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Putting on chains in the cold is normally a miserable job, but these Konig Easy Fit chains make it quick. Just drape them over the tire, step down on the center pedal, and you’re ready to drive. No crawling on the road, no tugging on tensioners, no extra tightening after rolling forward. They self-tension after a full tire rotation, so you get back on your way in minutes—ideal when the snow is dumping or the wind is howling.
When the snow gets deep or the road turns slick, the diamond pattern and square links dig in to give you consistent traction and a smoother ride than standard ladder chains. The smaller link size also helps reduce bouncing and vibration, so you can drive steadily through light ice or packed snow without that harsh chain rattle.
These chains are built with care for your wheels. A soft-touch fabric liner and nylon bumpers keep the chains from rubbing your rims, while the powder-coated side chain stays smooth and won’t scratch like bare metal. The external release system makes it just as easy to take them off as it is to put them on—no fighting with frozen parts or cold fingers once you’re through the pass.
Handmade of hardened manganese nickel alloy steel, these chains are built to resist corrosion and hold up through season after season of winter driving. The center tensioning bar is made of rustproof aluminum for lasting strength. Even after long exposure to slush and salt, the construction stands up to real-world use without giving up traction or durability.
With an internal clearance requirement of only 3/8", these chains meet SAE Class S standards for vehicles with limited wheel-well space. That low-profile design means they fit where bulky chains can’t, so you still get reliable traction even in cars with minimal clearance. Each pair fits 13" – 17" tires and comes packed in a durable nylon storage bag that doubles as a kneeling mat for easier roadside setup.
These chains fit the following tire sizes:
Ratings & Reviews
Construction: solid
Conditions of installation: snowing, below freezing w/ packed snow and ice
Ease of installation: piece of cake!
Function: up steep driveway, no problems
Value: worth every penny
I bought these in spring so I haven't tested them in snow yet, but I must say I am very happy with them, yes, literally 12 seconds per side, AWESOME product, Imagine having to change regular chains on a busy interstate with Semi's flying by, SCARY, not with these! Super Fast and good quality. etrailer.com was great to work with too! Attaching a photo doesn't do justice, I suggest anyone to watch etrailer's video, that's what sold me as well as YouTube vid's.
2015 Honda Fit
Ordering was very easy. Product descriptions are concise, shipping costs are provided, tracking of your order through to delivery appreciated. Everything you need to easily shop and place your order is on their website. Customer Service sends a courtesy email when they’ve been told delivery of your product has been made. etrailer is highly recommended!
FANTASTIC!
I'm an "old guy" with arthritis so when I got my Ford F-150 stuck (for the first time in 20 years) I was concerned. I have two sets of heavy duty "ladder" chains, which I only used once and am no longer agile or flexible (or young enough) to wrestle with. So after sliding off an icy road and getting stuck for several hours; I researched various different chains that I could easily manage and could save me a day of trouble. etrailer.com was great, discussed my options with me, understood my concerns, made a range of recommendations and offered a great price.
These are certainly not the cheapest chains out there but I think they are the best, especially if you are somewhat physically challenged. Sure the price caused me to hesitate but when I consider what I just went through and my needs these were the best choice. As one reviewer said, "hope I never have to use them". I agree AND I now have something I can use to help me if I ever get stuck again. They are magnificent, engineered to work well and last. They have the best chain pattern and materials on the market, are lightweight and above all else incredibly easy to put on / take off.
I did as suggested and put them on for a trial run, they work as promised, amazingly well.
I am delighted with my decision and hope I never have to use them but living in the Rocky Mountains one has to be prepared and now I feel confident I can manage just about anything that happens.
Outstanding product and price. I was able to put these on the tires in what was likely about 1.5 minutes per tire! My wife and daughter can install these without any trouble, which was a main point in purchasing the Konig easy fit, self tensioning system. Not as heavy as the chains on my 4wd vehicles, but for my Mazda CX9 with not a lot of room in the fender well, these are among the few options out there that are made of real chain, and not a cable. These chains are available elsewhere online at about $120 more than I paid at etrailer, and they showed up within a few days of ordering. I added my own kneeling pad and leather gloves to the bag that contains the chains.
So thankful I have these chains. They have bailed me out more than once. I opted to buy them instead of getting dedicated winter tires. As with most chains, once you put them on your tires, you really can't go more than 35 MPH, so you won't be using them for long times - just when you need to use them, and only when you need to use them. (I also purchased a pair of rugged winter gloves from Home Depot which I keep in the case with the chains, which I recommend because it's cold and snowy outside wherever you are going to put them on.) I highly recommend these as the ultimate backup.
I must say I was skeptical about easy installation. I am pleased to say these chains were EASY AND FAST to put on. Not disappointed at all. It’s worth the extra money and this chain will work on my pickup truck and Jeep Grand Cherokee, so not that costly after all. Highly recommended
This set of chains are extremely well packaged for carrying chains to comply with CalTrans requirements that 4 wheel drive cars with snow/mud tires must carry chains. This was important to me since in the past 20 years I have never had to put on chains going, at or returning from Mammoth. I did a test install and they were easy to install. etrailer information provided was also excellent and the package was sent timely.
