Interesting idea for temporary traction needs. I’ve never heard about them until now:
I had that idea last year then I found out they already existed. 
This video is from 4 years and 11 months ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCayNFpht6E
There are a few different alternatives and variations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chrLCKzAVVg
There was just a big article posted on PoliceOne about these, apparently CHP doesn’t like them as they are not permanent replacements for actual tire chains.
snow tires?
These are great until you realize that they are temporary and you’d be better off just buying a cheap set of chains online.
ingenious idea, though, and definitely not a bad thing to keep tucked in your trunk just in case (depending on where you live)
It’s funny, not once did I even consider chains my entire time in the northeast, but out west its required at times in the mountains and definitely necessary.
For $16 I just bought a pair and will toss them in the spare tire well in my car. Even with snows these might be the difference one night between getting home from Ellicottville on the 219 or being stuck in my car for the night. Probably never end up using them and just moving them to the next car. I can think of a couple times in my life where I was stuck and I bet these would have given me just enough extra traction to get out on my own.
What Jay said. I don’t think these are meant to replace snow tires, just help in extreme situations.
Makes sense. I just assume that the majority of consumers are stupid enough to treat these as a replacement for snow tires, just like some people will rock a spare until it blows out.
I have seen 2wd people stuck in wet grass. 1 or 2 regular giant zip ties probably would have been enough to get them unstuck.
How sketchy is it driving with chains on? This is something I’ve never done.
I had to use them on Donner Pass on my honeymoon. I got the very last pair at NAPA in Lake Tahoe.
You can only drive 15mph… unless you are in a rental car… then you can drive about 40mph. lol
I also had to use them in Yosemite and did not take them off when I went to get gas. A highway worker told me I did not need them outside the park. I explained that I was headed back into the park once I got gas. They get pretty loud over 25mph. 
Technically they were cables not really chains. I still have them somewhere, they came in a nice black plastic box. 
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Yeah, the sharp turns down steep hills are pretty f’ing scary, nothing like it around here.
Image search came up with this, lol:
That might explain why they had to eat the dead… they were really stuck. lol
what @Blue_Eyed_Devil said, ha. It’s not so much that they are ‘sketchy.’ They work and make a difference, for sure. But really anything over 20 or so MPH and you’ll want to stop and take them off again. The cheaper chains I had marred up my rims a bit, too. They make nicer cable chains that make less noise and go on easier.