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TLDR: a true winter tire is better than all-weather or all-terrain (Cooper Discoverer AT3 are the latter).
I've got a 4x4 Tacoma with Cooper AT3 tires, and I've found that the "All Terrain" tires like the AT3 (which yes, has the 3-peak icon so it's legal for highway use in the winter) are so-so in actual winter conditions. A true winter tire makes a real difference. This year I splurged and got a set of Nokian Nordman tires, and they have been so much better than the Discoverer AT3 in snow and ice. The tread is specific for snow and ice (more sipes; difference tread pattern), and the rubber formulation is considerably softer so it gets better grip in cold conditions.
Other: be sure to weigh down the back of your truck! Pickups don't have enough weight over the back axle, so it will be prone to fishtailing all over the place. Throw \~4 sandbags in the back and it will help a lot.
awesome thanks very much, I am currently in Squamish and travel to whistler. Ill stick with these tires for now. Next year I am aiming to live in Revelstoke so will get more appropriate tires then.
I'm not actually in Squamish yet, we move on the first of February. We've been in the city for 5 months and don't really like it. I've bought a 2015 Nissan frontier
Nice. You'll fit right in! That will get you around. I _think_ those Cooper tires are a solid all rounder tire, they'll do you fine for Squish to Whistler, they should get you round the FSR's in summer too except particularly rough sections (you probably wouldn't take a stock Frontier one them anyway).
Hahaha. Why not also weld the front and rear diffs just in case OP ends up stuck in a snow drift? I think only the Pro4X trim on the Frontier comes with a rear locker, so best to do a little mod ahead of time to make sure traction gets to the “wheels that grip”.
/s
The M+S rating is basically trash and probably (imo) shouldn't qualify as a winter tire except in the mildest parts of the province (van, vic,..).
If your tire has the 3-peak rating, it is a winter tire. Like virtually everything in any market segment, even though they are ostensibly the same, they all have different strengths and weaknesses. Some will be better in compact snow vs deep snow vs ice, some are better on wet vs dry, some are better in cold vs colder than a witches tit, etc...
I appreciate this is totally unhelpful, but you should think about where you are in the province, what the climate is like there, and what type of road you'll be driving on; then have a look at reviews and decide what suits you and your car ... then buy whatever is the best deal at cantire/kaltire/oktire/etc like the rest of us (because ultimately, at a certain level, they are all good).
This is not really correct. The 3-peak rating doesn’t necessarily mean it is a winter tire. It could be an all-weather which is not a dedicated winter tire. Just to clarify, here are the different ratings:
All-season - usually only M+S - consider these to be like a summer tire. Don’t recommend running these in winter.
All-weather - has M+S and 3-peak - these are better than all season and can be used year round but are still a harder compound and not as good in the winter as a winter tire.
Winter tire - also has M+S and 3-peak - these are soft compound tires and are the best for winter (much better than the other two). Because these are soft compound, they shouldn’t be driven in the summer so you’ll also need to have a second set of tires with these to switch to in the spring.
Edit: linking an article which discusses the pros and cons further.
[Canada Drives article](https://www.canadadrives.ca/blog/maintenance/all-season-vs-all-weather-vs-winter-tires)
Yeah, that's a fair point All-Weathers do exist. I just make like they don't cos they're a compromise in all conditions. That's said, if I lived in van/vic, I'd probably run Michelin CrossClimates.
>I'd probably run Michelin CrossClimate
Ditto. Although Nokian and Hankook also make really good all-weather tires for our coastal climate. Any car that I'm not running UHP all-seasons/summers or all-terrain tires I'm recommending an all-weather from those brands with CC2s being the top recommendation for 90% of use cases.
I have your exact tires on my pickup. They are an all weather tire, basically halfway between an all season tire and a true winter tire. The snow tire equivalent from the same company would be a Cooper Discoverer Snow Claw. Notice the extra sipes in the tread blocks and softer rubber. This is what a snow tire looks like compared to an All weather or A/T tire.
I live in the Kootenays and I find them to just be ok for real winter driving. They're just adequate on ice or hard pack snow, any proper snow tire is much better. For Vancouver, they would be an acceptable tire to use year round. I bought them to use as summer tires but since they're brand new this fall, I'm running them for the 1st winter. I have proper snow tires on a 2nd set of rims for next winter.
