Tires are extremely important, and without them the world would
be a much different place. Even if you rarely drive, when you then start
to think about tires in a broader sense you'll realize that they enable
you in many other ways - from the products you use to the services you
rely on - and we won't even get into how different history would be if
the wheel had never existed. However, many of us do have to worry about
our tires from time to time, and choosing the right tire has gotten more
and more difficult as the years have progressed and technology has
changed. So whether you're doing research on the best tire for your
needs or wondering what makes one tire more effective than another, read
on!
When
it comes to picking the best tires for your needs, first you need to
consider what you're looking for. Is it winter, and will you frequently
be driving on roads that don't often see the snowplow? Then you might be
best served by snow tires with an aggressive tread pattern, and maybe
even studs. However, if you live in a warmer climate the softer rubber
and aggressive tread of winter tires is exactly the opposite of what you
need. In any case, you always have a choice - and it's an important
choice to make. After all, they always say you shouldn't skimp on shoes,
for your feet or for your vehicle.
A snow tire is typically used
on passenger vehicles and light trucks, generally in parts of the world
that receive a considerable amount of snow. In most cases, the tread on
snow tires is designed in blocks to deliver optimal driving performance
and snow evacuation while also reducing side slippage. Above all other
types of tire, snow tires are made to have better stopping power and
traction due to their aggressive tread pattern that can more effectively
grab onto softer snow. However, due to the inherent cold of winter,
snow tires are made of softer compounds to more effectively stick to the
road surface in icy and snowy conditions. Due to this, the tire will
wear more quickly when the snow and cold are gone for good.
Directly
opposite the winter tire is the summer tire, which is always used in
seasons without snow (such as summer, fall, and spring) or for climates
where there is no snow. Apart from delivering excellent traction for a
majority of the year (in most places) summer tires are manufactured to
reduce noise, improve smoothness, and provide safer handling at high
speeds.
In the middle of the two, you'll find a relatively happy
medium, the all season tire. All season tires were designed to spare
many drivers from the hassle of changing from summer tires to winter
tires. For drivers who drive all year round in moderate climates and
sometimes encounter snow - all season tires are an ideal middle ground
that provides more treaded slits and more aggressive siping than a
summer tire. However, for drivers that frequently encounter snow and ice
- an all season tire may not be enough for winter driving in the
extremes.
All season tires are designed to handle all weather
conditions, but - as the saying goes - they are a "jack of all trades,
and a master of none." All season tires are not optimized to excel in
any one area. This means they are manufactured with a harder material,
won't conform to the road surface as well in the winter, and won't be
quite as quiet as a summer tire.
To get a good understanding of
your tires in relation to the season, consider the type of footwear you
may wear to go for a walk down the street in the summer, fall, winter,
and spring (depending on geography). In warmer months, you generally
wear a shoe that's less bulky and more responsive. Typically, these
shoes are also relatively flat on the bottom. In the fall and the
spring, chances are your footwear is a little more bulky, with more
tread, and more protection.
Finally, in the winter - chances are
you're wearing boots. If you can avoid it, you won't be wearing your
lightweight low-tread summer shoes to go get the paper at the end of the
icy driveway, because chances are you'll slip and fall. Instead, you'll
wear your boots, which provide better traction and better protection
against the elements.
So if you ever find yourself wondering what
kind of tire you should get, just consider the way you drive and where
you live. Hopefully now the decision won't be too difficult.
For
drivers in colder climates, a cost effective approach to having both a
winter and a spring, summer, and fall set of tires is to keep the winter
set mounted on one set of wheels, and the all-season set mounted on
another.