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Snow Tires

Sanchese

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I know it is still early.
I wanted to know what are in your opinion the best snow tires?
I have a jeep rubicon with XR package.
315/70R17.
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Flip

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I know it is still early.
I wanted to know what are in your opinion the best snow tires?
I have a jeep rubicon with XR package.
315/70R17.
Just curious, what kind of tire do you normally run?
 

Stetson

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I just run KO2 year round and I have been very happy. I live in Salt Lake City and we get a lot of snow. I have KO2 on my Jeep and my Raptor which I use for my snowmobile tow vehicle. In the snow it tows a trailer no problem even in un-maintained trail heads.

my suggestion is to just go ahead and run a KO2 year round and you’ll be happy

Stetson
 

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Reinen

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Meanwhile, I'm in the SLC area as well and I swap my KO2s for Hakkas because the KO2s were far too sketchy for my mountainous neighborhood. Didn't even get through one winter before I noped those KO2s off.

My suggestion is don't listen to anyone who thinks an all season tire remotely compares to a winter tire in winter conditions. They seem to think that skidding is normal.
 

KCSgtMaj

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You’re going to have to make your own decisions based on inclimate weather in your specific AOR.
 

WindyCityWilly

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I would look at the temperature as well as the amount of snow. All-season tires often handle OK but once it gets really cold - like single digits and below, there is a huge difference. Dedicated snow tires still retain traction in very cold weather where all-seasons just can't keep up.

Even at 30 degrees, the 3PMSF Wrangler Duratracs on my Wrangler don't have anywhere near the same traction as my the Firestone Winterforce tires.
 
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Sanchese

Sanchese

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I would look at the temperature as well as the amount of snow. All-season tires often handle OK but once it gets really cold - like single digits and below, there is a huge difference. Dedicated snow tires still retain traction in very cold weather where all-seasons just can't keep up.

Even at 30 degrees, the 3PMSF Wrangler Duratracs on my Wrangler don't have anywhere near the same traction as my the Firestone Winterforce tires.
I am in Toronto Canada we get very cold Temps in January and February at 5 degrees or -10 to -20 in Celsius.
 

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Reinen

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I am in Toronto Canada we get very cold Temps in January and February at 5 degrees or -10 to -20 in Celsius.
You will notice a huge improvement with the Hakkas at those temps.

The biggest difference is that when the KO2s break traction they want to keep on sliding. There isn't much control to bring them back. The tread compound is simply too hard. They're hockey pucks.

The Hakkas always have some degree of control. They don't slide as much as they give. You still have the control to manage the sliding turn or rein them back into traction. Plus they have half the braking distance of KO2s in severe winter conditions.

Which is why I think if you're on KO2s in winter you'd better be driving like a grandma on a flat road. They're downright scary on steep hills. They do not inspire trust at all.
 

doublethebass

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You will notice a huge improvement with the Hakkas at those temps.

The biggest difference is that when the KO2s break traction they want to keep on sliding. There isn't much control to bring them back. The tread compound is simply too hard. They're hockey pucks.

The Hakkas always have some degree of control. They don't slide as much as they give. You still have the control to manage the sliding turn or rein them back into traction. Plus they have half the braking distance of KO2s in severe winter conditions.

Which is why I think if you're on KO2s in winter you'd better be driving like a grandma on a flat road. They're downright scary on steep hills. They do not inspire trust at all.
I agree - we get similar weather in MN and I run Blizzaks or Hakkas for 6mo depending on the vehicle.
 

jjvincent

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I run Rotiiva from Nokian. Great all around tire. I had them on my Eurovan and if that thing could make it out of the snow in VT with 0 deg F, they would work on my Jeep. Same for that bad boy when camping.
 

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mawz

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Are you worried about snow or ice/slick pavement in the cold.

K02's are great in actual snow, but a dedicated winter like the Hakka will do better on ice or slick pavement.

My previous vehicle I ran both Blizzak DM-V2 winters and then LT-rated K02's, one winter on each. Definitely preferred the K02 when there was actual snow on the ground, but the Blizzak's were better in icy conditions by a significant margin.
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