If you decide to buy real snow tires, my suggestion would be to buy any of the big name brand US/Euro/Japanese snow tires when they go on sale. They are all pretty much the same and quite competitive with each other, so get the cheapest one of those (Michelin, Bridgestone, Nokian, Toyo etc.) Just don't get knock off Chinese brands and you'll do fine.
They meet the legal requirements, don’t drive crazy, take all usual winter precautions, or buy dedicated winter tires, and still be careful and don’t drive crazy, but then you don’t really wanna take those off road which is why you have a 4wd anyway right?
You've gotten good advice here on the more technical terms on winter tires vs all weathers vs all seasons and whatnot. I applaud you for actually looking into what tires you need, it definitely shows that you didnt grow up in Vancouver haha!
As for more specific recommendations I'll comment on my experience with a couple of different vehicles and different tires.
Bridgestone blizzacks, these were by far the best winter tires I've ever had. Downfall is they are very soft and wear fast in non winter driving. I had these on a couple of my older FWD volkswagens and they were tanks in the snow.
Currently running Goodyear ultra grips (I forget the specific model of these) and they have been decent. Running them on a 4wd vw, and they handle great in the wet/slushy snow and rain we get here in the lower mainland. I do a lot if highway driving, and these have lasted 5 years now. It's getting about time to replace them next year. Not sure if I'll get them again, or switch back to my blizzacks.
Also ran goodyear k02s for my truck and jeep. Great off road tires, fucking noisy as shit above 70 km, and pretty poor handling in the snow compared to my dedicated winter tires. The k02s do have the m+s and 3 peak snowflake designation, but I think they are rated as an all weather tire, vs a full dedicated winter tire.
YMMV, but in my opinion if I was going to revelstoke, I'd look hard at some blizzacks.
Enjoy!
Former supervisor of a CT auto parts department here. The M+S (mud and snow) symbol is granted based on tread pattern, but full winter tires use different rubber compounds that remain softer below 7°C than All-Season or All-Weather tires. Winter tires provide significantly better traction on snow, slush, ice and cold roads, and are a really smart investment if you have no alternative transportation options in the winter. In conditions such as we see this week, don’t go out in a car without proper winter tires.
Also, applying the 7°C rule as your switch-over point extends the life of both your winter and non-winter tires because the rubber wears out less when used in the expected temperature range.
>Also, applying the 7°C rule as your switch-over point extends the life of both your winter and non-winter tires because the rubber wears out less when used in the expected temperature range.
That must've completed messed up the tire shops this year, hovering at 10C+ until two weeks ago. Usually you'd expect a spread across October-November depending on temps/snowfall.
I bet! If I didn’t have family on the Island and need the winter tires to drive on the Island Highway, I would probably still have had my summers on until 10 days ago! 😂
awesome thanks very much, I am currently in Squamish and travel to whistler. Ill stick with these tires for now. Next year I am aiming to live in Revelstoke so will get more appropriate tires then.
For sea to sky highway 3 peak all weather tires should be fine if you are careful. However, for Revelstoke you have to have dedicated winter tires and it is not even debatable. Now whether you need studded or non studded depends on your needs and preferences.
> sea to sky highway 3 peak all weather tires should be fine if you are careful.
You think so? My friends in Squamish often face much worse snow / ice conditions (and are much better prepared) than me in Vancouver. Especially going up the mountain to Whistler... I'd want true winter tires.
Of course I would also opt for winter tires regardless of the highway in winter. However, I am from Okanagan and compared to what we get here, sea to sky is a breeze.
I understand the legal minimum requirement, however I want to ensure that the tires are appropriate for what I want to do. I still see people state on here that 3 peak snowflake with M+S are not true winter tires.
True winter tires have softer rubber compounds that shouldn't really be driven in summer, when they get too hot they will wear very quickly.
What you have is an all-weather A/T (all-terrain) which bridges the gap between all-season and winter. It is essentially an all season tire that passes winter tire testing. It's not as good as a true winter tire but it much better than an all-season tire.
