Aggressive Snow Tires and Other Options for This Mountain Man.

Okay, okay.

Before I start, I know that snow tires have already been discussed to death. On this and in other websites. But, the more I search, the more the answers get muddy. Either there is a compromise on something important or the posters use so many abbreviations that their answer is unintelligible, or there is plain bias in not wanting to admit any possible weakness in the $800 that they spent. And, so on.

So I decided to post a very specific question to a group of people who I consider to be true experts. I'm hopeful that this will work better than reading endless generic tire reviews. Please help me out here.

First, here is my situation.

Live in mountainous Pennsylvania that gets a lot of snow, rain, ice in the winter.
Drive 2013 Tacoma 4x4. Stock from the factory.
Only vehicle available.
Need to routinely get through snowed in roads to the main roads.
In emergency worried that an ambulance might give up getting to home.
Happy to take off summer tires and mount winter tires in the winter.
Need to expect to drive through 20 inches of snow.
Need to drive through 24 inches of snow if an emergency.
Need to be able to get unstuck out of a ditch.
Need to be able to get through drifts.
Need to be able to make tight turns.
Not always able to keep speed up to blast through the snow.
Rain on highway is often -- Not looking to win race, but don't want a dangerous ride.
Ice on highway is often -- Not looking to win race, but don't want a dangerous ride.
Don't want to lift the truck or make other modifications to the truck.
Tires can be the noisiest on the planet. Don't care about highway noise.
Tires can be the ugliest on the planet. Don't care how they look.
Not concerned about wear. Will put on summer tires in the spring.
I'm relatively good at driving in snow. Grew up with it.
Cost? Hmmm. Hate to throw away money. But if it's a tough answer, I'll do it.


Second, I'm interested in all of your opinions and recommendations.

Is there a best tire that does all of this?
Easy chains or whatever to put on when stuck in a ditch and can't move?
Other creative ideas?
I'm open to all suggestions.

Hope this will be a fun discussion and productive for everyone who reads and participates in it.

Thanks!

 

I live in NW Colorado, I run into a number of the things you've listed above on a daily basis. I run BF Goodrich KO2's, they have served me well with everything I've encountered. They are a little pricey but I feel that you really get a lot out of them. I personally haven't had any other tire with my Tacoma.

 

From reading and a bit of personal experience, Duratracs are great in snowy conditions

 

Goodyear Duratrac i would say
or if price is no concern i would say get some snow tracks which would by far be the best for you.

http://www.americantracktruck.com/index.php?page=track-system-information

https://www.polartracks.com/page3

 

The problem is that deep snow and ice require two different types of tires. Deep snow you need big lugs for traction, ice you need a soft compound with lots of small sipes and lugs and preferably studs for traction. Big lug mud terrain type tires are bad on ice and snow tires are not ideal for deep snow. I think you can still find mud terrain type tires that accept studs but I have not looked recently. That may be the path forward.

 

Nokian Hakkapeliittas. Yes I spelled that right.

Made by the Fins where it either snows and rains 24/7.

Cannot go wrong with Hakkas. Can be studded or non-studded, stud-able, ect ect...

 

Being from Michigan I'd second the Duratracks.
In really bad situations add chains.

 

I like KO2 for snow, but they have a little trouble shedding a lot of water. But if this is just a winter tire I'd go with the KO2's and never look back.

 

Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac with studs if your state allows them in the winter:

 

Because of this line:

..this is the only sensible answer in this thread so far:

Duratracs and KO2s are not going to be as good as a dedicated snow tire in snow and ice.

I'd second the Nokians. They're going to be the best tire money can buy for winter.

 

Cooper STMaxx are a solid option. They are studable, but only come in LT load rated, so the will ride a little rougher then stock.
Duratracks are good but some people have gotten really odd wear characteristics from them and they do wear a little fast.
Nokians make a great winter tire, might be difficult to find the size you are looking for.
Only other one that could fit the bill is Mastercraft MXT it's a mud tire but also studable

 

Factory studded Nokians seem to be the best snow and ice tire. On a budget studded General ArticMax are about $110 a tire and are great in my experience.

$145+ General Altimax Arctic 12 Tires

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tire...le Cab&autoModClar=4wd&cameFrom=WinterSection

 

@TacomaRobert needs to "drive through 24 inches of snow". All the Nokian winter tires are for pavement queens. The narrow and shallow treads will simply pack up in deep snow.

 

x2. Being from New England, my experience with Duratracs has been very positive. I ran the BGF KO's (first series) on my wrangler and they were horrible in the winter. Moving to the duratracs was like night and day. I've been in a first gen running duratracs with snow close to he middle of the door, and it never stopped...just kept going right though it.

On the tacoma I run the Falkens only because they didnt have a SL duratrac in the size I wanted.

 

Northern Michigan/Alaska -General Grabber AT2's - Great in snow. as good as can be on Icy roads, Pre -drilled for studs, if allowed in your area.

 

Funny how we are 180 degrees of one another. I've had the original ko's on my 95 wrangler for years and plowed through many snow storms.

 

Nokian Rotiva AT

 

It's not how your tires did in one or a hundred snow storms. It is the scientific testing done under controlled test conditions that prove dedicated ice and snow tires offer the most control and traction compared to other tires.

 

wow, I give you credit. My kos where horrible. I only ran them half the winter before moving to the duratrac.

 

I plow with a full size GMC Sierra with studded Nokian Haka's. There are times I need to chain up due to the depth of the snow and ground conditions. I used to plow with "traction" type tires, where were magically better than mud terrains.

Since you have no problems with a second set of tires, The best setup is 4 studded winter tires, not 3Peak rated tires, practice, patience, and know how and when to chain up.