Dedicated Winter SNOW TIRES

[christopher]

Was watching this little vid last night when I remembered I wanted to pick up a set of DEDICATED SNOW tires for winter use only to POWER THROUGH DEEP SNOW exactly as depicted in this video??

So whats THE BEST tire out there in YOUR opinion for mid-winter use only.

 

[christopher]

Pirelli Scorpion All-Terrain Plus​

Introduced in 2018, Pirelli's newest all-terrain is built upon the company's Scorpion ATR. In addition to more aggressive sidewalls and improved aesthetics, the tire was rated for severe snow service and given the Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake. Upon first inspection, we were impressed with the sipe density on the Scorpion All-Terrain Plus as it almost resembled that of dedicated snow or winter tires. Performance on highways with packed snow was impressive, and pulling from a stop, cornering, and braking were all comfortably predictable.
3PMSF: Yes
Studdable: No
Frosthand Adv-ice: If higher-speed performance and traction on wet grass are just as important as getting to the sled trails, this is your tire.

Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac​

We've seen this tire everywhere from dedicated plow rigs to the OEM shoe of choice for half-ton trucks. We've also been impressed by how well it straddled the gap between mud- and all-terrain tires. Mud was a strength of the 18/32-inch-deep lugs, the shoulder blocks grabbed confidently onto rocks, and the siped tread pattern held its own well into the winter months.
3PMSF: Yes
Studdable: Yes
Frosthand Adv-ice: Winter service is a nonissue, but the sidewalls leave something to be desired.

Mickey Thompson Baja Pro XS​

When we laid eyes on this wildly aggressive rubber from Mickey Thompson, it was difficult to dream of an off-pavement scenario where they wouldn't excel. After we thrashed our set of Baja Pro XS tires in mud, rocks, and gravel; we got ourselves into a winter storm. On snowy roadways, the 13.5-inch-wide patch of meaty tread blocks slapped against the slush and, despite the lack of abundant sipes, kept us generally pointed where we wanted to go. On the trails, the gaping voids and angry Sidebiters clawed through the snow, often down to the dirt and rocks beneath, even as the snow piled up toward our headlights.
3PMSF: No
Studdable: No
Frosthand Adv-ice: Mickey makes 'em tall and wide (35- to 58-inch sizes), so we recommend going big to churn through the deepest drifts.

Nexen Roadian MTX​

Nexen's Roadian MTX (that's Mud-Terrain Xtreme) is two-faced. Each of its sidewalls features a different pattern (Machine and Beast). Flotation sizes boast three-ply sidewalls and are F load-rated for anyone towing and hauling. Ascending snowy highways at street pressure was no issue for the MTX, even when the slush piled deep. We aimed the tires into the frosty boulders where the sidewalls defended against harsh blows while the treads handily shoveled down through the snow, keeping us moving.
3PMSF: No
Studdable: No
Frosthand Adv-ice: This tire's minimal siping and widely spaced treads might not be the best combo for packed on-road snow, but its towing prowess and off-trail shoveling are worth your attention.

Dick Cepek Trail Country EXP​

Positioned between the company's all-terrain Fun Country and the mud-terrain Extreme Country is the Trail Country EXP. Its silica-reinforced compound suggests improved performance on wet roads, the wider spacing between the lugs offers more digging capability in mud and snow, and wiggly sipes in the blocks allows for some flex as the tire rolls over the terrain. Snow performance is more consistent with mud-terrain tires in the deeper powder as well as on hard-packed and fresh-plowed snow surfaces.
3PMSF: No
Studdable: No
Frosthand Adv-ice: If like your snow fresh with more dirt under it than ice but you need the on-roadability of an A/T tire, look this way.

Kenda Klever R/T
This tire fits squarely between all- and mud-terrain tires with a tighter spacing of lugs, appreciable siping, and deep voids between tread blocks. After torture-testing the Kenda Klever R/T in wintry conditions we went on to punish them in rocks, mud, and gravel. Spoiler: no punctures, no complaints.
3PMSF: No
Studdable: Yes
Frosthand Adv-ice: Here's your triple-point between cost-effective, customizable snow-tolerance (studdable), and rugged-trail confidence.

Toyo Open Country A/T III​

With a fresh redesign, we found the Open Country A/T III offered improvements over its predecessor. Snow performance and off-road capability were commendable on the sharp-looking all-terrain, and we held nothing back when it came to our assessment. We'll confidently say the tire earned its 3PMSF rating as it comported itself predictably in every winter situation from highways and trails piled with deep snow to slow-speed maneuvering on moderately packed slush.
3PMSF: Yes
Studdable: No
Frosthand Adv-ice: Just look past the non-aggressive sidewall treads, and you'll have a tire that's likely to impress from the rock gardens to snow squalls.