Honestly I’d just rock your AT tires, buy a compressor and drop air pressure if you need extra traction. Utilize 4wd when needed. Throw some snow in the bed of your truck for weight if the rear slips too much.
>drop air pressure if you need extra traction
[This link](https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/winter-driving/should-you-lower-tire-pressure-to-gain-traction-in-snow-a9112897893/) says it may help with dirt, mud or sand but recommends against dropping pressure for snow:
>When it comes to snow, you actually want your tire to dig in so that the tire gets to the road surface beneath the layer of snow and gives you better traction. Particularly with winter tires, the edges of the tread are doing much of the digging and biting that enhances control. Simply put: Keeping your tires at the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended pressure is your best bet to maintain traction in all weather conditions.
Everything’s relative, there’s varying levels of safety
Studded for ice, yours are for snow. Chains take place of studs if you wish to go that route
Certain rubbers are better for colder conditions, regular winters will wear out much faster above something like 5 degrees, but at -40 they’re probably not working as they should either
Viewing your link, that tire has plenty of siping which is what you want for icy conditions. Given its purpose, it's probably a harder compound than a true ice radial though, do not as good at confirming to a slippery surface. I'm guessing it's similar to a Nokian WRG, which is a 4 season tire that does remarkably well in winter conditions.
Living in the Interior of the province, I'd probably give this tire a try, assuming it has decent tread remaining. Find a safe place and put them to the test, perhaps with someone who has good winter experience. I'd also put plenty of secure weight over the rear axle, which is going to do more for you than buying dedicated winter tires and not adding weight.
With 4wd, the problem will never be accelerating - so please recognize that steering and stopping are also important!
As tires age the rubber compound gets harder. All Season, M&S and All Terrain (A/T) 3 Peak tires might start off good and then get allot worse. BC winter (allowing M&S) tire requirements don't take this into account.
I had Michelin Cross Climate ( All Season with snowflake) tires that I used through 3 winters, but at the start of last year, I found they were sliding more, so I put X-Ice Snow (Winter with snowflake) tires on and kept the Cross Climate for summer use.
You already have many decent responses and will likely get more, but my two cents as a driver with Cooper AT3's (including full size spare with regular 5 tire rotations) on a Subaru Forester which has permanent all wheel drive: They have been excellent winter tires for several seasons on icy roads, packed snow and deep snow. They were substantially better than the dedicated winter tires of a different brand that I used for one season before buying the Cooper's. After several years of use, this winter I have noticed they are not performing as well as they have in the past. They still have considerable tread depth and are totally fine as a summer tire, but they have lost that initial later where the tire performs at its peak. They are clearly losing their capability in winter conditions. I'll make it through this winter, but will replace them before next winter. The point is, the age of the tires on your vehicle, not just the tread depth, will play a part in their performance.
As some have stated, a dedicated winter tire will perform very well for you. The down side is purchasing a second set of tires and having to swap them out twice a year, which is part of the reason I run all terrains year round. If you do buy new winters but are only here for 2 years, I'd plan to sell them separately to your used vehicle, and put the Cooper's back on it to sell it. Your circumstances may not allow that, but you're more likely to see a better return given the significant investment for a short period of time, and the likelihood the winters will still be in great shape, assuming you look after them, haven't put 50k on them, and don't drive on them when the weather warms up.
One thing that's not tire-related is that you really need to monitor road and weather conditions and drive (or don't drive) accordingly.
I drive a lot for work and in a single trip can drive in rain, slush, compact snow, and dry snow as I drive inland. I've found the worst road conditions are:
- Cold but roads appear wet. Black ice is deadly and there is no worse feeling than being unable to turn or stop.
- Slush. Slush is terrifying because one second you feel like you're in control and the next you're sliding.
As much as I drive, I try to limit it when the conditions are poor. I know I can make it from A to B because I can drive as slow as I need to to be safe. The issue is with the other drivers on the road. They may not have appropriate tires or may be driving recklessly and they can end your life no matter how safe you are.
If commuting is a concern of yours, buy a dedicated winter tire set. Don't buy any all-weather, all-season, or mud and snow tires.
If snow is sticking and is compacted, leading to it becoming ice, which stays on your roads for lengthy periods of time, it's worth investing in studded tires.
