How to Choose: The Best Off-Road Winter Tires

Choosing specific tires for off-roading in the winter comes down to many factors. If you’re already considering a new set of rubber to better handle the rugged, colder conditions, you’re on the right track to getting the most out of your time on the road over the coming months.

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Words by Steve Fennell

Thick, wet snow and ice present different challenges than wheeling in summer, and choosing the best set of winter tires not only provides added traction and durability, but an added element of safety both on- and off-road. Your choice of winter tires for off-roading depends on what you expect from your rig and the type of off-roading you want to do. Read on as we explore how to choose the best winter tires for your off-road applications.

Where Will You Wheel

Exploring unmaintained snow-covered trails where plows wouldn’t dare to go, overlanding on icy rural roads, or just hauling your sleds to a trail head all require research to ensure you get the ideal footprint for optimal traction and durability.

Winter-optimized tires are designed and constructed to stand up to extreme temperatures – and by that we mean as cold as -40° C. Even though a set of all-season or all-weather tires may have an aggressive tread pattern and solid reinforcement in the sidewall and shoulder, the rubber can get hard in cold weather and won’t be able to stay soft enough for that stomping maximum grip you need to tackle snow and ice.

For instance, some serious rubber for the trails and icy conditions include Toyo’s winter-dedicated AT Open Country WLT1 and the choices in General Tires’ Grabber A/TX and Grabber APT lines, which are quite versatile options and offer reliable all-terrain coverage no matter the season. Nitto also offers a range of options for winter running including its proven Terra Grappler G2 AW. What’s more, all pull double-duty by offering ideal highway performance and off-road audacity.

It’s also important to look for off-road winter tires that bear the Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMSF) symbol on the sidewall, which indicates they are specifically-rated for optimal traction and performance in severe snow conditions. (*Ed note - not all tires sizes may come with this rating. Be sure to consult with your local dealer). In provinces like British Columbia, this or the lesser M+S rating is mandatory to travel on highways like the Coquihalla from Oct 1 to April 30th, and in Quebec, the 3PMSF is legally mandated from December 1 to March 15th.

For more hard core winter applications where the real challenges await, perhaps opt for a more bullet-proof MT-style tire. They provide the necessary three-ply design, reinforced sidewalls and buttress’ for added strength when aired down and when the going gets really tough. Yet, it’s important to realize that with the added performance come some compromises. This includes decreased highway performance, fuel economy and increased road noise – characteristics that may not be desired while traveling long distances to a winter destination.

“There are many winter tire designs available for all off-road applications, but if you hit the trails or go off-road only a few times in the winter, you don’t necessarily need a three-ply, MT-style tire,” says John Carpenter, Technical Field Service Manager, Toyo Tire Canada Inc. “But it is very important to know what it is you want to do and where you want to go, and you should always consult with a dealer to get the right tire for your application.”

The Importance of Sipes, Tire Void and Tire Casing

Continental Tires explains it best on its blog page: “just like in a detective novel, you could identify a make of a tire by the tracks it leaves on the road.” Every manufacturer touts its winter tread pattern for many applications, off-roading included, and for good reason.

Of all of the aspects of a tread pattern, which include ribs, grooves, tread blocks, sipes, and tire voids, the latter two are perhaps the most important to consider when winter wheeling. For instance, the more tire void a tire has (which represents the gaps between the tread blocks in its tread design), the more traction, handling, and flexibility you’ll get since it effectively channels water, snow and ice away from under the tire. Do a comparison, you’ll see the difference.

Like tire void, sipes are equally important for winter off-roading. Even though these are thin, small cuts on the tread block, don’t confuse their size with the strong capabilities sipes can offer. They are designed to provide added bite in the snow and better grip in wet conditions, improving performance. The more sipes there are on a winter off-road tire, the better.

“A tire that has a more open void design combined with the lower air pressure off-roaders run on will provide a lot more traction” says Carpenter. “What’s also important in an off-road winter tire is the ply of the casing (located under the tread that includes the bead, sidewall, body ply and inner liner). The tire is always under tremendous stress off-road and since it’s common to air down for more traction, a strong casing can also better handle the lower pressure.”

The Importance of Rim Width and Bead Lock Wheels

There’s always a certain amount pride when showing up at the trail head with factory-fresh 35’s designed to handle extreme wintery conditions. That is until one slips off the rim. Some culprits include not having the matching rim and tire sizes or airing down to too little tire pressure.

“We always recommend having the proper rim width with the tire, and it’s an important starting point when buying any new set of tires,” says Carpenter. “If you stay within the sizes recommended by the manufacturer, all the other aspects of tire performance come into play. If the rim width is less than the tire size, the beads will often pull 1 to 1.5” into the rim, and the tire bead won’t seat properly. When this happens, the tire is much more susceptible to popping off, especially at lower tire pressure or if you hit a hard obstacle.”

Even though you may have the appropriate rim and tire size, purchasing bead lock rims for your winter tires can be a good idea, especially if you commonly air down, regardless of the season. Their function is relatively simple. They mechanically secure the bead of the tire to the rim with the use of inner and outer rings and are very effective in keeping the tire on the rim at low PSI.

Exterior Toughness Counts

Tires take a real beating in winter and are just as vulnerable – if not more – as they are in the summer. Think about it. Scraping against rocks, stumps, and other debris at slow speeds can cause damage on warm days during the best of times. Scrape against these obstacles (that are obscured from view) in winter at higher speeds or without warning, and the results can be bad.

The sidewalls and shoulders (where the tread and sidewall join) can be two of the most vulnerable areas on off-road tires. If you have any doubt about what you need, simply look at an MT-style tire. Unlike AT’s, these incorporate what is called a buttress, a tough, thick rubber reinforcement situated on the shoulder, which not only offers reliable reinforcement, but limits flexing and provides better resistance needed while running at lower tire pressure. Combine this with the added toughness of reinforced sidewall protection and/or a three-ply casing (that sits under the tread of the tire), and the chances of blowing a tire are reduced.

What is Available?

This is just a starting point when making a decision in choosing the best winter tire as there is a wealth of technology available that’s designed to provide the ultimate in traction and durability.

Resilience always counts and in addition to the tires we previously mentioned we like the performance and profiles of the winter-only, studdable Grabber Arctic and Arctic L/T options from General Tire; the M-55 All-Weather Heavy-Duty Light Truck Tire or the Open Country M/T from Toyo; as well as the Terra Grappler G2 AW or the Exo Grappler from Nitto. The choice is yours. But be sure to consult with your local dealer to gain the extra insight you need to go off-road this winter.