it, i.e. you should always drive with particular care in wintry conditions.

Each set contains:

• one pair of AutoSock
• a pair of elbow length gloves to protect your sleeves from e.g. wet and dirty car bodywork

Full instructions are shown on each bag which is also designed for easy and clean carrying of dirty AutoSock once you've taken them off the wheels (pull them off with the orange straps).

There's only one possible way to fit AutoSock, and no practice is required.

Please note that AutoSock will wear out with use, and that worn out AutoSock is not a guarantee issue! They'll get you moving and keep you moving - see the "Driving with AutoSock" page (one of the tabs above) for more information.

Please test them at the first good opportunity, and then pass the word!

When you click on "Buy checked items" you'll be taken to a Stockist page. "Find a stockist" would be a better form of words, a website 'fix' which we will make ASAP.

Here is AutoSock's own short presentation (3.95MB):

Our thanks to The Auto Channel for the use of this video (5.55MB):

AutoSock are taking robust action against patent infringement and want their customers to be aware of the situation; these notes are a summary of a recent statement they have issued.

AutoSock AS has registered several patents for fibre-based traction solutions for use on snow and ice. Despite this there are several other car snow socks on the market. The UK is one of several EU countries that is used as a dumping ground when these copy products are driven out of other jurisdictions.

AutoSock’s main European Patent is EP 1165329 and operational in all European countries. They have similar patent protection in North America and Japan.

Recent court actions include:

• An injunction against Siepa and its Austrian and German distributors by the court of Düsseldorf, Germany. The penalty for patent infringement is €200,000 per incident. Siepa brands include Goodyear and Fix&Go.
• An injunction against the Trendy distributor in Norway by the Court of Telemark. “Trendy” branded products have been withdrawn.
• An injunction against Multi Grip and WeissSock by the court of Düsseldorf. The penalty for patent infringement is €200,000 per incident.

The European Patent Office, through its preliminary statement and through its oral hearing in February 2008, has confirmed that the filed opposition to the patents will not be heard; the patents therefore remain unchanged.

Legal action is currently being taken against copies in France, Spain, Italy, Korea and Japan. AutoSock is giving very serious consideration to taking action in the UK market as well, not least because so many copies are being exported due to cheap pricing and sterling weakness. There is every reason to suppose they will be successful.

Here are some notes about what to expect from AutoSock, and some tips about how to get the best use from them:

General driving tips

• First of all, please read the instructions, especially the comment “Avoid spinning the wheels, extreme braking and acceleration, since this could damage the product.”
• The usual rules of driving in snow apply, i.e. pull off slowly, stay in as high a gear as possible, “anticipate” even more than normal, avoid hard braking.
• The speed limit of 30mph / 50kph will seem quite fast enough on snow. It is a maximum speed, not a recommended speed!

How long will they last?

• Fundamentally, the more you drive on clear roads / gritted tarmac, the faster they will wear out and the sooner you will need to buy another set.
• They are a “Get you out of trouble” solution and are not intended for prolonged use. You will probably use them to get down to the gritted road, then you take them off ASAP it is safe to do so.
• From the instructions: “The wear limit is reached as soon as 50% of the white road-contact fabric is worn out and the underlying black safety material has become visible.”
• You will find that small holes start to appear as they become worn. This is no big deal and will not affect their performance until it becomes obvious that they are looking ragged and well worn – then they need replacing. If they are ripped, this is due to snagging on e.g. a loose mudguard, a loose screw on a wheel arch liner, some other third party influence. (If you hear them catching on something, stop and sort it out!)
• There are bands of Kevlar running across the AutoSocks; these provide overall strength, help to prevent the socks from splitting after misuse, and help prevent holes from spreading.
• Overall, use your commonsense about how long to use them, and of course and where possible you should avoid potholes, raised manholes etc.

Fitting them

• Fitting is very easy on most vehicles, more difficult on a few. The most difficult vehicles to fit are – no surprise – rear wheel drive cars with limited clearance. If you can’t get your forearms into the space between the wheel and the wheel arch, fitting will be difficult. But blame the car, not the AutoSock! If they are a very tight fit, too tight, please let us know because there is obviously a size issue that we need to learn about.

Specific driving tips

Some suggestions for situations where AutoSock are not making the difference expected:

• On a rear wheel drive car, uphill slope, sheet ice: You need some weight in the boot – it makes all the difference. Don’t just spin the wheels and trash the AutoSock.
• On a hill in really slushy snow. You may drive forward then slip. The AutoSock are sticking to the snow but there isn’t enough strength in the snow to hold the weight of the vehicle. Roll back down a few feet, compressing the snow and driving out the water. The try again, moving further up the hill than before. Three steps up, two back.