Security Chain Company SZ441 Super Z6 Cable Tire Chain for Passenger Cars, Pickups, and SUVs - Set of 2, silver and Security Chain Company SZ1176 Tire Traction Chain Rubber Tightener - Set of 2

Why it's worth it

A hybrid cable-and-link chain that needs just 6.33mm of clearance behind the wheel, so it fits most modern cars, crossovers and light trucks. The included rubber tightener cinches it down as you roll forward, which means no jack and no lying in slush.

The clearance number is the whole story here. Most chains want 12 to 20mm of space behind the tire. Cars built in the last decade often don't have it — ABS sensor wiring, brake lines and suspension arms crowd right up against the inside of the wheel. The Super Z6 asks for 6.33mm and exceeds SAE Class S requirements. That single spec is why it fits vehicles where more aggressive chains simply cannot be mounted safely.

Installation is the part you'll actually remember. You drape the chain over the tire, connect it behind the wheel, roll forward a few inches, then hook up the rubber tightener. It pulls the chain snug as the wheel turns. No jack, no repositioning the car, no reaching blindly into the wheel well while traffic goes by. If you've only ever wrestled with old-style link chains and manual tensioners, the difference is significant.

From our review of 8 tire chains and snow traction cables, by Ben Carter, Tech Editor

What we like

• +The clearance number is the whole story here
• +Installation is the part you'll actually remember
• +The diagonal crossmember pattern matters more than it sounds
• +This is the set that works for the widest range of drivers

What to know

• –It costs more than a basic cable chain, and the gap is real if you'll use it once a season
• –There's also a confusing sibling