The Konig Self-Tensioning, Low-Pro Snow Tire Chains are just the right combination of ease of installation and effectiveness against the inclement weather here in the mountains of Oregon. Their low profile work well with the air suspension of my Range Rover Sport.
I couldn't be happier with the product or the service at etrailer.com. The staff kept me up to date with my order and offered an alternative product since my selection was on backorder. I will definitely consider order from them again.
I purchased chains for my 2017 VW GTI. They fit very well on the low profile tire and were easy to install. However on the first use to Tahoe in snowy conditions the chains performed very poorly. Per the chain controls in effect that day I had to install them at the chain control checkpoint. No issues installing them with the instructions. After about 1.5 hours of driving on the snow covered roads at the reduced speed, I noticed a very loud noise coming from the front right tire. While attempting to pull over to inspect, the chain suddenly flew off my right tire into the freeway with fast moving SUVs and trucks. I was unable to retrieve the lost chain and had to finish the trip with only the front left in place. When it was time to return home the roads had been cleared and chains were no longer needed. I found the chain extremely difficult to remove and it considered cutting them off. Eventually after much effort I was able to forcefully remove the chain since the tensioning system would not release. By the end of the day the chains were completely useless; one lost and the other broke. I was lucky to have made it safely but only barely. I would not use them again.
Went on as easy as in the U Tube video. Had a fresh 12 inch snow to test them with. I have a Ford F-250 4x4 and the little front wheel drive Mazda went better than the truck. No shoveling the driveway, just went back and forth and packed down the snow. Only thing I question is the bungy cord part of the chains. If that part will possible dry rot. The Thule chains make the car feel unstoppable. Ice snow I made 4x4s look bad. When you have chains that go on and come off this easy you are more inclined to use them. LoveEm
They broke the first time I used them. I hadn't had to use them until almost a year after purchasing them and when I did the cable snapped after about 20 miles. I was almost left stranded on a mountain at 1:30am with no cell phone service in the snow. Thankfully I was able to make it slowly and safely off the mountain without chains the rest of the way, but just barely.
I feel confident that I applied them correctly based on the instructions and website videos, so I believe they were defective.
I'm still trying to contact Konig to have them replaced, but the responses I'm getting are half in English and half something else even though I chose English. So I'm pretty frustrated with the customer service on Konig's end at this point.
These chains are truly magical! On our first trip up to the mountains, the snow started suddenly coming down on us before the CHP could even get out there to set up chain controls. Traffic slowed unexpectedly to a stop, and our tires began to spin. We were stuck in the middle of the road. Out we popped, put on our chains, and about 3 minutes later we were (easily) moving past all the other people putting on their chains. We were literally alone on the road while everyone else got their chains on. They were that fast! Because of the weather conditions, we actually had to take them off and then put them back on two additional times on that drive, which would have been really miserable with any other chains.
I do have a couple things to be aware of:
1) You need to line the tires up perfectly in order to get them off, so it helps to have a second person to tell you when to stop.
2) During one of our installations, as we started to drive off we heard an odd sound. I got out to check and one of the tensioners had come undone, because a clip had come off of it. I was able to find the clip and get it back on, and we didn't have any further trouble - however we later inspected all the clips and saw that that one (as well as one other) did not look quite right. Worried that we would run into trouble on another trip, I called etrailer.com first - they directed me to call the company. I did, and the company was so helpful! I had taken photos of the broken chain and they quickly approved my warranty claim based on those photos and sent me a new set, in time for our next trip! We are now always careful to put the chains on, drive a few feet (so that they tighten) and then make sure they are on securely.
I still give them 5 stars - they are fantastic chains.
Fits well. Easy to put on and take off. Silicon spray on the red cables seems wise. Maria was amazing in customer service. I love etrailer. One thing I would change. Use fewer staples when packing the box. I had lots of staples in my Konig box, which I would liked to have kept nice with a $[XX] product. See photos
I used these the first time and they broke off easily. We know how to install chains and followed instructions. The one that did not break off actually was extremely difficult to get off. I bought them and spent extra money because they were supposed to be easier to install and uninstall. This is not the case. I do not recommend these chains.
I received the chains, they look okay but I have not had an opportunity to use the product. Hard to rate at this time.
I practiced with these several times before needing them. While not as fast as in the video, I got pretty adept at installing them. My driveway is steep enough that I can't always make it up, even with dedicated snows.
When I actually needed them during a Backcountry ski trip, they broke, causing me to have to alter my plans.
I contacted etrailer twice. Once shortly after it happened, and once when I was first prompted for this review and did not hear back either time.
I think I am the outlier- I spent a huge amount on the chains because of their great reviews, and expect I just had some bad luck.
I have also, in general, had great experience with etrailer customer service, and expect they may be dealing with some of the same staffing issues as the rest of the world.
The vehicle in the picture isn't mine, but was on our two hour drive to the closest Canadian Tire after the chains failed.
Other pics show the problem, and my failed field repair.
