What are snow or winter tires?
Winter tires are built differently than other tires. Winter tires require special rubber that stays flexible when temperatures get extremely cold. That means better grip on snow and ice compared to an all-season tire.
When should you put winter tires on your vehicles? When the temperatures begin to consistently fall below 45 degrees Farenheit (7 degrees Celsius). It's around this temperature that all-season tire's compound will begin to harden and lose grip.
Studded tires dig into ice, while non-studded tires use compounds and crystals to act like built-in studs for winter traction. Find out more about studded vs. non-studded tires here.
Difference between snow tires and winter tires
These terms describe the same thing: true winter tires certified with the 3PMSF symbol.
Calling winter tires "snow tires" is like calling Wayne Gretzky a professional skater. It's technically true, but it massively undersells their abilities.
In fact, we'll take it a step further: We don't make snow tires. We make winter tires.
Just a difference of semantics, you say? We politely disagree. Here's why we want to set the record straight: Because winter tires aren't just made for snow, and they can even come in handy when there's no winter precip on the road.
Essential in Cold Weather
Winter tires are skilled at carving through snow, but they're important to have on your car before the first flake falls. When temperatures drop below 45 degrees Fahrenheit (7 degrees Celsius), all-season tire rubber hardens like a hockey puck and loses grip on the road. That makes driving summer tires in the winter months a sketchy proposition even when roads are dry. It's why we recommend swapping to winter tires before the first snowfall and well below temps consistently drop below freezing.
The non-studded Nokian Tyres Hakkapeliitta R5 is designed to provide pure safety, grip and comfort in all winter conditions, not just snow.
Built for More Than Snow
The term "snow tires" is also a misnomer because winter tires are built to power through a diverse array of conditions, not just powder.
Get lots of ice? Our studded tires help drivers thrive on even the thickest sheets. Is slush an issue? Our tread patterns maintain sturdy contact with the road in the squirrely stuff.
In Finland, there are more than 40 words for "snow." And our Finnish-designed, Arctic-tested tires are crafted to help drivers thrive in every one of those conditions -- snow, sleet, freezing rain, solid ice, wet snow, dry powder, slush and even just a really cold dry road.
So the next time you hear someone call them "snow tires," remind them that Wayne Gretzky did a lot more than skate. And winter tires handle a lot more than just snow.
