“Before buying, make sure to carefully choose the brand of snow chains” – we could say that, but we won’t! From well-known brands, people always expect more durable and reliable performance, however due to intense price competition manufacturers cut costs wherever they can. First on marketing, packaging, production and transport costs, and finally on the product itself.
In the case of snow chains, this means that even well-known manufacturers have been forced to source cheaper raw materials, mostly from the Far East (i.e. China). In many cases not only the raw materials, but the entire production, assembly and packaging also take place there. Domestic retailers usually deny this because it casts a bad light on expensive branded products, but it also happens that manufacturers hide the Far Eastern origin even from distributors! This becomes evident when branded snow chains are compared to original Chinese products and, surprisingly, they are not only identical in appearance, but also in material hardness. However, users rarely have the opportunity to perform such comparisons, so it is best to leave this task to certification institutes and organizations, whose experts conduct the necessary tests and issue certificates of conformity.
To sum up the above, we can say that you should not decide based on brand or the retailer’s recommendation, but always make sure that the product has a quality certification, which is often indicated on the packaging of the snow chain. This is also important because in Western European countries authorities only allow the use of snow chains that have proper certification!
Currently, the most widely accepted certification is issued by GS/TÜV. After a comprehensive series of tests and auditing of the production process, the tested snow chains receive the GS (Geprüfte Sicherheit) mark from TÜV Rheinland, which literally means “proven safety.” The GS mark is a voluntary test certification that declares the product has been tested for safety by an independent party and that production is continuously monitored. One of the strictest snow chain quality standards in Europe is defined by the Austrian ÖNORM V5117 (passenger cars) and V5119 (trucks) regulations. If a snow chain has GS/TÜV or ÖNORM V5117 or V5119 certification, you can be sure it is of good quality regardless of brand!
Manufacturers improve their products year by year, so there may be slight differences in sizes. When purchasing, always provide the exact tire size to the retailer, not the code of a previously used snow chain!
If your van’s tire size matches the common sizes used for passenger cars and you could get a cheaper snow chain for it, never install a snow chain designed for passenger cars on a commercial vehicle! Snow chains designed for passenger cars are not suitable for the higher loads experienced by commercial vehicles. Always use heavy-duty snow chains designed for high load capacity on your van or light commercial vehicle! Using passenger car snow chains on a van is not only dangerous due to faster wear and potential breakage, but it may also void the warranty!
