Snow tires - recommendations?

[bbbradley]

I'm in the market for a set of 4 snows to get my car ready for the winter --> normal, limited commuting + multiple ski trips to ME/NH/VT/NY where the weather can range widely.

Any recommendations for brands/models to consider and avoid?

I've run Blizzaks in the past (they were like marshmallows on dry roads, but gripped well in snow), General Altimax (worked well and last way longer than I would have expected), Arctic Alpin (no real memory of them being good or bad). I'm considering runflats for them as well as my car has no spare and being stuck with a flat, albeit unlikely, it not my idea of a fun way to spend a wintery night.

 

[François Pugh]

Nokian Tyres Hakkapeliitta R3 - Peace of mind for the Northern winter / Nokian Tyres

A Nordic non-studded winter tyre, that adapts to all weather variations offering relentless grip. The perfect choice for drivers who value first-class safety and greener driving.

www.nokiantyres.com

Nokian Tyres Hakkapeliitta 10 - Next-generation safety / Nokian Tyres

The Nokian Tyres Hakkapeliitta 10 studded winter tire is made to deliver ultimate safety for situations it is needed the most. Providing next-generation safety, the Hakkapeliitta 10 is an innovative combination of superior winter grip, ...

www.nokiantyres.com

Above are for passenger cars, non-studed (r-3), and studded (10).
They have tires for other vehicles too.
Not so good on summer roads, but can't be beat in winter conditions. To stud or not to stud? That is the question. The answer may depend on the law where you live. I want the best tires for the worst conditions, even if it means I give up a lot when using them in good conditions.
Also the older design Hakka 9, might be good enough for you and cheaper too.

 

[scott43]

Michelin xice.

 

[tch]

Nokians will probably be the default answer here. Unbeatable in snow I hear. But think about mixed and dry conditions if you live east coast. Time on actual snow is often not so much. You want a tire that will handle slush, ice, and dry also.
you can research at tirerack.com.

 

[François Pugh]

Michelin xice.

My 2nd choice. A little less snow, ice and slush traction, but more dry grip - still a treat to get them off and put the Michelin Pilots on in the spring though. Also what I'll be running this winter on the 2012 Mazda 3; I have a set for it with only two winters on them.

 

[Uncle-A]

I'm in the market for a set of 4 snows to get my car ready for the winter --> normal, limited commuting + multiple ski trips to ME/NH/VT/NY where the weather can range widely.

Any recommendations for brands/models to consider and avoid?

I've run Blizzaks in the past (they were like marshmallows on dry roads, but gripped well in snow), General Altimax (worked well and last way longer than I would have expected), Arctic Alpin (no real memory of them being good or bad). I'm considering runflats for them as well as my car has no spare and being stuck with a flat, albeit unlikely, it not my idea of a fun way to spend a wintery night.

Did I miss it, but what type of vehicle are you putting these new snow tires on?

 

[Wilhelmson]

I would buy the altimax again. The few times they did slip it was barely noticeable. As said, they hold up well too. Also lots of fun on dirt roads with awd. I would even try to downshift and drop the clutch and get the car to skid on a corner and even then they reacted as they should.

 

[chilehed]

I'm in Michigan, and am sold on Blizzaks.

 

[James]

What vehicle and tire size?

The Continental Viking Contact 7 did extremely well in Norwegian tests. I can tell you it’s virtually silent on dry. Good feedback on snow.

 

[cosmoliu]

From experience, I would not recommend run-flats for this purchase if you think they will keep you out of trouble. (If run-flat snow tires are even a thing?)

Scenario: I was going kind of stupid-fast on a routine Monday morning commute of about 125 miles and lost all pressure in the right rear tire in less than 30 seconds, with about 80 miles to go. I carry a tire inflator for slow leaks, but the hole was simply too big for that. Taking the tire manufacturer at their word that I could drive at less than 50 mph for up to 50 miles, I continued at about 40-45 mph. It went pretty swimmingly for about 25 miles. My tire pressure monitoring system also read out tire temp and at that point I saw the temp in that tire begin to rise precipitously from about 101 to 120 degrees. I had intended to try getting all the way to my destination city, but stopped at a mom and pop tire store in a really small town I've driven through innumerable times over the last 30 years. I asked to have the tire patched, but when the guy dismounted the tire, he pointed out that the sidewalls were completely trashed and repairing the tire was out of the question. As it happens, this car was offered with the option for a donut spare, which I specified on placing the order. Really good thing, because the tires on my car are an oddball size and I would otherwise have been stuck in the middle of nowhere for at least the better part of that day, if not longer. So, he put on the spare and threw the wheel sans tire in the back.

