How To Find The Best All Weather Tires For Snow: Top-5 Safety Features

Known as a middle ground between all-season tires and dedicated snows, all-weather tires make it possible to drive year-round on a single set, even in snowy conditions, which saves Canadians thousands of dollars in tire costs and changeover fees.

But as with all tire categories, the all-weather tire class encompasses a broad range of designs, some of which are better in snow and ice than others.

So how do you find the best all-weather tires for snow? Unfortunately, it’s not as simple as finding the Tire and Rubber Association of Canada (TRAC)’s 3-peak mountain snowflake symbol—that’s stamped on the side of every single all-weather tire, signifying that they have passed the ASTM F-1805-2006 snow traction test, so it won’t help you separate the good from the great.

If you truly want the best all-weather tires for snow, you need to dig deeper and make sure that they come equipped with the following 5 safety features.

Read on to learn how to spot the top snow performers, or contact your local TIRECRAFT to speak directly with a certified all-weather tire tech.

How To Find The Best All-Weather Tires For Snow: Top-5 Safety Features

1.    The Best All-Weather Tires For Snow Have Deep Treads

New winter tires typically come with between 8mm and 9.5mm of tread, which may be listed as 10/32” or 12/32”, depending on the manufacturer and model.

The best all-weather tires for snow-covered roads will have comparable tread depth. For example, the Goodyear Assurance has 7mm or 9/32” tread depth, while the Toyo Celsius offers about 8mm or 10.7/32”.

2.    The Best All-Weather Tires For Snow Have Narrow Designs

You might think wide tires are best for snow since they would give you more contact with the road, but this only really applies on hard wet or dry surfaces. In winter, narrow tires are best, since they cut through snow and slush, whereas wider tires tend to push and plow. They also provide high surface pressure, and as an added bonus, narrow tires create less rolling resistance, which means greater fuel efficiency and gas savings.

To find narrow all-weather tires, check the sidewall code, which lists the tire width as the first number. For example, if the sidewall is marked 225/65R17, it means the tread is 225 millimeters wide from sidewall to sidewall. Popular options, like the Goodyear Assurance, come in sizes running from 175mm to 255mm, so you can choose based on your personal preference.

3.    The Best All-Weather Tires For Snow Have Special Rubber Compounds

The best all-weather tires for snow not only use cold-weather compounds that stay pliable all winter; they also mix in special silica or other coarse materials that provide additional grip and traction on snow, ice, and slush. For example, Toyo Microbit Technology mixes ground walnut shells into their tire “batter” as an eco-friendly way to add grip on snow and ice.

This cannot be detected by the naked eye, and it’s not listed on the tire sidewall, but our tire techs can point you towards all products that use these snow-performance compounds.

4.    The Best All-Weather Tires For Snow Have Serious Sipe Density

The term “siping” refers to thin slits cut or molded into the tread blocks, which can be seen with the naked eye. Siping increases traction and handling on wet, snow, and ice-covered surfaces, and the best all-weather tires have plenty of it, offering “high sipe density” and, in many cases, multi-wave siping designs that grip from different angles.

5.    The Best All-Weather Tires For Snow Have Wide Lateral And Evacuation Grooves

Using special grooves molded into the inside and outside of the tread, the best all-weather tires for snow constantly push slush and water away from the inside tread, helping you to maintain optimal contact with the road even in harsh conditions. This is especially important during the thaw season, when the snow starts to melt but it is still too cold for all-seasons.

Browse All The Best All-Weather Tires For Snow: Contact TIRECRAFT

To browse all the best all-weather tires for snow under one roof, and get personalized recommendations based on your unique budget, preferences, and vehicle, contact your local TIRECRAFT.

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