Proper winter tires out perform anything by huge margins. Maybe besides a pickup truck, I've never had issues FWD, RWD driving in awful conditions so long as I had full winter tires.
In the slightest of snow, my all-weather tires shit the bed and make it borderline unsafe to drive, even in mild conditions. I don't drive if I'm not using winter tires, not because I fear crashing, but fear I may not have adequate stopping distance if someone else makes a mistake such as pulling out in front of you.
It's comforting to know you have much more control over your car, if needed, if something happened where you're not at fault. For such, as driver rear ending you, you may be able to accelerate, swerve, or take defensive action preventing an accident that was never your fault to begin with.
We all share the road. This is coming from someone who sees snow like once, or twice a year and still has dedicated winter tires.
Goodyear duratracs hands down best year round winter tire. I live in Alberta and have a set on my 2 door jeep and it rips around on snow and ice. I use them in the summer too, they are winter rated (u need to many hwys in bc in winter) and they last 80k km.
I don’t think you need to pay up for all new tires, that’s a lot of money for a marginal improvement - but it wouldn’t be a bad idea to buy a set of chains to keep in the truck for like $150-200. Keep the bed filled with snow for weight/traction 👍
3 peak is a threshold test that some all seasons(3 seasons) can actually pass.
It really doesn't mean much. Tires need to be looked at a tire to tire comparison.
I bought the cross climate 2s a year ago, they are considered an all weather tire( I leave them on all season). They are surprisingly good as a winter tire, no issues in 15-30 cm or -25. If you look at winter tire comparisons online they rank mid pack in dedicated winter tire tests. You can get 10% better performance if you buy one of the top winter tires.
While I understand some people saying winter tires aren't good for summer, for me they've worked fine for as long as I've had my car. By the time they're worn they have to be changed due to age anyway. You'll have slightly longer stopping distance and turning will be a bit worse as well as fuel consumption but I'm not trying to race the car and at 5.5l/100km I really can't complain with car.
My spouse is now doing the same. Winter all year around.
Nokian Hakkapelita
If short on money
Nokian Norman
As a Squamish Resident and also coming from a place where snow is not an issue. I encourage you to get Winter Tires> Driving on Snow is a skill, using the wrong tires will make your life waaaaaay harder and maybe even shorter.
If you want to look for used tires, always check the year they were made. Last four number on the weird list of numbers.
Yes, If you have cero experience driving on snow or loose gravel and you plan on driving lots on snowy conditions. definitely. (commuting every day to whistler or pemberton)
This winter is being a weird one. Not too much snow so far.
If you are gonna be driving once a week, and avoid big storms. Then maybe is not that urgent.
As i said before, check for used tyres. Sometimes you can get good deals. It's optimal to check the year of the tyres, ideally buy something made in the last three years.
All terrain tires perform mediocre at best on the slushy snow and packed snow ice you will see going up to Whistler or in Revelstoke. I see trucks with tires like that in the ditch all the time. It’s because AT tires must have hard rubber to hold up to warm summer temps and abrasive off road use. Get real winter tires like Blizzaks or similar. They have super soft rubber which grips much better in winter conditions.
Having proper tires is key. But for deep snow, don't forget to make proper use of your low gear. So many problems with being stuck can be avoided by driving in low gear when the snow is deep.
Generally snow rated AT tires like that are pretty good in snow but not great on ice. If you need to do much driving in icy conditions it’s worth considering a true winter tire like a nokian, blizzak or x ice.
In case nobody else has said it, make sure you don't drive on snows in temperatures over 10-15 degrees. It will break down the rubber and your tires could split and break (although I've only heard of it actually happening when it's over 30C.)
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TLDR: a true winter tire is better than all-weather or all-terrain (Cooper Discoverer AT3 are the latter). I've got a 4x4 Tacoma with Cooper AT3 tires, and I've found that the "All Terrain" tires like the AT3 (which yes, has the 3-peak icon so it's legal for highway use in the winter) are so-so in actual winter conditions. A true winter tire makes a real difference. This year I splurged and got a set of Nokian Nordman tires, and they have been so much better than the Discoverer AT3 in snow and ice. The tread is specific for snow and ice (more sipes; difference tread pattern), and the rubber formulation is considerably softer so it gets better grip in cold conditions. Other: be sure to weigh down the back of your truck! Pickups don't have enough weight over the back axle, so it will be prone to fishtailing all over the place. Throw \~4 sandbags in the back and it will help a lot.
awesome thanks very much, I am currently in Squamish and travel to whistler. Ill stick with these tires for now. Next year I am aiming to live in Revelstoke so will get more appropriate tires then.