General Grabber X3

The red lettering on the sidewalls roped us in, and we proceeded to drag General's mud-terrain through ghastly rocks and snowdrifts alike. Before we got to the trails, we examined the X3s' in-town and off-camber handling on severely snowed-over streets. Despite the comparative lack of sipes, we didn't find ourselves sliding sideways any more than expected. When we turned toward the gnarly ruts littered with rocks and thoroughly coated in fluff, the open treads scooped down to the dirt while the aggressive sidewalls allowed us the confidence to throttle forward.
3PMSF: No
Studdable: No
Frosthand Adv-ice: Look this way if snow is the third most frequent condition you wheel in and you need an attention-grabbing sidewall.

Yokohama Geolandar X-AT​

After a cursory glance, we were surprised not to find a 3PMSF emblem on Yokohama's Geolandar X-AT. Regardless, the first place we ventured was headlong into a snowstorm. We dropped the pressure to around 15 psi under our '05 LJ Wrangler and were largely impressed with how far, even with open differentials front and back, we chugged through the fresh powder. Exiting the trails and traversing the slush-and-snow mix on the roadways was nothing short of uneventful.
3PMSF: No
Studdable: No
Frosthand Adv-ice: No complaints in the snow and remarkably quiet on the way to the trails.

General Grabber A/Tx​

We found snow near the end of our 10,000-mile wild ride with the Grabber all-terrains, and we were floored. On-road handling in the snow was some of the most predictable we've experienced. Off-road traction in the white stuff was also commendable in both deep powder and slick, gooey mud tracks. Yes, the blocks are studdable, but we say winter performance was more than adequate without them!
3PMSF: Yes
Studdable: Yes
Frosthand Adv-ice: When all-terrain travel is just as important as wintertime confidence, give the Grabber A/Tx a look.

BFGoodrich T/A KM3​

We made it a point to thoroughly abuse this tire in mud and rocks, and, as the T/A in its name implied, we found it worthy of "Terrain Attack." As we aimed the KM3 toward fresh snowfall, it quickly plowed its way to the dirt beneath the snow and generated traction when it could. We confidently spun its reinforced sidewalls against trailside logs, ruts, and rocks to find grip, but the tread pattern sometimes struggled to gather the snowpack needed to keep us pushing forward.
3PMSF: No
Studdable: No
Frosthand Adv-ice: If you consistently thrash the mud and rocks and they're seldom glazed in ice and snow, check out the KM3.

Looking for the Best Snow, Winter, and All-Terrain Truck Tires for Slogging Through Winter?

See which tire type works best in the cold stuff.

www.motortrend.com

 

[christopher]

No one has offered up a comment on this one?

 

[Turbo Thompson]

Toyo open country M/T have amazing traction but they get a little loud over 60. Goodyear duratracs have great traction but don’t get too loud. Toyos start to have sway if the sidewall is too tall also. Currently have Toyo MT 275/65/20 on my 21 ram 2500 and had the duratrac equivalent last year. Only two kinds of tires I’ve ran in the last 12 years.

 

[christopher]

Toyo open country M/T have amazing traction but they get a little loud over 60. Goodyear duratracs have great traction but don’t get too loud. Toyos start to have sway if the sidewall is too tall also. Currently have Toyo MT 275/65/20 on my 21 ram 2500 and had the duratrac equivalent last year. Only two kinds of tires I’ve ran in the last 12 years.

So your experience with the Goodyears is that they DO DIG DOWN and BITE through "deep" snow?

 

[Turbo Thompson]

So your experience with the Goodyears is that they DO DIG DOWN and BITE through "deep" snow?

Yeah they do pretty good. I forgot to mention I plow snow on mountain roads most the winter and also I’ve had all of my tires over the years siped.

 

[christopher]

Yeah they do pretty good. I forgot to mention I plow snow on mountain roads most the winter and also I’ve had all of my tires over the years siped.

SIPING is a 100% given!

 

[NorthMNSledder]

First you might have to look at the 4wd drive system in that GMC compared to your Ford, Pretty sure that has a fully lockable system if I remember right also that lift helps I bet...... LOL

I just put a set of the BFG All Terrian KO'3 on my F150 and I think they are one of the best year round tires that handle the snow and ice very well on the half ton trucks. I still hear they wear too fast on the HD trucks (They sure did on my RAM 2500). But on my F150 they have been great so far in the snow and ice we have had.

