Winter wheels & tyres vs all season?

[Turbodave]

Originally Posted by TeamG

I’m loving how this thread is developing. Absolutely no arguments, no “I’m right, you’re wrong”, but lots of little details that sway the discussion in one direction and then the other.

To be fair, there is no right or wrong and likewise there is no "best" tyre as there are so many variables and we all have unique circumstances therefore it is really just opinions but as you say, it's great to have a discussion without it descending into the usual online "pick your side" campaigns.

However, what can be taken from open, honest and civilisation discussions like this are the emerging traits such as some people who live in certain areas favour XX tyre types and certain tyres brands aren't that well received. Interesting that somebody else has passed comment on the Cross Climates in the snow - a great all season tyre but yes, I'd say it wasn't snow / slush biased and I've definitely found they let go much sooner than the Quatracs but then conversely, the Cross Climates are better in the dry / wet.

It really is a bit of a minefield and you can very easily become overwhelmed reading reviews and then analysing the options till the cows come home - something I'm guilty of with many purchases but tyre choice seems particularly difficult if you read in to it. That said, I've also never been in the "a tyre is a tyre" camp or part of the "you don't need winter tyres, you just need to know how to drive" and on that note, I'm sure you could get up Ben Nevis in winter in your Nikes but there are more suited options available... and likewise, you wouldn't run the 100m sprint in your hiking boots.

From experience, full winters haven't blown me away and that's based on a couple of brands (Dunlop and Nkoian) and used extensively mostly in rural East Lothian over untreated roads and their lack of wet weather grip was quite off putting. Summer tyres (Dunlop and Uniroyal) were very good in the dry and in wet weather however a few "moments" with both once the temperatures dropped or the roads became muddy and I switched to all seasons and just find them the best "fit and forget" option given my needs - on which note, it's not just about winter driving as both cars regularly venture into muddy fields and such like and that can be all year round.

Changing them is always a bit of a dilemma... mine are on 6mm and 5mm respectively so given the mileage each does, I should just get another winter from them and maybe on towards the spring but then fitting new all seasons in summer (even in Scotland) does seem a bit pointless to an extent but given the way tyre prices have shot up, I certainly can't justify sticking new ones on ahead of the forthcoming winter but equally, I won't be running them down to 1.6mm... even in summer, simply because I don't like how a tyre with that low tread performs on a water logged road, which again can occur at any time of the year. Being fair, we don't really have seasons any more...