Winter will soon peep in guys, so are you ready to go on a holiday or weekend in the mountains?  

Suitcases, rucksacks, skis, boots, après-ski boots, helmets, masks, neck warmers, gloves and technical clothings are in the car, the windscreen wiper fluid with antifreeze is there, the brush to clean the windows from snow is there too, winter diesel fills the tank. Let’s now go through the routine pre-departure checks: 

• General vehicle check: before setting off, it is advisable to check the level of engine oil, coolant, power steering and that the air conditioning is working properly to allow a quickly windows demisting. 
• Battery: the car battery in cold weather can lose between 33 and 50 per cent of its power depending on how much the outside temperature drops below zero, therefore it is a good idea to recharge or replace it before travelling. 
• Brakes: check the wear level of both the front and rear brakes, as well as the brake fluid level, and do a check of the discs and pads. 
• Lights: Always check that the front and rear lights and direction indicators are working properly. 
• Tyres: it is always important to check the wear level and pressure of the tyres. 

Speaking of tyres only one thing is still missing: chains! You don't need to have a huge space in the boot to find room for König snow chains, as our products are sold in practical, space-saving cases/bags. 

The cases, the size of which varies according to the type of chain they contain (for cars, SUVs, crossovers, vans), are equipped with Velcro on the back that allows them to be fixed inside the boot, while the bags are so comfortable that they can easily be placed on top of the cases and in some cases can also be used as a mat when fitting the chains themselves, thus avoiding getting your trousers dirty on the ground. It is important to place the snow chains in a convenient spot inside your luggage compartment, so that if they need to be used they can be removed without difficulty. Imagine having to unload skis, boots, suitcases, etc. in order to retrieve snow chains from the bottom of the boot, that would be quite a hassle!  

Sometimes people tend to understimate snow chains, as they are wrongly considered outdated and complicated, and reling exclusively on winter tyres or four-season tyres, which are certainly useful during the winter to improve grip on cold and slippery roads, but sometimes not enough to guarantee mobility in mountain areas during the winter months. In fact, if one finds oneself in the middle of a snowfall and the asphalt under the wheels loses its grey appearance, reminding more of a fairytale landscape all covered in snow, one automatically thinks: 'now what do I do? ". In more than 50 years of history, König has developed various mounting systems that meet various demands both in terms of the technical requirements of the vehicle and the speed and convenience of mounting. In terms of mounting systems, König offers 3 different solutions: 

• External fitting system: allows fitting from the outside of the wheel only. The chain is already assembled and does not require the hooks typical of traditional chains but it is attached to the vehicle's original wheel nut. Once installed, the chain positions itself independently on the tyre tread while driving. The products that can be fitted in this manner belong to the K-Summit family, which includes different models for different types of vehicles: K-Summit for passenger cars, K-Summit XL for compact SUVs and crossovers, K-Summit XXL for SUVs, K-Summit VAN for commercial vehicles, and the new K-Summit MAX for electric vehicles or vehicles characterised by higher torque and increased mass. 
• Intuitive (or Top-Down) assembly system: allows assembly with the most natural gesture possible, starting from the top of the wheel towards the bottom. The chain is already assembled and does not require the attachments typical of traditional chains. As with External-mounted products, the chain is tensioned and centred automatically while riding. This type of fitting is typical for the Easy-fit family of products (Easy-fit CU-9 for passenger cars and Easy-fit SUV for SUVs) and the revolutionary new König Reflex Edge snow chain, specifically designed for cars with wheel arch limitations. The König Reflex Edge is the most intuitive and innovative product in the entire König consumer range, the easiest and quickest to fit - just a few simple steps and you're ready to hit the road to your destination. 
• Traditional (or Ground-Up) mounting system: It allows the chain to slide on the ground behind the wheel during assembly to fit from the bottom to the top. The chain requires engagement/disengagement operations on the inside and outside. Depending on the model, chains with this assembly system can have either automatic or manual tensioning; the latter requires a stop after assembly to re-tension the chain manually. A convenient and practical example of an automatically tensioning car chain is the König CG-9, equally easy and quick to fit is the König XG-12 Pro for SUVs and the König XG Cross for crossovers. Manual tensioning chains include the König K-Slim for passenger cars and the König XD-16 for vans and pick-ups. 

External Fitting König K-Summit MAX	Intuitive Fitting König Reflex Edge	Traditional Fitting König XG Cross

Using the configurator on our website at this link you can find out which chains are suitable for your vehicle.  

Once you have identified the chain model that best suits your needs, you can consult the list of physical or online shops where you can find and purchase our products in the dedicated section on our website.

Our advice is to get a minimum of familiarity with chains before fitting them for the first time on the road in the snow; a fitting test in the garage will make your life much easier. In addition, some models of chains require a minimum of adjustment to be made before fitting and it is more convenient to do this at home.  

König snow chains take you out of 'winter inconveniences' and allow you to travel in the snow safely.  

Bon voyage!