AT vs Winter Tires

I want to get a set of winter tires for my truck. Planning on just buying them online, mounted on steelies. I live in VT. I've been told Grabber At2's/studded. Guy in town says stick with Blizzaks, maybe Nokians... Forget mileage, noise, wear. What's best on hardpack and ice? My truck came with 265/60-18. I assume I can safely go to 265/65-17's? TPMS worth it?
THX for the feedback.

 

90% of what you will hear in response to your question on here will be opinion. Less than 10% will be fact.

In all truth I haven't come across a bad snow tire as long as it was designed as a snow tire in the first place. Grabbers, and other studded AT's, won't be very flexible in the cold. They will rely on the studs to bite and to be honest snow tire technology/chemestry has come to the point where true snows are as good as studs. Not to mention the advantages of not running studs.

If you don't mind the annoying light TPMS isn't worth it. If you will hate that light on your dash with a cold hard passion then get sensors.