The reason winter tires are the best choice for winter weather is because everything from the rubber compound to the tread has been specifically created to deal with winter road conditions. In addition, they hold the “Three Peak Mountain Snowflake” emblem indicating that these tires have met the required performance criteria in snow testing and are considered severe snow service rated. Driving in the winter is a challenge even for the most experienced drivers so it is important to equip your vehicle with good quality tires. In addition it seems like every year the winters get worse and worse with unprecedented amounts of snow covering the roads and severe winter storms becoming more and more common. This is why having proper snow tires is important as they are made specifically to deal with snow and ice.
The reason dedicated winter tires are the best choice for severe winters is because these tires in comparison with all-weather tires are made only for winter. Even though all-weather tires hold the same “Three Peak Mountain Snowflake” emblem like winter tires they are made to be functional for the rest of the year. In comparison the dedicated winter tires are made only for winter weather which means that everything from the tread pattern to rubber compounds are made specifically for winter conditions.
Winter tires exist both as non-studded or as studded tires. Which one to choose depends on what kind of driving you will be doing and what kind of weather conditions you will be experiencing where you live. Generally studded tires perform better on ice and hard packed snow whereas non-studded tires are better on snowy roads and they also hold the advantage of being able to be mounted earlier in the fall as well as being able to be kept on longer into the spring. If however, you will be driving on ice and hardpacked snow then studded tires would be the recommendation. Before installing studded tires however you would need to look into the local laws and regulations in your state.
There are many good quality winter tires on the market. If the decision is to invest in a non-studded tire then a tire like the Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2 might be worth considering. These tires makes use of the many new non-studded winter tire technologies. With the added grip particles added to the rubber compound these tires offer state of the art grip while being the lowest tire noise and fuel consumption in its product family.
In general as long as you have proper snow tires with the correct dimensions for your vehicle make and model then you are well equipped to handle even severe winter weather. There have been many new advances in winter tires making them a good choice for severe winter conditions either with or without studs. The rubber compound is formulated to handle temperatures far below freezing and with tread patterns that allow for relentless grip.
For more information regarding winter tires, visit: nokiantires.com