Are they as great as the Blizzack dedicated snow tires I have run in the past on the ice. No. But I don't plan to keep this truck for multiple more winters so I only wanted one set of tires for it.

If you are going with a 2nd set of tires for the winter why not just go with the dedicated snow tires. They are a huge step up from the all terrain style ones on ice. And without a lift on your truck your never going to be blasting deep snow in it as your ground clearance with give you up long before the tires reach their limit. But the dedicated snow tires you will like a lot better on ice and mix roads. Between those and that Auto4wd system you have it makes a great combo IMO.

Also keeping in mind that I can't run studded tires being from MN so I can't comment on that as I have only ever had them on a rental SUV for a week.

 

[moab11]

No one has offered up a comment on this one?

You asked about dedicated snow tires, then produced a bunch of examples of All Terrain and Mud Terrain tires, wasn't sure what you were looking for.

No tires will really do well in pure deep snow, if you are looking for a dedicated winter set of tires to get better traction on hard packed snow and ice, then look at proper winter tires, and if your area allows, studded tires are even better in that scenario.
That instagram video looks impressive at first, but the truck is really just spinning on an icy hill, the snow on it isn't really deep or packed. Studded winter tires and/or tire chains would have made that much more boring of a video.

If you want something for year round use, then BFG AT's, DuraTracs, etc seem to do pretty good overall.

 

[hansenmac]

i bought a set of true snow tires for my wifes suburban, we live in rural ND and she drives 60 miles a day round trip to work with kids in the car so thought it a good idea. They make a huge difference compared to all terrains or highway tires. we switch them out in spring and fall. i dont remember the brand but any good real snow tire will work better than an all terrain in the snow.

 

[boondocker97]

I have a set of grabber ATXs studded on my old F-150. Spins a little more in 2wd than I was expecting. I think the non-studded original BFG KOs I had before were as good in most winter conditions. The ATXs will become my summer shoes and I'll get dedicated winter compound tires in the future.

 

[Jaynelson]

It really depends if you're talking performance on icey/packed highways, or deep/new snow. For the former....something studded with soft compound like a Nokian will be the ticket. For the later...something with an open tread pattern and medium size lugs like a siped AT or MT is the ticket.

 

[christopher]

You asked about dedicated snow tires, then produced a bunch of examples of All Terrain and Mud Terrain tires, wasn't sure what you were looking for.

No tires will really do well in pure deep snow, if you are looking for a dedicated winter set of tires to get better traction on hard packed snow and ice, then look at proper winter tires, and if your area allows, studded tires are even better in that scenario.
That instagram video looks impressive at first, but the truck is really just spinning on an icy hill, the snow on it isn't really deep or packed. Studded winter tires and/or tire chains would have made that much more boring of a video.

If you want something for year round use, then BFG AT's, DuraTracs, etc seem to do pretty good overall.

The photos and comments were from an article I found that I thought would help get the conversation going.

My goal is to make sure I can get into or out of the parking areas we load and unload into/out of with the new F150.

Tires will be used for 120 days a year. Pure dedicated snow only use..


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[wyobob44]

I have been running the Goodyear Duratrac for probably 8 winters now on my F-350 Dually, and before that i was employed by the State trails and all we used all winter on 8-10 1 ton duallys was the Goodyear Duratrac, and we went into lots that had not been plowed pulling 4 placed enclosed trailers loaded with work sleds and equipment, they have amazed me many times. Hard to beat them for a dedicated winter snow tire.

 

[Chadx]

My goal is to make sure I can get into or out of the parking areas we load and unload into/out of with the new F150.
Tires will be used for 120 days a year. Pure dedicated snow only use..

You just answered your own question with that statement; None of the tires you listed will perform as well as dedicated, non-studded, soft compound snow tires (like Blizzaks, etc.). Get them in a reasonable width tire and not super wide, mudder sizes. Wide tires work against you on snow. Long ago I used to run the same tires year round (good all season or all terrain, lots of sipes, etc.) and they did quite well. Then I tried dedicated snow tires and realized how much better they did. I have run two sets of tires since then on two sets of wheels. That lets me do twice a year, seasonal tire/wheel swaps in the shop in about 15 minutes. I crayon the position on the inside sidewall when I pull them off so I can ensure I rotate them for the next season (I only put on around 5,000 miles on the winter tires). We do the same on my wife's vehicle. I can swap the wheels/tires in less time than it would take us to drive one way to the tire shop to have them dismount the all season and mount winter tires on the same wheels.

