Member
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Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Chilliwack, BC
Posts: 51
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Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Chilliwack, BC
Posts: 51
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Winter rated AT tires vs dedicated winter tires?
Was shooting the s**t today at work with some guys about the above topic. Naturally there was some disagreement! I have my own opinion, which could totally be wrong. Hoping to set the record straight here.
Alright, so while most AT, SUV/Truck tires, are not winter rated (snow flake on the tire) there are a few that do have the snowflake. For example, the current Cooper Discoverer AT3 tires on our 4Runner do not have the snowflake. Whereas the two tires I am looking at to replace the Coopers, the Goodyear Duratracs and the BFG KO2s, do have the snowflake.
The debate that arose was...are winter rated AT tires as good for winter driving as dedicated winter tires?
A couple guys who have either the Duratracs or KO2s on their SUV/truck said the tires are awesome in the snow/ice/slush, and are likely just as good as your average winter truck tire.
I argued that while these tires may have passed the tests to get the snowflake stamp, they are unlikely to perform as well as a tire specifically designed for winter driving.
One contributor to the discussion said that a "snowflake" AT isn't any different that a non-snowflake AT, and it's more about marketing. More specifically, the Duratracs and KO2s are being marketed to buyers considering buying separate winter tires. Whereas the truth is they (the tire maker) paid a lot of extra $ for this snowflake stamp, and if other AT tires manufacturers wanted to pay the $ for the testing they too would have the stamp.
I have no idea if the above statement is true. Do all AT tires get tested for winter suitability? And only the ones who pass get the snowflake? Or, do only some tire makers choose to design their tires for solid winter performance, submit them for testing (pay extra $?), and then be "allowed" to put the snowflake on their tire?
I am assuming that the tire maker can not just choose to put the snowflake on their tire; rather, their tire must pass some tests, and then they can slap it on their tire.
For what it's worth, my opinion right now is that while winter rated AT tires may have "passed the test" to get their snowflake, they are unlikely to be as good for winter driving conditions as a dedicated snow tire. If they were, why would anyone buy all-season tires and snow tires, when they could just run AT tires with the snowflake?
I plan to buy the Duratracs and try them out next winter. I am hoping they will impress me and I will not want to buy separate winter tires. However, if they suck like the AT3s do, then unfortunately I will have to buy separate winter tires like the Nokian Hakapaletia.
Last edited by Mushroom_Cap; 12-27-2015 at 09:46 PM.
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