Snow Tire Recommendations?

[dave]

After looking at chains, and realizing they just arent going to be the
best option for me being in Alaska, I was hoping the group could
recommend some winter tires. Costco has Michelin ICE-X ($100), the
local tire place here has studded Hanook 404's, ($120) and I havent been
up to Anchorage to see what the independents up there carry. I can
carry 400# of sand (181.44kg for our metric friends) in my pickup and
get traction there but if I did that on my Subaru the headlights could
be mistaken for the northern lights.

I'm really leaning to studded tires as I have 2 miles of gravel
between me and the road, and the mtn passes are only another 2 miles
north. I figure studded would be a little harder rubber then the
stud less ones so they would last longer, and provide more bite. While
the stud less would handle better on the few snow less days and be
quieter but if that were the case, I'd just remount the rims with my
crummy geolanders and swap back.

Thoughts?

-Dave
Seward, Alaska

 

[FNO]

After looking at chains, and realizing they just arent going to be the
best option for me being in Alaska, I was hoping the group could
recommend some winter tires. Costco has Michelin ICE-X ($100), the
local tire place here has studded Hanook 404's, ($120) and I havent been
up to Anchorage to see what the independents up there carry. I can
carry 400# of sand (181.44kg for our metric friends) in my pickup and
get traction there but if I did that on my Subaru the headlights could
be mistaken for the northern lights.

I'm really leaning to studded tires as I have 2 miles of gravel
between me and the road, and the mtn passes are only another 2 miles
north. I figure studded would be a little harder rubber then the
stud less ones so they would last longer, and provide more bite. While
the stud less would handle better on the few snow less days and be
quieter but if that were the case, I'd just remount the rims with my
crummy geolanders and swap back.

Thoughts?

-Dave
Seward, Alaska

Studded and studless tires are the same compound. Most snow tires will take
a stud and the holes are provided. Snows are a softer compound than all
seasons or summers; which is why they wear so badly when it gets warm. The
softer compounds retain grip at much lower temps than do the harder tires.

The tread patterns are what is important and an ice-rated tire provides
better grip at lower temps than a snow. I have used ICE-TRAK from Michelin.
They are an excellent tire and Blizzaks are also excellent. Last winter I
needed a performance tire for the snow (I have the STi), and I used the
Perrelli P225. They were great in snow, and not bad on ice. But, they are
pricey. My experience is that cheap tires don't cut it for snow and ice; in
particular when it is really cold. We get temps of -30C (-22F) and a good
tire is still best.