All-weather tires are severe snow service rated so in other words they 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.
All-weather tires will allow you to be prepared for the first snow fall, not having to worry about at what point to change over to winter tires. They also give you the flexibility to travel from dry roads up to the mountains for a day of skiing. With winter tires you are less flexible as there are date limitations of when you are allowed to use snow tires, with studded tires even more so. The regulations for studded tires are different depending on the State where you reside. If you are interested in winter tires, then it is important to check the laws in the State where you live. 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 215/70R16 then you would need to install either 215/70R16 winter tires or 215/70R16 all-weather 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.
All-weather tires are great in areas with severe winter weather and can even replace the need for winter tires especially as they also hold the “Three Peak Mountain Snowflake” symbol signifying 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 so both can safely be used in the most severe winter weather.
For more information regarding all-weather tires, visit: www.nokiantires.com