Snow or winter tires make all the difference in the world when it comes to efficient handling and control for your car throughout the cold season. Ask anyone from the northern part of the country and they’ll tell you riding on low-tread tires in slick conditions not only takes a certain skill level, but it isn’t too much fun either.
Snow tires let your car grip the road under icy and snowy conditions. In doing so, they are made of material much more conducive to cold winter conditions, crucial for effective braking, turning and power displacement. The difference between all season and snow tires can be likened to driving on tires made of cold steel and driving on tires made of soft rubber, respectively.
Snow tire rubber material is much softer than traditional, all-season tires which maintain its flexibility it freezing temperatures. This compares to traditional tires which lose flexibility in extreme conditions, increasing in hardness and subsequent lost control response. The softer rubber will give you more traction, every time.
Another contributing factor to snow tire design has to do with tread. In addition to the right material for responding to freezing conditions, the snow tire tread allows them to better grip the road. Cutting through ice, snow and slush, gripping tread design ensures contact with the actual road.
The increased flexibility allows snow tires to respond as effectively as possible to road conditions. The softer compounds combined with ice-cutting tread allow your car to maintain full contact with the road at all times. And if your tires aren’t on solid ground, braking, turning, your antilock braking system and all-wheel drive function are completely ineffective.
