Studded tires: overview, specifications, manufacturers, rating, reviews

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42

A lot of "surprises" await drivers on the winter road: ice, slush, ice, snow-covered track. Such weather conditions are a real test for tires. After all, the safety of the car owner and passengers, as well as the stability of the vehicle, will depend on them. For regions with harsh winters, studded tires are ideal. Let's take a closer look at which spikes are in the greatest demand.

Do I need to "change shoes"?

With the approach of the first cold weather, most drivers are thinking about the next “change of shoes” of their “iron horse”. Do I need to change my summer tires to winter ones? Any automotive expert will give a positive answer to this question. No matter how warm the winter is, at a temperature of +7 ° C, summer tires begin to “tan”, which negatively affects its performance. Winter tires remain flexible even in severe frosts. This allows you to maintain a high coefficient of friction with roadcanvas.

Winter tires have a more aggressive tread, which helps them clean themselves faster from stuck snow. The tread is endowed with many drainage channels that have a positive effect on traction. According to reviews, studded tires have increased flotation and resist side skids well.

Winter tires: types

There are three types of tires for car operation in winter: studded, friction ("Velcro") and all-weather. It is better to conquer snow-covered roads on Velcro, because such tires have an increased number of tread blocks that provide excellent grip on the roadway.

Studded winter tires will help you move confidently on the ice. Steel "teeth" easily break through the top layer of the ice crust and, as it were, cling to the road during starting and braking. This greatly improves the driving comfort and enhances the safety level. Drivers who make frequent trips outside the city should also pay attention to studded tires.

"All season" - the most budgetary version of the "shoes" for the car. However, it should be remembered that such rubber wears out much faster. And in terms of performance, it is significantly inferior to both winter and summer tires.

Varieties of spikes

Each tire manufacturer has their own idea of what a stud should look like. For the first time, spikes of the “nail” type were used to stud tires. They had a simpleconstruction, steel body with a smooth cylindrical surface and a cap at the end. Inside was a core with a circular cross section. Such studs were a real discovery in the tire industry, but at the same time they had many drawbacks.

Two- and three-flange steel "teeth" are considered a more reliable option for winter studded tires. The cross flange allows the stud to be more securely attached to the tread, which prolongs tire life.

The stud body is made from various materials. Most often, steel, aluminum or two-alloy compositions are used for this purpose.

The shape of the spikes also differ from each other. The most common are round studs, which are found on many budget tires. They provide poor grip on icy road surfaces. Oval spikes have a large area of contact between the steel “tooth” and the road.

The developers of the Nokian tire brand have patented four-sided spikes that can only be found on tires of this company. Perfect grip is provided by sharp edges and edges with which the steel "teeth" dig into the ice. Good wear resistance and minimal risk of falling out of the seat are significant advantages of square studs.

Diamond or hexagonal spikes can be seen on tires from the most expensive segment. Such metal elements are made from high-quality alloys with increased hardness.

Best Studded Tires Ranked

Mostvehicle owners choose tires based on ratings from popular car magazines and reviews from other drivers. It is this approach that will help you choose the most suitable rubber. At the same time, it should be taken into account on which roads and under what weather conditions it will be operated.

Among the best studded winter tires, the following models should be noted:

1. Nokian Hakkapelita 8.
2. Continental IceContact 2.
3. "Nokian Hakkapelita 7".
4. "Michelin X-Ice Nord 3".
5. "Nokian Nordman 5".
6. Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice Arctic.
7. "Bridgestone Blizzak Spike 01".
8. "Dunlop Grandtrack Ice 02".
9. Pirelli Ice Zero.
10. Gislaved Nord Frost 200.

The listed tire models belong to the premium segment and are of high quality. Manufacturers of budget-class studded tires offer products with very decent performance and at an affordable cost. Popular among such spikes are such models as Cordiant SnowCross, Sawa Eskimo Stud, Formula Ice (a subsidiary of Pirelli). They have already won the trust of many domestic motorists.

Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8

Review of studded tires should start with the leader of numerous ratings - tires from the famous Finnish brand Nokian, which is considered an expert in tire production. The company specializes in creating rubber for difficult weather conditions.

With anydifficulties on winter roads will be handled by Nokian Hakkapelita 8. The brand introduced this model to the general public back in 2013 and since then it has occupied a leading position in various ratings.

Hakkapeliitta 8 studded tires provide excellent grip on both snowy and icy road surfaces. This was achieved due to the updated two-layer tread structure. When creating rubber, a unique compound was used, which is characterized by increased strength. This ensures even tire wear and allows the stud to be held securely.

The manufacturer also made sure that the rubber is suitable for any type of car. That is why the line includes 59 sizes of Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 rubber. The cost of tires starts from 3600 rubles per wheel.

Continental IceContact 2

The products of the German tire giant Continental are very popular among car enthusiasts around the world. IceContact 2 studded winter tires are considered one of the most popular. When creating this model, the developers used unique studs (CristallDubb), which have less weight. This made it possible to increase the number of "teeth" on the tread, which had a positive effect on the studding's patency and helped to reduce the braking distance.

Asymmetric tires "Continental IceContact 2" have excellent handling both on ice and on dry road surfaces. To prevent snow and ice from sticking around the spikes, there are"ice pockets". In them, ice is first collected, and then scattered around due to the action of centrifugal force.

Tires are not afraid of snowdrifts and have excellent cross-country ability. Confident traction appears when driving on wet snow and slush. Among the shortcomings, many drivers note belated steering wheel responses, braking on dry and wet pavement. The minimum price per wheel is 3200 rubles.

Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice Arctic

Ultra Grip Ice Arctic studded tires from American tire manufacturer Goodyear have a directional tread pattern and studs that help you move easily and confidently on icy and snowy roads.

MultiControl Ice technology helps maintain excellent vehicle handling in all weather conditions. This was made possible by a unique stud manufacturing process that increased the contact patch between the triangular stud and the road. On top of each steel "tooth" there is a sharp-edged carbide insert for efficient acceleration and reliable traction.

How do these studded tires behave on slippery surfaces? Handling performance has been greatly improved with Goodyear's unique patented 3D-BIS technology.

You can buy a set of Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice Arctic studded tires for 12700-16000 rubles.

Dunlop Grandtrek Ice02

Dunlop is a British company owned by two tireconcerns - "Bridgestone" and "Goodyear". Among the "winter" wheels produced under this brand, Grandtrek Ice 02 tires received special attention from drivers. This is a directional studded model, ideal for SUVs and crossovers.

According to reviews, rubber provides reliable stability and excellent vehicle handling on winter roads. A set of studded tires Grandtrek Ice 02 in size 215/65/16 will cost the car owner 12800-13500 rubles.

Why do I need to run in the spikes?

During the manufacturing process, winter tires are coated with a special lubricant. Part of this lubricant remains on the tread surface. This significantly reduces the quality of adhesion of the wheels to the roadway. Running in studded tires involves the operation of tires for the first 500-600 km at a speed of 60-70 km / h. During this time, the remnants of the lubricant will be erased and the tires will acquire the necessary porosity. Break-in is best done on a dry road.

The new spike is quite vulnerable to mechanical damage. Therefore, it is better to run in on more or less good roads. It is recommended to avoid slipping and give up extreme driving style.