Do any of you snow drivers have experience with "traction pads/mats" for getting your cars unstuck from snow/ice? Links to two variations I found are below. Are these things useful, or just junk? Full tire chains are overkill for that quick "get yourself unstuck" need (and a real hassle to install). Generally if we can make it out of our cul-de-sac the main roads are fine. We usually don't have all that much snow here in Denver, but the last three weeks have been somewhat of an ordeal (to say the least!) Unfortunately, a drunk rearended us a few months back and totalled our 4-wheel drive.


Some traction mats I found searching the web:

http://www.ajprindle.com/products/sku-11886__dept-21__orderby-nw.html

-or-

http://www.lionsgrip.com/

I've used roofing shingles to extract myself (before AWD) and have heard of folks using heavy "Welcome" mats, carpet squares and the like. These linked items seem like specialty items that would work just as well. Neither of these are terribly expensive, but you should be able to find something suitable for free around the house or for cheap at your local hardware store, Home Depot, etc.

Good luck out there in the white!

A guy I used to know said he kept some chain link fencing in the back of his vehicle for such situations. I wonder if other kinds of wire mesh fencing would do as well?

Sue

I have freed my Jeep from the snow many times by placing tree branches and what not under the tires. In addition I have been off-roading with several trucks who carry a much larger version of the traction pads for use in mud and snow. The down side would be that 1) you have to carry them with you 2) you have to get out of your car to use them. Often times, I have found, that once you get stuck in the snow, you want to try and keep your momentum up to avoid becoming stuck again. More specifically if you stop to retrieve your traction mats, you may not be able to get going again without using the mats again.

Cat litter works great. And you don't really want to go bck for it.

Cat litter works fine- if -you have enough of it.... Chains work, unill it gets bad, then you got to chain up all 4 take it easy..Chains arn't overill, it's more like , an obligation, in Denver <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Car floor mats in emergency could help.

I make traction mats by cutting discarded snowmobile tracks into pieces about 3 feet long. They are free (at least in Maine) and the lugs on them grab the snow well. Check your local snowmachine dealer for discarded tracks.

Use your chains. Don't need to put them on, just pay them under as a traction mat, no sense in carrying another item that doesn't work any better.

Wow! Lots of good ideas for alternates here. 4WD with agressive all-season tires has been just fine for my last 25+ years in the Denver area. I don't think I've had to put on chains on over 20 years. Now that the 4WD is dead and we have no replacement yet, I'm getting a taste of how normal cars do in the snow. Not as good as I'd like.