Dedicated Snow Tire recommends

Looking for dedicated snow tire and daily driver for 50miles per day.

Mountain passes, ski areas, hunting spots in eastern CO (mud and snow). Hwy use.

May tow at times but not a lot.
Will have a constant load --Shell/RTT etc so call it 300-500lbs in the rear.

Size pref is: 235 80 17 but open to 245 and possibly 265 (want the tall skinny look)
Load E ok with me.

run Nov to April but instead of a all terrain that's snow rated I want a snow tire that is better at adventuring off road and might have some decent road manners for DD.

Currently my selection if I buy today is COOPER M+S
(looks like a snowtire with larger voids)

Possible candidates:
Nokian Hakkapeliitta LT2
Blizzark
Winterforce LT
Hancook Ipike

Am I missing some good choices on the Snow first other stuff second?
Don't want studs but if studdable that's just a bonus if I decide it's needed.

Any and all silliness welcome. Experience preferred.
(I ran Pirelli Snows on my VW Corrado in NEW ENGLAND and that was pretty damn stable)

 

I run General ArticMax on mine - size 265/75-16. Studded too. Good in hard pack & ice but fair in deep stuff. They tend to float and plow into turns before biting. My old (non-Toyota) truck ran Cooper MTs, if I recall, studded in size 255/85-16 and I feel they were a much better snow tire all around. Now it may also be that my old truck was a 3/4 ton Cummins and that weighed almost as much as a locomotive. I think the 265s may be too wide and my next set will be the 255s. For the powdery snow in CO, I'd think a larger lug tire would be better.

 

Plan is to run st maxx in the summer

Thx for feedback vssman

 

The Hankook get great traction especially with studs ,wear pretty well. I had them on my 12 T4R. The only thing was handling was so so on a SUV that heavy. I'd go with load E if you pick those. I drive around JXN, Wy. all winter.

 

I've had Nokian tires on a couple different vehicles in the past. And some other brands too. If I were shopping for dedicated snowies today I wouldn't look at anything else.

 

x2

Ran the studless ones for years, excellent tires. About to spring for a set of H8s for the wife's Tacoma.

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/winter-tires.396277/

 

I looked at the H8 but the sizes
Lt2 seems to be my only option ?

 

I pulled the trigger yesterday on cooper m+s
Discount direct eBay $100 off free ship

Also got AT3 for my FJ that I'm selling so I'll get a small trial on those

Thanks for the link

 

Sorry...the H8 SUV.
You have to look at SUV/4x4 tyres on their website.