Hey what is your favorite winter tire (for canadian winters)
- Thread starter Gtdad
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comptiger5000
Adventurer
The big important question is: do you want studs or not?
If you want studs, you've got a few good / common / popular snow tires that come in that size:
- Nokian Hakka LT2 (probably one of the best you'll find in that size, but also one of the more expensive choices)
- Hankook I*pike RW11
- General Altimax Arctic
- Cooper Discoverer M+S
- Firestone Winterforce LT
If you want studless, you get a few other options:
- Run any of the the studdable options without installing studs (not recommended IMO as you give up ice grip by running a studdable tire without studs)
- Bridgestone Blizzak W965
- Toyo Open Country WLT1
If you want studs, you've got a few good / common / popular snow tires that come in that size:
- Nokian Hakka LT2 (probably one of the best you'll find in that size, but also one of the more expensive choices)
- Hankook I*pike RW11
- General Altimax Arctic
- Cooper Discoverer M+S
- Firestone Winterforce LT
If you want studless, you get a few other options:
- Run any of the the studdable options without installing studs (not recommended IMO as you give up ice grip by running a studdable tire without studs)
- Bridgestone Blizzak W965
- Toyo Open Country WLT1
More importantly, what type of driving will you be doing?
If it's backcountry unplowed ~6 or more inches powder, I'd recommend going with a studded mud/all terrain KO2/etc.
But if it's mostly going to ski hills, then I would highly recommend winterforce LT studded. I had those on my f150, and they were great in anything but deep powder (8-12"). Plus they are E rated tires.
If it's backcountry unplowed ~6 or more inches powder, I'd recommend going with a studded mud/all terrain KO2/etc.
But if it's mostly going to ski hills, then I would highly recommend winterforce LT studded. I had those on my f150, and they were great in anything but deep powder (8-12"). Plus they are E rated tires.
toylandcruiser
Expedition Leader
Are Canadian winters than winters elsewhere?
I should have said pnw canadian winters. Lots of mountain driving, with extremely variable conditions etc. Weather here changes very quickly. And very poor city snow plowing..The Nokian Hakkapeliittas are hands down the best snow tires out there. They can be over kill, but.... if you want the best thats them. We live at 5,100 feet in the mountains and get three hundred inches of snow a year, they don't even drop the plow blades till there is 4 inches on the road unless it is the highway. Picked up a set last winter and was blown away. the rubber compound is amazing, they have more studs then other tires, and they seem to last longer. In my mind it was worth every cent. For what it is worth, I am not running those on my truck but rather my wifes car. I am not sure what size and ply they come in other then I have seen them on a lot of Tacomas.
I have run 3 or 4 sets of the Hankook I pike studded winter tires on AWDs, FWDs, and 4x4's. For the price point I think it is the best tire out there. Not as good as the Nokian Hakkapeliittas, but pretty damn solid and they have a good wear life. My third choice would be the General winter tire mentioned. Can prob get them even cheaper then the Hankooks. I ran a set of them non studded on my 2010 Subaru and the car was unstoppable.
I have run 3 or 4 sets of the Hankook I pike studded winter tires on AWDs, FWDs, and 4x4's. For the price point I think it is the best tire out there. Not as good as the Nokian Hakkapeliittas, but pretty damn solid and they have a good wear life. My third choice would be the General winter tire mentioned. Can prob get them even cheaper then the Hankooks. I ran a set of them non studded on my 2010 Subaru and the car was unstoppable.
redthies
Renaissance Redneck
You didn't used to be allowed to run studs on the Lions Gate, not sure on 2nd Narrows. You might want to check before the VPD send their best and brightest to hunt you down for being studded!
straker101
Observer
I like the Goodyear Wrangler Duratracks (all weathers). And I'm in the frozen north of Canada!
They have done great on winter mountain trips too.
They have done great on winter mountain trips too.
studded tires are in BC anywhere from oct 1 until april
comptiger5000
Adventurer
Those are probably the next best thing to a snow tire in the offroad / truck world. Not as good as a dedicated snow, but if swapping for summer / winter isn't an option for some reason (or you're traveling from somewhere cold to warm in the middle of winter), they're exactly what I'd suggest.
Nd4SpdSe
Adventurer, eh?
My Yokohama Geolander I/T's were great tire. After several years of use and were worn down, I decided to try studded (since I moved to Quebec and was allowed studded) and went with the Hercules X-Avalanche, which I find don't grip quite as well in snow as the Yoko's, but of course does outperform them when comes to ice with the studs makes a huge difference. I was also looking at and was torn between the Cooper Discoverer M+S, but the Hercules was easier to get.
Nokian Hakkapeliittas are very expensive, but I do seem to be the best tire you can get.
Nokian Hakkapeliittas are very expensive, but I do seem to be the best tire you can get.