The rust showed on the chains by the time I got home from a 1 week trip-. I couldn't hang them up to dry on our campervan trip.
I have driven on these chains for a year. Here are my thoughts. They are probably good for someone who just needs to drive on a chain to get from their chalet to the ski lift while looking fly. However we own land in the mountains of Colorado about three miles up a private road that is unmaintained. We routinely face 6-8 inch drifts, steep inclines, and hairpin turns. When you can actually get this chain on, it works fine. However, after the first time, you will basically never get this chain on properly again. The first time I put them on, I was in love. Then I tried to take them off after getting a mix of heavy snow and dirt into the release canal. When you hit the quick release, it goes up about a quarter of the way, and you have to reach behind the wheel and pull to get the wire to release. From there, everything goes downhill. The wire stretches a little from having to pull it off the wheel. Then when you step on the quick tighten, it tightens, unless the snow underneath is too icy/firm, then it only tightens sort of. You can take it off and retry, but that loosens the wire a little bit more. Soon enough, the chain isn't actually tight against the wheel. But it stays on. Which is fine if you don't spin. But if you hit a spot where you spin, then the chain goes shooting off the back like a bola. You can put it back on, but it doesn't ever tighten down well enough again. Last time I went up to our property, I got in fine, losing one chain along the way, but when I tried to get out, got stuck three times because I couldn't keep the chains on my tires. Trying to get them on in deep snow, under tire spun icy snow, don't bother. TL;DR, great if you have to use them once or twice in cute, clean, snow. Anything of actual need, get different chains.
Amazing product! So easy a grandmother can put on her little race car. Worth every penny since I work at a ski resort, never late for work.
I live in California and have Mini Cooper - a perfect car for 350 days in any given year. I go to the mountains 5 weekends in a year and 2-3 times I really need chains for 10 miles over the summit. It takes 5 minutes to put these on and another 5 to take them off. Can't beat the convenience.
These fit my Mini Cooper perfectly and are really easy to get on! I haven't had the chance to use them in the snow yet, but they seem to be very sturdy.
I haven't used them in snow yet, which is why I couldn't give them 5 stars. However, I did install them and that process was far superior to any regular or cable chains I have ever used.
You can literally install them in less than 10 minutes. True, they cost a lot more but considering that when installing chains you are often on the side of the road, which is not particularly safe and the weather is often fierce, I think they're worth it.
Positives:
These chains are very easy to put on and take off. They are far superior to any other solution in deep snow.
Neutral:
Make sure that you have read the instructions, and practiced using them before you need them.
Negatives:
The thick bar section will shake your car badly if it's driven on parts of the road that don't have deep snow. It's a bit worse than chains with more similar sections.
Conclusion:
Buy the chains. Use the chains. But also install Winter tires.
I used these chains on my Prius for the first time on New Year's Eve. In the dark. In the slushy, icy cold. I'm a small, not particularly strong woman. They were so easy to use! The instructions are displayed inside the storage bag, which doubles as a mat so that you don't need to kneel or sit in the snow while you put the chains on. It took me a moment or two to understand that you can create a LOT of slack in the ring before you try and tuck them behind the wheels. Once I figured that out, it was easy to put them on and use the foot pedal to fasten them. Easy on, easy off. With one practice session, I can install and remove in less than 5 minutes.
I've owned four sets of Thule Easy-Fit CU-9 tire chains over the years. I need them because they're fast and easy to mount and fast and easy to remove and I often have to mount or remove the chains while out on the road in snow. There have been times when the red cable froze on one of the chains and I couldn't remove it. I couldn't spread the hoop from behind the tire and it was a real headache. I had cut the red cable once ending the life of the chain and other times had to leave the car hoping for warmer weather to unfreeze the red cable so I could remove the chain.
These days and for the past few years I lubricate the red cable with silicone spray twice per winter. Lubricating the cable keeps the red cable from freezing-up. Unless the CU-9's have been redesigned not too long ago to give a better performance regarding the red cable I cannot give a five-star review. I'd leave only 3 stars. These tire chains are way overpriced. They also rust very easily making a mess inside the storage bag and that's with keeping them dry in between uses. Other than the red cable and the rust these chains have they have always performed well offering good traction even on ice. However still, I'd only give three stars.
Jesse
12/10/2022
Going on the 2nd winter of my 4th set now. I use the CU-9s during and after snow storms on the rural roads where I live. I take them off when encountering roads with little to no snow. Cant drive with these on bare pavement. I have to use my CU-9s in snow thats only 2 to 3 in. deep. I drive a small two-seater w rear-wheel drive that hasnt much traction even with best of snow tires. With the CU-9s, however that all changes. Ive driven up icy hills passing other vehicles that couldnt make it.
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Christina W.
11/19/2020
These chains have been great! Its takes a minute to figure out how to get them off, but getting them on is a breeze and if you dont get them tight enough they tighten themselves as your drive. Theyre great in the snow and on icy days where you just dont want to take a chance. Perfect for my front wheel drive Mini Cooper so I can get up the mountain to snowboard!