winter tires when I live where it snows a lot but also plan to go to the desert?

[nomad_games]

have a 19 4runner TRD ORP. Currently have General Grabber ATX. they're absolutely ************** awful in snow. might as well be bald summer tires. have no idea how they got a snowflake rating. we've gotten at most a few inches here and there down in the valley, and if there is literally any snow or ice, they're straight up terrifying. they've been fine for summer/spring use.

I live in the Tetons, i.e. cold and very snowy for a long time, followed by mud, followed by a dry summer, followed by more mud, followed by more snow. about half the roads in my town are dirt roads. I ski a lot, so i'm up in the mountains a lot all winter. So i'd probably just grab some Nokian Hakka-whatevers and put the ATX back on in the summer, but I'm planning on driving to southern Utah several times over the winter. I had Blizzaks last season, and they were amazing in the snow, but they burned up super quick when driven on dry pavement. I put them on new in October and by April, they were literally bald. I don't really want to burn up another $1k in snow tires in one season, so...

anyone have experience with the Nokians? do they burn up like the Blizzaks? Is there an A/T tire that's good enough in snow that I could just switch to those and get rid of my Grabbers? I supposed I could buy some cheap wheels for the nokians and swap when I go to the desert.

 

[jadmt]

Falken at3w or toyo at3 are good choices

 

[Red90]

Duratracs.

 

[dman93]

have a 19 4runner TRD ORP. Currently have General Grabber ATX. they're absolutely ************** awful in snow. might as well be bald summer tires. have no idea how they got a snowflake rating. we've gotten at most a few inches here and there down in the valley, and if there is literally any snow or ice, they're straight up terrifying. they've been fine for summer/spring use.

I live in the Tetons, i.e. cold and very snowy for a long time, followed by mud, followed by a dry summer, followed by more mud, followed by more snow. about half the roads in my town are dirt roads. I ski a lot, so i'm up in the mountains a lot all winter. So i'd probably just grab some Nokian Hakka-whatevers and put the ATX back on in the summer, but I'm planning on driving to southern Utah several times over the winter. I had Blizzaks last season, and they were amazing in the snow, but they burned up super quick when driven on dry pavement. I put them on new in October and by April, they were literally bald. I don't really want to burn up another $1k in snow tires in one season, so...

anyone have experience with the Nokians? do they burn up like the Blizzaks? Is there an A/T tire that's good enough in snow that I could just switch to those and get rid of my Grabbers? I supposed I could buy some cheap wheels for the nokians and swap when I go to the desert.

Our daughter’s boyfriend runs Hakka’s year-round. They live in Oregon and he drives a lot in the cold-in-winter and hot-in-summer central and eastern parts of the state. However, this is on an Outback, so lighter than a 4Runner. I can ask him about tread life but I know he loves the tires. He’s had them on as long as I’ve known him which is 3 years now.

 

[plh]

BFG A/T KO2. I just put Falken Wildpeaks (AT Trail) on my '14 Outlander in the past week, they seem good, but have not had them for a snow season yet. Did great in the 1" we got 2 days ago. LoL.

 

[jadmt]

for the record I have run KO2's, at3w, duratracs and Toyo at3's just to name a few and this is all with in the last year and half. I know it is a sickness and I have run more tires than an indy team, but it is what I do.....I live in snow country and wheel in Moab etc so what works for me probably won't work for others and all just opinion on my part but in order of those 4 tires it would be AT3w, at3, ko2 and duratrac. for a 4runner I would look at 255/80-17's my buddy had that size on his 2020 4runner in the at3w and they were a great size that did super in all conditions. I will stop boring you with tire stuff now ...

 

[kmacafee]

Live in Minnesota but travel to desert several times a year. Cooper AT3 has been phenomenal and long lasting.

 

[jadmt]

Live in Minnesota but travel to desert several times a year. Cooper AT3 has been phenomenal and long lasting.

crap I have had cooper at3's too lol. but that was like 3 years ago and I did not keep them long I did not like them on ice.

 

[eyemgh]

I have Wildpeaks on my current rig. We ski multiple times a week, but have had them in Death Valley too. They're not as good as dedicated, studded Hakka's, but but nothing is. They're pretty good in snow for a year 'round tire. On our new build I couldn't get them. I opted to Open Country A/T IIIs. Haven't tried them yet, but they get lots of love online.

 

[phsycle]

How often will you go to So Utah? Just swap them out when you head down.

I don’t run snow tires, even though I do head up to Jackson Hole occasionally during the winter. KO2’s have been excellent. Dura Tracs as well.

But if I lived in NW Wyoming full time, I’d get studded snow tires. Just swap out for wheeling trips.

 

[eyemgh]

How often will you go to So Utah? Just swap them out when you head down.

I don’t run snow tires, even though I do head up to Jackson Hole occasionally during the winter. KO2’s have been excellent. Dura Tracs as well.

But if I lived in NW Wyoming full time, I’d get studded snow tires. Just swap out for wheeling trips.

The issue for us in Oregon is that we have to get through significant snow sometimes to get to the desert. I guess you could chain, but that's a pain, as is swapping wheels.

 

[Buddha.]

I’ve had a couple types of all terrain tires and for on road winter travel I’ve not been impressed. I haven’t found they have any advantage over a good all season highway tire.
Here in MN I now run dedicated snow tires because it stays cold for months on end.

 

[douglastic]

Falken WildPeak AT3w

 

[phsycle]

The issue for us in Oregon is that we have to get through significant snow sometimes to get to the desert. I guess you could chain, but that's a pain, as is swapping wheels.

I believe you guys are required by law to have chains or severe weather rated tires to go over some of the mountain passes.

If it’s just for an occasional trip, I’d be just fine with good AT tires. But I’d also throw in a set of chains in the truck as well.

 

[Climber Rob]

I live in the mountains where it snows a lot, and my primary travel destinations are desert areas. The best "all around" tire I have run is the Falken Widlpeak AT3. No AT tire will be as good as a dedicated winter tire. The Wildpeaks are definitely better than KO2s, which are terrible, and Duratracs, which are OK.