WILL ALL-SEASON TIRES GET ME THROUGH A HARSH WINTER?
It is not uncommon for consumers to assume that All-Season Tires are built to perform well under severe winter conditions, which is why most fail to see the value in purchasing sets of both All-Season Tires and Winter/Snow Tires. While it is true that All-Season Tires perform well under a wide range of operating conditions, only dedicated Winter Tires are specifically suited for snow and icy conditions.
All-Season tires are designed to maintain functionality on wet and dry roads, in hot and cold temperatures, and to remain durable over long mileage. This may sound like a product that is equipped to handle whatever Mother Nature can dish out, but there is a point of diminishing returns. All-Season tires begin to experience reduced traction as temperatures fall below 45°F (7°C), where a dedicated Winter Tire is engineered to maintain gripping power in temperatures as low as -31°F (-35°C).
In 1999, The U.S Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA) and the Rubber Association of Canada (RAC) agreed on a performance-based standard for identifying tires that have been tested to perform better on snowy roads. Severe Winter Tires are specifically tested and designed for severe snow (and cold) conditions and meet snow traction performance requirements. Tires meeting this standard are marked with a pictograph of a peaked mountain called a 3-peak mountain snowflake symbol (or Alpine Symbol). All-Season tires do not meet this standard and therefore will not be marked with this symbol.
GT Radial’s latest Winter Tire product is the Champiro WinterPro HP, which is available in over 30 sizes, ranging from 16 to 20 inch rim diameter in H and V speed ratings. New vehicles with new wheel sizes often complicate tire size offering and selection, but the WinterPro HP provides dealers with a great line for winter tire consumers. A recent string of mild winter seasons has made many dealers hesitant to maintain inventory of winter tires beyond minimal levels, but the downward trend seems to rebounding.
Today’s market for winter tires tends to move in cycles based on factors such as strength of the economy, recent trends in seasonal weather, and geography. According to David Shelton, Director, Product Marketing for Giti Tire USA, “Since we have had very mild winters for the past several years, many consumers living in historically cold climates have avoided the change of tires and grown accustomed to ‘making it through’ winter with no real challenges.”
Ultimately, consumers must be educated on the benefits of a dedicated winter tire and motivated to purchase them. For consumers who live in regions where temperatures remain below freezing for several weeks at a time, there is no greater motivation than slipping and sliding when a non-winter tire’s grip level diminishes in extreme winter weather conditions. This winter season has resulted in a reduction in winter tire inventories, as more consumers have seen the need for true winter tires. Shelton goes on to point out that, “If the weather forecasters project the next few years will be similar to, or worse than, this year’s winter season, the market should experience a stable, consistent level of sell-in and sell-out, which has not been the case for the past five years.”
For more information on the distinction between All-Season Tires and Winter/Snow Tires, refer to our GT Radial Technical Bulletin.