Some people buy tires primarily based on look, some primarily or functionality, and some a good mix of both. The ones that buy only for looks seem to be the ones that we throw a strap to, and pull out, in the trailhead parking lots. Ha. Or they unhook and we hook up and pull out their trailer out for them. Or they wave us off to work on it themselves and so have to unload everything from the trailers, dig, struggle, spin until tires are so heated up they are smoking, and they finally get out. To each their own, but it does get to be a pain waiting for these stuck trucks/trailers to get out of the way if they are blocking where everyone needs to drive. On the bigger wide open areas, it's not as bad because we can weave around them and still get through and parked. We are changed, bike and sleds warmed up, and heading down the trail while they are still messing around. There are sometimes a rig or two that just leaves it stuck and go ride so they can "deal with it when they get back", and so their stuck rig messes up the parking layout on some tighter trailheads that always get full. Leaving it stuck isn't a big deal on the huge wide open parking areas though.

Obligatory supporting story. Ha. Two years ago at a trail head parking lot, one of the stuck rigs was a relative with their new HD pickup and they had just put on reasonably good all season all terrains tires and their big, heavy enclosed trailer. I asked if he wanted me to pull out his trailer, but he wanted to keep trying as he wasn't sure my little 1/2 ton would do it. After we were all ready to go and waiting and he'd burned a few thousand miles of tread off them, he finally unhooked. I backed up to his trailer, hooked up and pulled the trailer around and parked it (yes, some tires spin, and had to pull forward and backward twice due to tight area we were in, but easily did it with no drama and no stucks). He bought winter tires that week and hasn't had an issue since.

Another issue with those rigs with poor winter performing tires is that those tires have the same traction deficit on the road driving to and from the trailhead. Uneasy feeling following or meeting some of these rigs if they are driving fast enough that they are on the edge of being out of control. Or, they have to drive 10 or 15mph slower to keep good control and then bottle neck the flow of traffic for those with good traction with winter tires that can comfortably run a bit higher speed. I'm pretty patient when it comes to driving winter roads and try to not be in a hurry and flow with traffic and roads conditions since it makes for a more pleasant drive and driving on the edge of traction is not worth saving 10-15 minutes, but it is "interesting" to follow a rig with wide mudder tires breaking traction while driving 10 - 15mph slower than the natural flow of traffic and there are 30 pickups/trailers and cars piled up behind them going though a canyon and they won't use a pullout. And, knowing we are meeting some of those rigs as oncoming traffic.

Final point of consideration is that stopping and steering are as important as accelerating and parking lot maneuvers. A good soft compound, studless dedicated winter tire performs much better for emergency stopping and steering if someone looses control in front of you, pulls out in front of you, a deer jumps out, etc. My two cents. Combine that with your own research and opinions from others to make your decision. I'll stick with the control offered by a dedicated winter tire rather than a snow-peak rated all terrain. I'll run my more aggressive all-terrain or mud terrain tires in the non-snowy months.

 

[North Dakota 322]

For a dedicated snow tire the best tire i have found is the firestone winterforce LT. (different than the winterforce2).
It has a very deep tread, lots of siping and pinned for studs.
I run them on my half ton Chevy with exceptional results, slap a sled deck on the back and it will go places that leave my 3/4 ton buddy's with aggressive MT tires wondering, HOW????

Biggest thing when shopping for tires is to get on a website that lists all the sizes made of that tire and find the narrowest and tallest tire you can find/fit.

Winterforce LT | Firestone Tires

Firestone's Winterforce LT tire is built for strong winter performance for trucks. Learn more about the features of the Winterforce LT tire here.

www.firestonetire.com

I like tire rack as they will stud tires in house and ship to me in less than a 2 days from order.

For my setup (stock 17 chevy 1500) the LT265/70r18 works best.
I take off the Falken wildpeak AT3w I run in the summer to put these on.

Sorry no good pictures of them installed.

Don't let these fools convince you to run an AT tire. They have never experienced a true snow tire.

I 100% agree with everything ChadX is saying. Except for the studless part but we will have to agree to disagree on that.
The black ice traction makes studs worth it for me.
Snow tires are like Beacons, Shovels, and Probes. You can have the best gear and training but if someone else doesn't, it is you that gets hurt/killed.

 

[Chadx]

...
I 100% agree with everything ChadX is saying. Except for the studless part but we will have to agree to disagree on that.
The black ice traction makes studs worth it for me.
Snow tires are like Beacons, Shovels, and Probes. You can have the best gear and training but if someone else doesn't, it is you that gets hurt/killed.

