Snow Tire help

[noparking]

Looking for some new snow tires for my 2008 subaru outback and I'm debaiting on going with or w/o studs. Last season on my xc90 I had the blizzacs and didn't have a problem. This year I will most likely be living up at the mtn and be driving all the time in the snow or ice. What are you gusy running and your opinions? Thanks for any help

[Tye 1on]

Here is one of the more recent of the 218 threads on this subject.

Thinkin the consensus was that a Blizzak-type, kept fairly fresh as in not run much in warmer months, will do as good as new studs, and better than used studs, except maybe on glare ice.

I run Teton Pass daily w/Tacoma+Blizzaks and fkn luv 'em...

[StopMakingSense]

Just like your ski I think the tire really depends ... if you drive more aggressively in the snow then most go with the studs. If you drive like you should in snow you really don't need the added benefits of studs. That's my feeling on the matter... I run WR-G2's in the snow and never have a problem, they aren't even a 'true dedicated' winter tire.

[gregL]

This year I will most likely be living up at the mtn and be driving all the time in the snow or ice.

Really all the time? Or will you be going back and forth between Hood and PDX? Even if you're living at the mountain, studs are less effective in wet PNW conditions than hard, cold interior conditions - I went Nokian Hakkapeliitta R's this year - live in Seattle and drive to the mountains several times per week.

[vulture]

I installed some Michelin X-Ice Xi2 tires - Costco has good prices and $70 off a set of Michelins right now. Great deal. I have an extra set of steel wheels that I put on in the fall and remove in the spring.

[kbahus]

The Continental Extreme Winter's are my favorite snow tire to date, should handle PNW with zero issues.

[tenB]

If you're driving all the time on snow and ice, I'd get studs. You won't be wearing them down much, and all else being equal, the same tire with studs will stop faster on ice. I know someone here will point to some study or test out that says otherwise, and I've had luck with studdless tires too. I've had better luck in the pnw with studs though, and if you don't have to listen to them on pavement, all the more reason to go that route.

[stfu&gbtw]

I drive on snow/ice about 230 days a year and ran blizzaks and studs side by side for 3 years. IME, the blizzaks performed better and lasted longer. When I replaced both sets, I went with blizzaks on both vehicles.

[neufox47]

I drive on snow/ice about 230 days a year and ran blizzaks and studs side by side for 3 years. IME, the blizzaks performed better and lasted longer. When I replaced both sets, I went with blizzaks on both vehicles.

Curious - What kind of studded tires?

[XXX-er]

Studded Hak1's, 2's, 5's, 7's for the last 10 yrs, everybody runs studded snow's up here even silly people ... it's just what you do

[jeffro83]

i've had winter studded tires (general altimax arctic) for my golf for the past few years. have driven it all around bc, colorado, utah, the midwest US, and i just moved from northern ontario where snow isn't usually the issue, it's ice. i'm a big vote for studs. in the terrain (cold & icy) i'm used to driving, studs make a world of difference.

[Lexi-Bell]

I drive on snow/ice about 230 days a year and ran blizzaks and studs side by side for 3 years. IME, the blizzaks performed better and lasted longer. When I replaced both sets, I went with blizzaks on both vehicles.

Jeebus, 230 days? You live in Fairbanks or something?

Also curious about what brand & model tires you were running studded...

[Sessiøn]

X-ice2. I hot hood about 3 days a week last year on them. In a rear wheel drive sedan. Never got stuck. Including being first in the lot at HRM on a pow day many times.

[krp8128]

^^^at the top of my list right now, can't beat the $70 off deal right now.

[Kai]

Nokian

The end.

[bendtheski]

Why fuck around? Studs don't cost that much more and should give better traction if you encounter ice, which you're bound to sooner or later, especially living at the mountain.

[Drewbrese]

A recent test of winter tires.

http://www.evo.co.uk/news/evonews/27...the_intro.html

[Drewbrese]

Link also has nice photos of actual tire tread.

[hemas]

Quick reply is...

Studdless, if you ONLY drive on dry tarmac and loose snow.

Studded, if you drive on packed snow and encounter ice.


For proper winter tires, studded don't loose much performance over studdless... even on dry tarmac.

The most extensive winter tire test is prolly the one by Aftonbladet (Sverige). It can be bought here:
http://www.aftonbladet.se/bil/articl...ab?teaser=true

But here's the free recap (PDF) can be downloaded from this link:
http://www.aftonbladet.se/mediafile?...load=immediate (klikka här)

Quick Swe-Eng translations

Dubbad = studdes
Oduybbad = studdless
Autobahndäck = ? prolly all seasons

Bromsning = braking
Undanmanöver = ? prolly understeering
våt asfalt = wet tarmac
torr asfalt = dry tarmac

[XXX-er]

those Finns know a thing or 2 about making snow tires but drink with them at your own risk

[Hutch]

I just bought 4 215/70R16 Nokian Hakkapelitta R Suv tires for $620 shipped from Tires by Web for my wife's outback. I've run blizzaks and hakkas and think that the hakkas are worth paying a little more for for stopping and because you get an extra winter out of them. The blizzaks wear out too fast.

[plugboots]

One of the wildest drives I've ever done was heading from Portland to Pendleton last winter. The section from Multnomah Falls to past Hood River was snow/rain/packed ice. The rain was pouring onto the packed snow, which had turned to ice, which was then cut into grooves where the cars and trucks had gone. Those grooves were then filled with the rain. Being the impatient driver that I am, it was interesting in a "can't see a fucking thing as I pass these trucks" kinda way. Rain-x, x-drive, and Hankook studded definitely helped that evening. Studs for sure. BTW, I don't really notice a difference between one of my cars with the Hakks and the Hankooks on the other 2, and my local Les Schwab has them in stock for cheaper, so I went there.

[PNWbrit]

Would you change this otherwise good for at least one more winter snow tire?

[Hutch]

^^ you might want to check the spare first.

[jmedslc]

I went with Hankook iPike studded on my Forester and they are very good in snow and ice. Not quite the performance of the Hakka2's i had on my Saabaru, but they were 1/2 the cost.