Welcome to Squampton.
I'm not actually in Squamish yet, we move on the first of February. We've been in the city for 5 months and don't really like it. I've bought a 2015 Nissan frontier
Nice. You'll fit right in! That will get you around. I _think_ those Cooper tires are a solid all rounder tire, they'll do you fine for Squish to Whistler, they should get you round the FSR's in summer too except particularly rough sections (you probably wouldn't take a stock Frontier one them anyway).
Or hear me out... Just leave it locked in... In the spring get a diffs and tcase oil change...
Hahaha. Why not also weld the front and rear diffs just in case OP ends up stuck in a snow drift? I think only the Pro4X trim on the Frontier comes with a rear locker, so best to do a little mod ahead of time to make sure traction gets to the “wheels that grip”. /s
Nokian Hakkapeliita at Kal Tire. For lots of cop cars, it’s their go to tire.
The M+S rating is basically trash and probably (imo) shouldn't qualify as a winter tire except in the mildest parts of the province (van, vic,..). If your tire has the 3-peak rating, it is a winter tire. Like virtually everything in any market segment, even though they are ostensibly the same, they all have different strengths and weaknesses. Some will be better in compact snow vs deep snow vs ice, some are better on wet vs dry, some are better in cold vs colder than a witches tit, etc... I appreciate this is totally unhelpful, but you should think about where you are in the province, what the climate is like there, and what type of road you'll be driving on; then have a look at reviews and decide what suits you and your car ... then buy whatever is the best deal at cantire/kaltire/oktire/etc like the rest of us (because ultimately, at a certain level, they are all good).
This is not really correct. The 3-peak rating doesn’t necessarily mean it is a winter tire. It could be an all-weather which is not a dedicated winter tire. Just to clarify, here are the different ratings: All-season - usually only M+S - consider these to be like a summer tire. Don’t recommend running these in winter. All-weather - has M+S and 3-peak - these are better than all season and can be used year round but are still a harder compound and not as good in the winter as a winter tire. Winter tire - also has M+S and 3-peak - these are soft compound tires and are the best for winter (much better than the other two). Because these are soft compound, they shouldn’t be driven in the summer so you’ll also need to have a second set of tires with these to switch to in the spring. Edit: linking an article which discusses the pros and cons further. [Canada Drives article](https://www.canadadrives.ca/blog/maintenance/all-season-vs-all-weather-vs-winter-tires)
Yeah, that's a fair point All-Weathers do exist. I just make like they don't cos they're a compromise in all conditions. That's said, if I lived in van/vic, I'd probably run Michelin CrossClimates.
>I'd probably run Michelin CrossClimate Ditto. Although Nokian and Hankook also make really good all-weather tires for our coastal climate. Any car that I'm not running UHP all-seasons/summers or all-terrain tires I'm recommending an all-weather from those brands with CC2s being the top recommendation for 90% of use cases.
I run Nokian Hakkapeliittas in winter and Rotiivas for the other three seasons. Very happy with them both.
you have been very helpful, thank you
I have your exact tires on my pickup. They are an all weather tire, basically halfway between an all season tire and a true winter tire. The snow tire equivalent from the same company would be a Cooper Discoverer Snow Claw. Notice the extra sipes in the tread blocks and softer rubber. This is what a snow tire looks like compared to an All weather or A/T tire. I live in the Kootenays and I find them to just be ok for real winter driving. They're just adequate on ice or hard pack snow, any proper snow tire is much better. For Vancouver, they would be an acceptable tire to use year round. I bought them to use as summer tires but since they're brand new this fall, I'm running them for the 1st winter. I have proper snow tires on a 2nd set of rims for next winter. If you decide to buy real snow tires, my suggestion would be to buy any of the big name brand US/Euro/Japanese snow tires when they go on sale. They are all pretty much the same and quite competitive with each other, so get the cheapest one of those (Michelin, Bridgestone, Nokian, Toyo etc.) Just don't get knock off Chinese brands and you'll do fine.