To clarify, I 100% agree that in one specific scenario (glare ice) studded tires have much better traction than studless. However, when winter roads are dry or wet, studs actually decrease traction potential per the various documentation I found. To paraphrase some other disadvantages from a few studies/sources, studs also produce additional road noise, including a ticking sound as the studs contact the pavement. And in snowy, slushy, or mixed conditions, the traction advantages of studs are minimal. Another disadvantage is the toll that studs take on paved roads. When they strike the pavement surface, each small tungsten carbide pin causes a small amount of pavement material to dislodge from the overall pavement structure. Studies have shown that studded tires cause significant damage to both flexible and rigid pavements and wear down pavement at a much higher rate than non-studded tires. Studded tires cause rutting of roads, especially interstate highways, which can actually decreases roadway safety because it leads to problems like pooling water, excessive tire spray, hydroplaning, and other vehicle control issues. Studs also polish some aggregates, which reduces skid resistance and creates a more slippery driving surface. They also remove pavement markings.

I choose studless because I rarely encounter black ice in the areas of Montana that I mostly drive and for the above road-wear reasons. I've found that the winter compound, studless, dedicated winter tires are appropriate for the winter roads here. They are vastly better than the three-peak rated all-terrain tires and I don't encounter road conditions very often that studded are warranted. Some areas of the country get a lot of freezing rain/black ice, though, and so studded tires would be more appropriate.

Your avalanche safety equipment analogy is perfect; if others choose subpar winter tires, it is not only increasing the owners risk a bit but also slightly increasing the risk to others that share the road with them. Accidents happen and we can't control all aspects of everything (we all like riding in the mountains, after all, which is not without risk), but since dedicated, soft-compound winter tires let me accelerate, steer and stop much better than three-peak rated, all-terrain tires, I'm running them. You get an extra pickup length or two in stopping distance, or being able to steer around something/someone to avoid collision, and less risk of getting stuck. The tires cost the same so only extra expense is the extra set of wheels and the 15 minutes twice a year it takes me to swap them. I figure the extra set of wheels cost less than the deductible on my insurance and/or hassle of dealing with the other person insurance, but more importantly, reducing risk of injury or inconvenience/frustration of an accident (even if it was someone elses fault but I could have avoided it with better tires) because of down time with my vehicle getting repaired or worse yet, it getting totaled out and me having to replace it. All of those are low odds of happening, but they are high consequence, so I consider them.

All that being said, the most tangible reason I use winter tires is it's just plain nicer to drive winter roads and trailheads with more traction.

 

[goridedoo]

I ran the grabber atx… horrible snow tire. I got rid of them after one trip. MTs and ATs with their big flat smooth tread blocks work kind of like cowboy boots in slick conditions.

I would go for a dedicated snow tire if I were you. Some worth looking into-

Blizzaks (have a set, have not gotten to put them to the test yet)

Cooper Snow Claw (never tried but similar to the ATW, which I loved)

Nokian Hakkapeliittas (have run, good tire, were shot in under 20k though)

 

[christopher]

Now this discussion is going in the direction I was looking for.

TALL, NARROW, SOFT COMPOUND tires, I agree 100% with those comments.
I have run both STUDDED and NON-STUDDED tires over the last 15 years here in Idaho.
The studs are FABULOUS up in Island Park when driving on Highway 20 when there is any trace of snow on the road, especially after a hundreds of Semis have driven over it and compacted it down into ICE. And the same studs where a PAIN IN THE BUTT for daily driving around town. But when they were needed, there was nothing better. So I am perfectly happy running STUDDED TIRES for the 4 months a year I need them.

BUT..
In the past I have ALWAYS gone for an OPEN DEEP LUG that would DIG DOWN through the snow to the Road/Dirt.

The ONLY times I have gotten stuck are when we unload early in the morning and return to a FOOT of fresh snow in the parking area and truck and trailer are trapped in place.

While the BLIZZACKS are "RENOWNED" for their Snow/Ice driving, I wouldn't have even considered them for DEEP SNOW driving or TOWING???

Those FireStone Winterforce LTs "LOOK" like they might be a pretty solid compromise between a Soft Rubber Compound with great Siping AND have enough lug space to actually MOVE SNOW and allow the truck to dig itself out and get going up on top of the fresh snow once there is a little momentum??

 

[North Dakota 322]

I use my winter force around home pulling heavy trailers (10klbs) and my enclosed or sled deck for going out west. Have had very good luck with them performing towing.

My family is a big snow tire supporter but we all run different brands so I have the opportunity to jump between different vehicles/tires. The blizaks do awesome in anything less then 4" of snow and ice.
I went with the Firestone as they have the tread depth to really dig down on those rare days you are pushing snow with the headlights. And I like the long grooves around the tire as I feel they give a lot of lateral stability when turning. Kinda like ribbed steer tires on a 2wd tractor.