Winter Off Road Tires

[Optimistic Paranoid]

OUTSIDE ONLINE had an interesting article on the Cooper Discoverer A/TW tires, which they say are the only all-terrain tire that uses true winter rubber compound. Interesting article:

https://www.outsideonline.com/2365296/outdoor-enthusiasts-these-are-your-winter-tires

Also, there's a link in there to another article on why studded tires are now considered obsolete technology.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Interesting article! Thanks!

 

[rando]

Very interesting. I wish the Cooper A/TW had been around when we were buying winter tires for our wildernest years ago. The Blizzacks we ended up with worked well in the snow, but not so great off road.

Vey much in agreement about studded tires, and surprised so many folks still use them.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Well, I used studded tires right up until the time I retired. I was aware of the fact that they were somewhat less effective on highways than non-studded snow tires. But I've got a driveway that's about 200 yards long, with a right angle bend about halfway up, on a fairly steep hill. Without studs, I wouldn't have gotten up when I came home after work unless I stopped and put chains on first. Way too much of a PITA. Always got up with the studded tires on.

 

[rando]

You would have likely gotten up just fine with modern studless snow tires on as well. I switched from studded coopers to Blizzacks - traction on ice wasn't noticeably different, but traction in snow and particularly on concrete was far better with the Blizzacks.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

I don't know when the 'modern' snow tires came out. I only knew that I could get up the hill with the studs, and I couldn't get up the hill with 'old' snow tires without them. Classic case of 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"