If you feel that your current winter tires are not good enough, you might have selected the wrong type of tires. When you are looking at all-season tires, there are not so many choices. Most all-season tires are quite similar; there might be different dimension and high-speed rating tires and more sporty tires. However, when it comes to the range of winter tires, you have a wider range of tires. You have in some areas winter tires with metal studs, you have tires without studs, and you have all-round tires that are still approved for winter use. The studded tires are not allowed in all the states and provinces, this can cause problems when you plan to use the car wintertime to travel across the state borders. You might, if you are not careful, end up with tires that are not legal in one area that you plan to visit or pass through.
Winter tires should only be used during the winter season, unless you choose winter approved all-weather tires, which is an all-round tire that can be used all year round. They are designed to handle both warm summer temperatures and wet and dry surfaces as well as it can handle cold temperatures and slippery surfaces such as snow and ice. All-weather tires are a great option for the areas that don’t have a real and long winter, but still want to have the safety of winter tires when you have winter weather. These provide safety in all weather conditions and are a much safer option than having all-season tires when you have snow, ice or slush. All-season tires, despite the name, are not to be used during the winter season. They are optimized for warm weather conditions and will get hard at low temperatures and can’t provide the necessary grip and traction needed for safe driving and providing a short braking distance.
The tire option that are best for you depend a lot of what is available in your state or province as well as what weather conditions that you are mostly present when you are driving. It is clear that if you have any type of winter weather such as low temperatures, ice or snow you will need winter tires on your car to be able to drive safely. Your vehicle will also determine the choice of tires, as e.g. SUV will need larger tires, electric vehicles or hybrids will need to have tires that are recommended for these vehicles and if you plan to drive off-road you will need more durable tires.
Make sure that if you choose studded tires that you might not be able to drive everywhere, as well as there will be dates that you have to comply to. The non-studded tires are more versatile. For both options you will need to use all-season tires for the warm seasons and winter tires for the cold winter season. All-weather tires are the only option that allows you to use only one set of tires for the whole year, but it is not recommended in areas where you actually have a long and harsh winter.
For more information regarding winter tire options, visit: nokiantires.com
