Yes it's April - What winter tires? (Just got winter rims today)

I apologize in advance but just scored a second set of OR alloy rims for my winter tires. I have lots of time but I hope to get some good info as to what your favs for winter tires are. Please let me know what it's strengths are.

I have had good luck with BFG AT's in the past on a Jeep. I also like Michelin LTX MSII. We are about as far south as it gets in Canada and are directly across from Sandusky Ohio. So in general we get light snow for the most part but get plagued by blowing snow a lot with icy patches as it covers salted roads. Occasionally we get heavy snow of 4+". Now if we visit my folks we run through a snow belt and can see any and everything including 12+" storms.

So in general I need something decent for ice and snow but not nessecarily super deep multi foot deep drifts that you have to hit head on and claw through.

 

General AT2's are pretty solid for the price IMO

 

I have Michelin X-Ice on both my Tacoma and Forester. I worry more about stopping and traction on ice, than I do about traction in snow.

 

I have been very happy with Blizzaks. Very good on ice and snow.

 

are you looking for a strictly winter or an AT?

Your title says winter tires but this whole post sounds like you want a tire you can use all the time?
Other than the second set of wheels.

 

Nokian Hakka 8's. Nokian holds the most winter tire patents and are considered the best on the market. I love mine, but they were a pretty penny. PS: I live in Alaska.

 

Blizzaks

 

this.
I'm in Ontario as well, live in Toronto but head up north to minden and haliburton area a lot in the winter and I've got the Nokian Hakkapelitia R2s
amazing tire
First time I got them this season as I went to my tire guy and asked what he recommends I felt like trying something new from the michelin x ice that I've always had great results with.

Honestly the Nokians are amazing. Love them. Definitely the best winter tire out there.

 

I travel a lot in Northern Michigan in the winter. We are devoted to Nokian winter Tyres (as they spell it). They are from Finland. And yes, it is the same company that brought you Nokian cell phones back in the day. These are premium winter tires - good on the open road (unlike many winter tires and you can run them year around if you want -- about 50,000 mile tread life because of the winter rubber compound). We change them out seasonally. Performance on ice, hard packed snow, and variable conditions is outstanding -- which we have all the time in the winter due to "lake effect" snow. Unlike Blizzaks, the entire tire is made of the rubber compound, not just the tread. Check them out. Good luck.

 

3 years now with BFG Commercial T/A Traction and they have been superb

 

Nokian cell phones?

YOu mean nokia? lol the cell phone company doesn't have a N at the end.
I thought they were japanese

 

Dedicated winter tires: Hakkapeliittas
Best year round tire in winter: Duratracs

 

They used to be the same company long ago under Nokia. Nokian is basically "Nokia's" in Finnish.

 

I am looking for tires for WINTER conditions. I listed both tires I have experience with because they were good winter tires. The BFG AT's were good on the Jeep due to the fact they could dig if needed yet still were decent in icy /slippery situations. I had the LTX MS2's on 2 different Dodge diesels - 3500 dually and 2500 srw. Big heavy trucks and the 2500 would easily dig through bumper high drifts with the LTX.

So I have the stock tires for all season but I would like a better tire for winter. Could be a decent performing AT or dedicated winter. I only have experience as listed above and I have listed the conditions I experience. I didn't feel the stock wranglers were confidence inspiring in varying conditions. Solid snow covered roads were fine but 0-1" and blowing snow where the roads aren't clean or totally covered were sketchy. I never felt that way on either of the two tires I listed nor on full snows on my wife's cars.

Does this make sense what I am looking for?

 

does now.
I just didn't understand since you listed nothing but AT tires.

If you're looking for something dedicated you may as well get an actual winter tire instead of something else.

Like I said above I'm in ontario as well and I have the nokian hakkapelitia R2. I would've got the studded ones but can't in toronto.
Very impressed with them. No issues at all this winter with all the snow and ice. Never once spun out or anything.
Sure I slipped and needed 4x4 but never lost control. And braking distance was phenomenal

 

Blizzaks (Washington State Trooper winter tires ) or Mich X-Ice.

 

Thanks for all of the advice. Looks like the Nokian have some serious following for something I have never heard of. They will definately be something I look into. Blizzaks and X-Ice seem decent as well. I am going to dig out my wife's old snows to see what brand they were. I know it is silly to ask about snows in spring but I want to do the research now so I am ready. Come late fall I want to pull my AT's and swap and not think about tires until it is time to swap come spring.


I used to run Canadian tire branded snows on a Civic years back. Made by Pirelli and they were stellar. '97 Civic with those and I STILL rate it as the best winter vehicle I have ever owned (until black ice handed my ass to me.).

 

For what it's worth I had blizzaks and preferred the Michelin x ice to them for years. Onto my 3rd set on the Jetta.
Wanted them for the truck but the nokian came highly recommended and were on sale. Now I'll be sticking to them. Great tire. Time will tell if they last as long as the x ice did

 

Just came from the Nokian website. Wish they had a few more non studded tires. Here in Southern Ontario we are banned from running studs. You have to be from out of province or your vehicle has to be registered in Northern Ontario or get ticketed. Nice product line.

Joe23 I appreciate the feedback considering you have personally used Blizzak, X-Ice and the Nokians. That is what I am looking for. Everything is the best there ever was until you try something different and then things could change.

Been a while since I bought full snows and never a full winter snow for a truck. Only had AT / AS mountain/ snowflake LT tires. Where we currently live it could snow on Monday yet Friday has worse conditions than the day it snowed due to blowing. Case in point the main road to town has a section that has a straight shot across the fields to Lake Erie. Snow gets picked up off the ice and blows until it slows after a forest and dumps on the road. So we had 3 inches of snow on our front yard but the main road had a drift at one side of a two lane road 16' tall and sloped to 18" on the other shoulder. Other areas can be dry and summer perfect and 30 seconds later 4 inch drifts followed by clear dry pavement or if they salted pure ice as the snow melts then refreezes. I personally prefer snow covered to 1" or less but they love the salt here.