new member looking for advice on tires!

[BOS4runner]

I recently purchased my first 4RUNNER and couldn't be happier! It's a 2011 SR5. I live in Boston and travel frequently to VT all year round. I need new tires and am debating whether to buy two sets (snow and all season) or just a good pair of all season. I do drive through significant snow in the winter and also do a decent amount of highway driving for my job. I would love to hear your opinion as I am lost and not sure what to do! Thanks!

 

[Rcfd1475]

Welcome!

This is my first post also, figure I will start it out.

Sounds like if I was in your situation I would stick with a good quality all terrain tire, instead of spending the money on two sets. Honestly, from my experiences, a good all terrain will handle anything from dry pavement with comfort and somewhat quite to snow/ice and even trail riding.

It is a misconception that mud tires are needed for anything and everything. IMO mud tires are only needed for hard trail riding, deep snow, mud, rock etc. Mud tires don't have siping which are the little lines cut in the rubber to help dissipate water out from under the tread, thus causing hydroplaning and lack of grip on wet pavement. Siping on all terrain tires allow the small sections of rubber across the tire to flex, gripping ice and slick streets better than most mud terrains.

I would look into a good quality all terrain such as Nitto Terra Grappler. It's honestly your best bet, for what you need it for and even more. Nitto is a great brand and I have owned multiple sets of them.

 

[GrossMan]

Welcome Boss4!

Between my Chevy Blazer, Ford Explorer and now my 98 4Runner I've owned AT tires from Goodyear, Goodrich, Yokahama, Bridgestone and Firestone and I always, always, come back to Michelin.
Right now I'm running Michelin LTX A/T2. I've only had them for 5500 miles but living in Central NY (Syracuse, Binghamton, Ithaca areas) I've already been through several rain and snow "events"....nothing crazy, a few 7-9 inch snowfalls, and the tires have performed almost as well as the X-Ice tires on my Volvo. They are extremely smooth and very quiet on the highway.
They have also done really well on the logging trails I ride and have handled shallow mud, the football sized rocks and sharp shale with ease.

That said, they would not do well if you plan to do rock crawling or true "mudding" ---but it doesn't sound like you're aiming for those types of activities.

For what it's worth
GrossMan