Snow Tires vs Radial
Snow tires and radial tires are different in their construction, with snow tires better able to adapt to snow and ice conditions. Although radial tires have come an awful long way due to their enhanced safety, there are still reasons to buy snow tires for your vehicle. What's also important is what part of the country you reside in.
Driving in wintry conditions poses some serious challenges, namely, is your vehicle going to hold the road! We all know how difficult it is to drive on icy roads, and damn near impossible to control your vehicle on black ice. Black ice is the condition when just a fine layer of invisible ice coats the road, and is as slippery as Teflon! If you encounter conditions where there is a lot of bad weather and dangerous road conditions, it's advisable to invest in a set of snow tires.
So what is the main difference between snow tires and radial tires? Snow tires are manufactured to handle the extreme cold and to keep the tire pliable enough to handle it. Also, studs can be incorporated into the design of the tire, giving you extra traction on icy roads. Sometimes this isn't enough, and chains are required in certain parts of the country such as Colorado and I-80 between Nevada and California. But for the most part, snow tires should do the job just fine.
All season radials do precisely what they are required to do, but when the weather is extreme, then the shift to specific snow tires is highly advisable. Radial tires are manufactured to handle all types of weather, and are designed to be flexible enough to handle dry and wet conditions. They are still the best choice in all types of weather, due to their construction. The angle of the cord construction provides the gentle ride that is necessary for quiet comfort, but they lack the studs of snow tires.
When old man winter comes riding into town, do yourself a favor and invest in a good snow tire. Especially if you live in the bad weather parts of the country. Driving is a dangerous enough activity and the best thing to do is to get the odds on your side. If that means having two sets of tires, and changing them due to the seasons, then so be it! Anything you can do to be safe on our nations roadways will pay off for you in the long run!
