Dedicated Snow Tires?

I plow when necessary (prefer the truck instead of full snowmobile gear) with the Kubota have a plow that replaces the bucket and a 5' snowblower on the back! Our snowfall a few years ago was 206".

 

Yep! My plow attachment is in the garage. Nothing crazy in CO just yet. Would love a snow blower attachment!

 

Just bumping this for input for a thread I created in the Wheel/Tire section: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/37-winter-tire-options.777428/

 

Only if you plan on winter travel. For what you described, there is very little benefit.

I run dedicated tires on my tacoma and on my wife's impreza for the winter only because we travel in the winter. We are up I70 most weekends, and up until last year I traveled an hour for work each way. If I were staying in town, I would stick with a good all season set and drive accordingly. Roads dry up quickly here, plows usually do a good job, and its a great excuse to call in to work with vision problems (anal blindness).

FWIW, the 3PMS is listed for severe service in the winter ... which is great when the roads are not plowed, but they are no better (even worse, IMHO) than a good all season when it comes to plowed roads. Winter tires have no equal in the winter. I really liked my BFG AT KO2s, never slipped once up Berthoud pass in a blizzard that shut down the road just minutes after I started .... but holy hell they were terrible on freshly plowed roads. My Nokian Hakkapellita , though, great all around. Blizzaks on my wife impreza ... superb.

 

I ended up with the Kanati Trail Hog A/T-4's. The truck isn't my daily, and most places I plan to drive it during the winter will have snow or dirt.

 

How are these Falkens on ice ?

 

Every tire, unless chained up or Ralley spikes, suck on ice. Then again, once you are sliding, it doesn’t matter what you are on, my personal experience tracking a D8 in the winter in Flagstaff, AZ.

 

If you get three peak rated all terrains you don’t need snow tires.

Look at Nokian Outpost AT, General Grabber ATX, Toyo AT3, Falken Wildpeak. They’re all phenomenal in snow.

 

Not true.

Many drivers will state that when going up to a 3PMS rated tire from a M/S tire.

I have Toyo Open Country ATIII and Toyo Observe GSi6 dedicated winter tires. The GSi6 tires are superior in snow-slush-ice aka Winter Conditions over the ATIII; no contest.

 

I’ve never had a problem with 3 peak all terrains. I’ve driven through 2+ feet of snow, dealt with slick slushy conditions, grades, etc. Never any problem. I’ve done most of my winter driving with my Nokian Rotiivas and Outposts and Grabber ATXs though. Maybe they’re superior to the Toyos. No idea. I didn’t have my AT3s long enough to test a lot in snow.

I run Blizzacks on my CX-5 and they’re amazing in the snow, but I don’t feel like my truck is that far behind. In my opinion it’s not necessary to swap out.

 

You can wear sneakers in the snow all winter, but they aren’t as good as boots. A big part of it is how cold it’s gets where you’re at. The colder it is more the winter tires make sense

 

I am not saying they’re as good as snow tires. They aren’t. I’m saying snow tires aren’t really necessary if you have top winter performing all terrains. Maybe if you live at 7000+ ft and have a steep shaded driveway, sure. Besides that, nah.

I just drove my truck through a Wisconsin blizzard a month ago. My Nokians did great. Maybe y’all just aren’t picking the right all terrains?

 

Temps are the breaking point for all weather tires. I've owned durtracs and cooper at3 4s and both do fine around freezing or slightly cooler, but at minus 10 or colder? Nothing touches a dedicated winter.

Plus all terrains are not directional, so they don't clear tread quickly, so in snow or wet on highway, you're more likely to break traction.

Context always matter. Mild winter? Sure AT tires. Real winter? Dedicated.

 

What all terrains have you tested?

 

Read the post lol. I've owned 2.

I also work at a shop in Canada, we sell every tire out there.

 

Only those two then? That is what you’re basing your sweeping conclusion on? And in Canada, where it gets colder on average than CO?

 

Dude you are basing your experience off one. I also have reviewed many nokian all terrains. I put them below the Falkens.

It's a Colorado region section. Not a mild Wisconsin winter..

 

No, I’m basing my experience off many. I’ve run Cooper AT3, Toyo AT3, Grabber ATX, Cooper STMaxx, Nokian Rotiiva, BFGs, Falken, Nokian Outpost AT, Bridgestone Blizzak, Michelin Defender, Michelin Cross Climate, and more. I’ve been doing this for decades.

Btw, Wisconsin is colder than CO.

 

Another data point. I run Duratracs in the warmer months and Blizzaks in the CO winter. I was surprised how poorly the Duratracs did on ice compared to the Blizzaks. You are consuming tire rubber one way or the other, having the optimal tire for the season is only costing you a set of craigslist rims and some storage.

 

I do this for all of my vehicles. Get some cheap wheels off FB Marketplace, Craigslist, Offerup, etc. match withem with dedicated winters, and swap them out in my garage.