Best of the Best snow tires?

Back in the day (15-20 years ago), the Nokia Hakkapeliitta Q was the most bad-ass, most aggressive snow tire available for passenger cars. They worked unbelievably good without studs.

 

I am sure that snow-tire technology has progressed since then.

 

Who has replaced the Nokia with the most bad-ass/aggressive snow tire?

I haven't heard of anyone replacing them. Snow tires are what they do and they do it far better than anyone else.

What kind of winter tire are you looking for?

Just for snow?

 

Krzys

What kind of winter tire are you looking for?

 

He already said he wants "bad-ass" tires.

He already said he wants "bad-ass" tires.

 

My "bad-ass" may not be somebody else's "bad-ass".

 

Krzys

 

PS Nokians are very expensive. They are good or very good but not always the best and rarely best for the buck.

Back in the day (15-20 years ago), the Nokia Hakkapeliitta Q was the most bad-ass, most aggressive snow tire available for passenger cars. They worked unbelievably good without studs.

 

I am sure that snow-tire technology has progressed since then.

 

Who has replaced the Nokia with the most bad-ass/aggressive snow tire?

The current top Nokian studless tire in the Hakka R, which replaced the RSI a couple of seasons ago, which replaced the Q around 2005 or so.

 

Not sure what you mean by bad ass and aggressive, the big difference between the newest snows and the older models is that they are quieter, have lower rolling resistance and better dry and wet road handling. Old-tech tires like the General Altimax Arctic are quite good on snow and ice - they just aren't up to par all-around.

 

//PS Nokians are very expensive. They are good or very good but not always the best and rarely best for the buck.

How many have you owned?

 

Nokians typically have thicker treads that last a season or two longer. We buy them for our fleet cars precisely because they are the best for the buck.

I have had the old hakas and rsi,s both were awsome got 30k out of the rsi on an svx driven agressivly

they were good in 12in of snow at 45 mph and still kept me

on the road at over 100 mph on slick stuff

 

nokian ftw

Nokian is too expensive for my wallet. I think winter performance matches my needs better and Nokian is not strong in this category.

If I were looking for studless I might consider Hakka R but Michelin X-Ice Xi2 would probably win my money (cheaper and comparable performance).

Studded Hakka 7 is one to have in studded category but it is not available in the USA yet.

 

Krzys

"Best snow tire" is extremely subjective. Do you want good dry handling? How much noise are you willing to tolerate. Do you just want good deep snow traction? Do you want light snow traction? Do you want longevity? Do you want the tires to do well in slushy conditions? How about ice? Should it offer good traction on ice? Temperature plays a huge role too. What temperatures are you driving in? Is a non-directional tire important. Now that we've got those questions answered, what do you want to pay for this "best snow tire"? Is $150 each too much? How about $350 each? I mean we are talking about the "best, most bad-ass snow tire" out there, right?

 

For the type of driving I do, I've found the Dunlop Wintersport M3 to be the "best, most bad-ass snow tire" for my application.

I love my studded Nokian Hakkapelita 5 !

I scored on a deal today. I got a set of 4 Nokian Hakka R that look new for $280. I was shocked when I went to look at them, the guy said he bought them for his girlfriend if she got caught in the snow. It looked like she never drive in the snow. I am so pumped to get these F'ers on.

I scored on a deal today. I got a set of 4 Nokian Hakka R that look new for $280. I was shocked when I went to look at them,..........

 

Wow, hot deal! What's the tread depth on them? I believe they are 12/32" when new.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/surveyresults/surveydisplaywinter.jsp?type=W&VT=C&sortValue=16

 

Very close competition.

The results based on thousands of opinions are not worth much.

I usually read why people gave low marks to a tire that I picked.

 

Quite often I see something like: "this tire sucks in snow!!!" and it pertains to summer tire.

 

Krzys

Wow, hot deal! What's the tread depth on them? I believe they are 12/32" when new.

 

It was funny, he had them on Craigslist but with no cintact info. He started at $500, then changed it to $400, still with no contact info. I emailed Craigslist and informed them he has no info. Then after a week, he has a Craigslist email to reply to and lowered it to $350. Talked him down to $280, and picked them up.

Two are with 10/32, and the other two with 11/32.

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e68/javsvt/4d3efa73.jpg

I hear good things about Bridgestone Blizzaks...which I'm sort of forced to buy. Found out the hard and dumb way we can't use 16" rims...so I have to return my General Altimax and the next cheapest would be the snow/ice studless Blizzaks. We'll see, I have never heard anything bad about them yet. My buddy has them on his Evo MR and says it's hard for him to break loose in the snow.