All-weather tires are approved for winter use. This is because hold the “Three Peak Mountain Snowflake” emblem which signifies that they have passed required performance criteria in snow testing and are thereby considered severe snow service rated. This is in fact, the same emblem held by winter tires. All-weather tires have one great advantage over winter tires in that they can be used year-round which takes away the worry of changing into winter tires. This is a great advantage in areas where winter can arrive abruptly. In addition, advances in all-weather tires make them just as good on snow and ice as dedicated snow tires. This is because with improvements in the rubber compounds and tread patterns they are able to handle the most severe winter conditions.
If your car or SUV is equipped with all-weather tires, then you will be prepared at the first snow fall. This is a great advantage as in many areas of the United States the change of seasons can be abrupt. All-weather tires are also a great advantage if you want to go up to the mountains to ski as they perform equally well on dry, wet or snowy surfaces. With winter tires you are less flexible as there are date limitations of when you are allowed to use winter tires, with studded tires even more so. The regulations for studded tires are different depending on the state where you reside. There are some states that allow their use as early as September while others not at all. There are also some states only allowing rubber studs while others allow both metal and rubber studs. When to put them on depends on where in the United States you live. This is something that is not a problem if using all-weather tires. With all-weather tires you can make the transition between fall and winter with no worries while resting assured that you will have reliable winter grip.
Whether you decide for all-weather tires or winter tires, studded or non-studded tires, you need to make sure you follow the manufacturer’s recommended tire dimensions for your make and model of car. This is because only with the right dimensions can you be guaranteed the best performance of your vehicle. In other words, if the recommended tire dimensions for your car is 275/65R18 then you would need to install either 275/65R18 all-weather tires or 275/65R18 winter tires. Keep in mind if you do install winter tires instead of all-weather tires, it is important that winter tires are installed in sets of four to help maintain control and stability of your vehicle in winter conditions.
If you live in an area with severe winter weather, then you need to make sure that you have tires with the “Three Peak Mountain Snowflake” symbol proving that they have passed performance criteria in snow testing to be considered severe snow service rated. Both all-weather tires and winter tires hold this emblem.
For more information regarding all-weather tires, visit: www.nokiantires.com