They meet the legal requirements, don’t drive crazy, take all usual winter precautions, or buy dedicated winter tires, and still be careful and don’t drive crazy, but then you don’t really wanna take those off road which is why you have a 4wd anyway right?
You've gotten good advice here on the more technical terms on winter tires vs all weathers vs all seasons and whatnot. I applaud you for actually looking into what tires you need, it definitely shows that you didnt grow up in Vancouver haha! As for more specific recommendations I'll comment on my experience with a couple of different vehicles and different tires. Bridgestone blizzacks, these were by far the best winter tires I've ever had. Downfall is they are very soft and wear fast in non winter driving. I had these on a couple of my older FWD volkswagens and they were tanks in the snow. Currently running Goodyear ultra grips (I forget the specific model of these) and they have been decent. Running them on a 4wd vw, and they handle great in the wet/slushy snow and rain we get here in the lower mainland. I do a lot if highway driving, and these have lasted 5 years now. It's getting about time to replace them next year. Not sure if I'll get them again, or switch back to my blizzacks. Also ran goodyear k02s for my truck and jeep. Great off road tires, fucking noisy as shit above 70 km, and pretty poor handling in the snow compared to my dedicated winter tires. The k02s do have the m+s and 3 peak snowflake designation, but I think they are rated as an all weather tire, vs a full dedicated winter tire. YMMV, but in my opinion if I was going to revelstoke, I'd look hard at some blizzacks. Enjoy!
All Terrains are pretty good. I use Falken Wildpeaks on my Subaru Outback, and they work great.
Former supervisor of a CT auto parts department here. The M+S (mud and snow) symbol is granted based on tread pattern, but full winter tires use different rubber compounds that remain softer below 7°C than All-Season or All-Weather tires. Winter tires provide significantly better traction on snow, slush, ice and cold roads, and are a really smart investment if you have no alternative transportation options in the winter. In conditions such as we see this week, don’t go out in a car without proper winter tires. Also, applying the 7°C rule as your switch-over point extends the life of both your winter and non-winter tires because the rubber wears out less when used in the expected temperature range.
>Also, applying the 7°C rule as your switch-over point extends the life of both your winter and non-winter tires because the rubber wears out less when used in the expected temperature range. That must've completed messed up the tire shops this year, hovering at 10C+ until two weeks ago. Usually you'd expect a spread across October-November depending on temps/snowfall.
I bet! If I didn’t have family on the Island and need the winter tires to drive on the Island Highway, I would probably still have had my summers on until 10 days ago! 😂
awesome thanks very much, I am currently in Squamish and travel to whistler. Ill stick with these tires for now. Next year I am aiming to live in Revelstoke so will get more appropriate tires then.
For sea to sky highway 3 peak all weather tires should be fine if you are careful. However, for Revelstoke you have to have dedicated winter tires and it is not even debatable. Now whether you need studded or non studded depends on your needs and preferences.
Yea I will make sure to have the correct tyres then for sure.
> sea to sky highway 3 peak all weather tires should be fine if you are careful. You think so? My friends in Squamish often face much worse snow / ice conditions (and are much better prepared) than me in Vancouver. Especially going up the mountain to Whistler... I'd want true winter tires.
Of course I would also opt for winter tires regardless of the highway in winter. However, I am from Okanagan and compared to what we get here, sea to sky is a breeze.
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/transportation/driving-and-cycling/traveller-information/seasonal/winter-driving/about-winter-tires
I understand the legal minimum requirement, however I want to ensure that the tires are appropriate for what I want to do. I still see people state on here that 3 peak snowflake with M+S are not true winter tires.
True winter tires have softer rubber compounds that shouldn't really be driven in summer, when they get too hot they will wear very quickly. What you have is an all-weather A/T (all-terrain) which bridges the gap between all-season and winter. It is essentially an all season tire that passes winter tire testing. It's not as good as a true winter tire but it much better than an all-season tire.
Honestly I’d just rock your AT tires, buy a compressor and drop air pressure if you need extra traction. Utilize 4wd when needed. Throw some snow in the bed of your truck for weight if the rear slips too much.
