Do You Really Need Winter Tires? (The Answer Is Yes)

Learn about winter tires, discover your winter tire options, and find out why Canadian drivers should have proper snow tires in the cold weather.

What Do Winter Tires Do?

Winter tires do what any tires do: they provide traction for vehicles and protect the wheels. What makes winter tires different is their ability to handle snow, ice, and cold weather. Tire engineers design winter tires differently to maximize traction and durability throughout the coldest months which helps to keep us safe on the roads.

Why We Really Do Need Winter Tires

At TIRECRAFT we always recommend purchasing a proper set of snow tires. Despite their name, all-season tires aren’t fully suitable for all four Canadian seasons. All-season tires start to lose their ability to grip the road once the temperature drops below seven degrees Celsius. For most of Canada, seven degrees is a positively balmy temperature for January or February. That temperature is cold enough to reduce the efficacy of all-season and summer tires. That’s why it’s best practice to switch to winter tires in autumn, well before the official start of winter.

Winter Tire Treads And Tire Designs

When tire manufacturers make snow tires, they use different rubber compounds than the compounds they use for other tires. They also install special tread patterns and tire designs, as well as siping which provides traction in extreme cold.

Not all snow tires are the same. You want to buy the best tires for your vehicle. The answer for, “What are the best winter tires for me?” will change depending on whether you drive a passenger car, a light truck, a van, or an SUV.

Another consideration to keep in mind is whether your vehicle is front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, or four-wheel drive. This can affect which winter tire is your best option.  Our tire experts at TIRECRAFT can advise you on what might be the best winter tires for your vehicle, budget, and driving habits.

What About All-Weather Tires?

Both winter tires and all-weather tires can be considered “snow tires”. Snow is just one factor that necessitates these tires, because as we have seen, cold temperatures are really the most important factor. It’s helpful to reiterate that all-weather tires are not the same as all-seasons. All-weathers are rated for winter driving in Canada. Both winter and all-weather tires are embossed with mountain and snowflake pictogram, which lets you know that these tires are safe for winter driving in Canada.

What Are The Best Winter Tires?

What do you think the best winter tire is? Maybe it’s the Uniroyal Tiger Paw Ice & Snow II Winter Tire. Maybe your neighbour recommends the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 winter tire. Or perhaps you read online that it’s the Michelin X-Ice tire.

There is no one definitive best winter tire. It depends on the vehicle you drive and what qualities you like best in a tire. But all the tire brands we mentioned above have one thing in common: they’re all available from TIRECRAFT.

We only sell winter tires made by the best brands, including the ones mentioned above, as well as Toyo, Pirelli, Dunlop, Hankook, Cooper, Continental, Ironman, BFGoodrich, Goodyear, and more. Our tire experts can recommend different winter tires that work for your specific needs, making sure you are safe on the road.

Make TIRECRAFT Your Go-To Winter Tire Shop In Canada.

If you want to buy one or more winter or all-weather tires, please contact us. At TIRECRAFT, we can satisfy your tire and automotive needs. You can find a list of our locations here.

Back