Moral of the story: don't believe that "up to 50 mph for up to 50 miles" fantasy. Run flats might be OK for a flat in town, where you can get to a tire shop perhaps a few blocks away. Any more than that, and the tire will be a total loss. These days, in addition to the tire inflator, I carry a plug kit and a SUV sized fix-a-flat can. My local tire store manager says that the goop in the can makes kind of a mess. But it's not as bad as many say and he doesn't really mind dealing with the mess. I've been lucky ever since (of course). I also noticed that the replacement car I got just last month (newer version of the same car) does not read out the tire temp.

 

[François Pugh]

Moral of the story: don't believe that "up to 50 mph for up to 50 miles" fantasy.

As opposed to the donuts that will do 65 mph for over 100 miles and much of that on a gravel road, no problem. How do I know? I'll never tell.

 

[zircon]

Spent the past 4 years on a set of Michelin X-Ice xi3 runflats in New England and was pretty happy with them. Very good snow tire for this area. You can barely tell there's ice on the road. This last season they started losing some of their snow performance even though the tread depth looks okay.

Trying out the Conti VikingContacts (non-runflat, going to count on my roadside assistance subscription and prayers that my phone has service in VT. My car also has no spare) for this year because I couldn't find the new X-Ice Snows in my size. They did well in all the tests, so we'll see about real world performance.

 

[bbbradley]

They will go on an Alfa Giulia with AWD. Stock size is 225/40R19, but I will likely drop to 250/50/17 to give a little more sidewall. As for the run-flats, while they are not perfect, at least they offer better mobility than a traditional tire in the event of a puncture. I am not expecting to be able to get home, but a few miles can make a huge difference in the overall flat tire experience. I've not had a catastrophic flat in several years, and the one I had was my fault for not inspecting my tires and noticing major inner sidewall wear to the point the tire shredded on the highway.

Here's the list I've not shortened to:

• Nokian Hakka 9
• General Altimax
• Michelin X-Ice
• Conti Viking

Did I miss it, but what type of vehicle are you putting these new snow tires on?

What vehicle and tire size?

The Continental Viking Contact 7 did extremely well in Norwegian tests. I can tell you it’s virtually silent on dry. Good feedback on snow.

 

[Uncle-A]

They will go on an Alfa Giulia with AWD. Stock size is 225/40R19, but I will likely drop to 250/50/17 to give a little more sidewall. As for the run-flats, while they are not perfect, at least they offer better mobility than a traditional tire in the event of a puncture. I am not expecting to be able to get home, but a few miles can make a huge difference in the overall flat tire experience. I've not had a catastrophic flat in several years, and the one I had was my fault for not inspecting my tires and noticing major inner sidewall wear to the point the tire shredded on the highway.

Here's the list I've not shortened to:

• Nokian Hakka 9
• General Altimax
• Michelin X-Ice
• Conti Viking

View attachment 176871
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I have used Continental's but not the Viking, they were very good. I have used General's but not the Altimax they were not my favorite.

 

[Ogg]

The Altimax have been great on my wife's Crosstrek and after 3-4 winters are showing very little wear. We're going to end up replacing them from age long before the tread is worn out. I don't know if they'd really be the best choice for a more performance oriented vehicle because they're a bit squishy. I'd probably be inclined to go with a higher performance winter tire on that car even if you lose a bit of ultimate snow and ice grip. You're going to spend a lot more time on dry, sandy and wet roads than snow and it's the NE so we're not talking about high mountain passes.

 

[chilehed]

Moral of the story: don't believe that "up to 50 mph for up to 50 miles" fantasy.

"Up to 50 miles at up to 50 mph" means "no more than 50 miles if you go less than 50", and that's exactly what you got. There's nothing in there about "and you won't have to replace it".

A regular tire would have had you limping along at a walking pace and would have been shredded in a couple of miles. I think that reasonable expectations were met here.

 

[bbbradley]

Just noticed the odd tire size recommendation from TireRack for the snows. The stock 19" are 225 width, while if I downsize to 17" they suggest a 250 section width...which goes against the logic of a narrower snow tire. Unless that has changed?

 

[Philpug]

Unless that has changed?

Yes, it has.

 

[bbbradley]

To what? Wider contact patch for more rubber on the ground vs cutting through?

 

[Uncle-A]

Just noticed the odd tire size recommendation from TireRack for the snows. The stock 19" are 225 width, while if I downsize to 17" they suggest a 250 section width...which goes against the logic of a narrower snow tire. Unless that has changed?

Why would you choose to downsize? Would that mean 4 new rims as well? The 19 inch might give you better gas mileage.