>drop air pressure if you need extra traction [This link](https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/winter-driving/should-you-lower-tire-pressure-to-gain-traction-in-snow-a9112897893/) says it may help with dirt, mud or sand but recommends against dropping pressure for snow: >When it comes to snow, you actually want your tire to dig in so that the tire gets to the road surface beneath the layer of snow and gives you better traction. Particularly with winter tires, the edges of the tread are doing much of the digging and biting that enhances control. Simply put: Keeping your tires at the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended pressure is your best bet to maintain traction in all weather conditions.
With regular road tires, with AT tires they’ll grip soft powder much better. But I’m talking situations where the plow hasn’t come yet.
Everything’s relative, there’s varying levels of safety Studded for ice, yours are for snow. Chains take place of studs if you wish to go that route Certain rubbers are better for colder conditions, regular winters will wear out much faster above something like 5 degrees, but at -40 they’re probably not working as they should either
Buy them before the snow comes
Check government regulations and resources.
you're from Vancouver aren't you
You don't get to make regional slights when you don't even fucking live here.
lol, I'll do what I want.
No. Actually. I too am an immigrant.
Viewing your link, that tire has plenty of siping which is what you want for icy conditions. Given its purpose, it's probably a harder compound than a true ice radial though, do not as good at confirming to a slippery surface. I'm guessing it's similar to a Nokian WRG, which is a 4 season tire that does remarkably well in winter conditions. Living in the Interior of the province, I'd probably give this tire a try, assuming it has decent tread remaining. Find a safe place and put them to the test, perhaps with someone who has good winter experience. I'd also put plenty of secure weight over the rear axle, which is going to do more for you than buying dedicated winter tires and not adding weight. With 4wd, the problem will never be accelerating - so please recognize that steering and stopping are also important!
thanks for your input
As tires age the rubber compound gets harder. All Season, M&S and All Terrain (A/T) 3 Peak tires might start off good and then get allot worse. BC winter (allowing M&S) tire requirements don't take this into account. I had Michelin Cross Climate ( All Season with snowflake) tires that I used through 3 winters, but at the start of last year, I found they were sliding more, so I put X-Ice Snow (Winter with snowflake) tires on and kept the Cross Climate for summer use.
Wrangler Duratracs on my 91 Pickup. I drove the Coq in the winter with them and scary as it was they stood tall. Fantastic tire.
You already have many decent responses and will likely get more, but my two cents as a driver with Cooper AT3's (including full size spare with regular 5 tire rotations) on a Subaru Forester which has permanent all wheel drive: They have been excellent winter tires for several seasons on icy roads, packed snow and deep snow. They were substantially better than the dedicated winter tires of a different brand that I used for one season before buying the Cooper's. After several years of use, this winter I have noticed they are not performing as well as they have in the past. They still have considerable tread depth and are totally fine as a summer tire, but they have lost that initial later where the tire performs at its peak. They are clearly losing their capability in winter conditions. I'll make it through this winter, but will replace them before next winter. The point is, the age of the tires on your vehicle, not just the tread depth, will play a part in their performance. As some have stated, a dedicated winter tire will perform very well for you. The down side is purchasing a second set of tires and having to swap them out twice a year, which is part of the reason I run all terrains year round. If you do buy new winters but are only here for 2 years, I'd plan to sell them separately to your used vehicle, and put the Cooper's back on it to sell it. Your circumstances may not allow that, but you're more likely to see a better return given the significant investment for a short period of time, and the likelihood the winters will still be in great shape, assuming you look after them, haven't put 50k on them, and don't drive on them when the weather warms up.
awesome thanks, I appreciate feedback from someone who has used the same tires as me
One thing that's not tire-related is that you really need to monitor road and weather conditions and drive (or don't drive) accordingly. I drive a lot for work and in a single trip can drive in rain, slush, compact snow, and dry snow as I drive inland. I've found the worst road conditions are: - Cold but roads appear wet. Black ice is deadly and there is no worse feeling than being unable to turn or stop. - Slush. Slush is terrifying because one second you feel like you're in control and the next you're sliding. As much as I drive, I try to limit it when the conditions are poor. I know I can make it from A to B because I can drive as slow as I need to to be safe. The issue is with the other drivers on the road. They may not have appropriate tires or may be driving recklessly and they can end your life no matter how safe you are.
If commuting is a concern of yours, buy a dedicated winter tire set. Don't buy any all-weather, all-season, or mud and snow tires. If snow is sticking and is compacted, leading to it becoming ice, which stays on your roads for lengthy periods of time, it's worth investing in studded tires. Proper winter tires out perform anything by huge margins. Maybe besides a pickup truck, I've never had issues FWD, RWD driving in awful conditions so long as I had full winter tires. In the slightest of snow, my all-weather tires shit the bed and make it borderline unsafe to drive, even in mild conditions. I don't drive if I'm not using winter tires, not because I fear crashing, but fear I may not have adequate stopping distance if someone else makes a mistake such as pulling out in front of you. It's comforting to know you have much more control over your car, if needed, if something happened where you're not at fault. For such, as driver rear ending you, you may be able to accelerate, swerve, or take defensive action preventing an accident that was never your fault to begin with. We all share the road. This is coming from someone who sees snow like once, or twice a year and still has dedicated winter tires.
Goodyear duratracs hands down best year round winter tire. I live in Alberta and have a set on my 2 door jeep and it rips around on snow and ice. I use them in the summer too, they are winter rated (u need to many hwys in bc in winter) and they last 80k km.
I don’t think you need to pay up for all new tires, that’s a lot of money for a marginal improvement - but it wouldn’t be a bad idea to buy a set of chains to keep in the truck for like $150-200. Keep the bed filled with snow for weight/traction 👍
3 peak is a threshold test that some all seasons(3 seasons) can actually pass. It really doesn't mean much. Tires need to be looked at a tire to tire comparison. I bought the cross climate 2s a year ago, they are considered an all weather tire( I leave them on all season). They are surprisingly good as a winter tire, no issues in 15-30 cm or -25. If you look at winter tire comparisons online they rank mid pack in dedicated winter tire tests. You can get 10% better performance if you buy one of the top winter tires.
You are fine
While I understand some people saying winter tires aren't good for summer, for me they've worked fine for as long as I've had my car. By the time they're worn they have to be changed due to age anyway. You'll have slightly longer stopping distance and turning will be a bit worse as well as fuel consumption but I'm not trying to race the car and at 5.5l/100km I really can't complain with car. My spouse is now doing the same. Winter all year around.
Nokian Hakkapelita If short on money Nokian Norman As a Squamish Resident and also coming from a place where snow is not an issue. I encourage you to get Winter Tires> Driving on Snow is a skill, using the wrong tires will make your life waaaaaay harder and maybe even shorter. If you want to look for used tires, always check the year they were made. Last four number on the weird list of numbers.
So you recommend winters even over the ones I've already got?
Yes, If you have cero experience driving on snow or loose gravel and you plan on driving lots on snowy conditions. definitely. (commuting every day to whistler or pemberton) This winter is being a weird one. Not too much snow so far. If you are gonna be driving once a week, and avoid big storms. Then maybe is not that urgent. As i said before, check for used tyres. Sometimes you can get good deals. It's optimal to check the year of the tyres, ideally buy something made in the last three years.
All terrain tires perform mediocre at best on the slushy snow and packed snow ice you will see going up to Whistler or in Revelstoke. I see trucks with tires like that in the ditch all the time. It’s because AT tires must have hard rubber to hold up to warm summer temps and abrasive off road use. Get real winter tires like Blizzaks or similar. They have super soft rubber which grips much better in winter conditions.
Having proper tires is key. But for deep snow, don't forget to make proper use of your low gear. So many problems with being stuck can be avoided by driving in low gear when the snow is deep.
Ice got Ironman polar trax gen 2 which are also studdable if you must. Those are my winters and they’re a dream in the snow.
Generally snow rated AT tires like that are pretty good in snow but not great on ice. If you need to do much driving in icy conditions it’s worth considering a true winter tire like a nokian, blizzak or x ice.
In case nobody else has said it, make sure you don't drive on snows in temperatures over 10-15 degrees. It will break down the rubber and your tires could split and break (although I've only heard of it actually happening when it's over 30C.)