With so many different types of tires to choose from, finding the right tire to meet your needs can be overwhelming. The choice ultimately comes down to the type of vehicle you drive and what you’ll be doing after you get that new set of tires. You want to pick a reliable tire which meets your needs and is compatible with your vehicle. Tire types such as snow tires and mud tires serve a specific purpose, while all-terrain and all-season tires are fine for most conditions. Read below for a more detailed description of each tire and their optimal uses.
All-Season Tires – All-season tires are the everyman’s tire. They offer good traction in the rain and in normal conditions all year long and offer a quiet and smooth ride. All-season tires also hold up again excessive wear quite well. One downside, however, is poor performance in dirt and snow. For that, you should go with mud tires or snow tires, respectively.
Snow Tires – If there is a lot of snow on the ground, snow tires are the way to go. From the tread pattern to the rubber they’re made from, they are engineered to perform in the snow. Unlike traditional tire rubber which becomes hard in the cold, winter tire rubber actually gets softer allowing for improved traction in snow and ice.
All-Terrain Tires – This type of tire is like all-season tires in makeup except they provide better performance on snow and dirt. There is a trade-off, though, which is that the tread may wear faster than normal. The tread on this kind of tire is typically more aggressive and more prone to uneven wear or cupping. Mud Tires – If you’re riding high in a massive off-roading rig, these may be the tires for you!
Mud tires offer the most aggressive tread patterns and are good for tearing off the pavement and getting dirty. They offer better traction in mud and deep snow. The deep tread allows for mud to be dispersed without caking up the tire and losing traction. However, there are two major drawbacks: sound and expense. They are usually loud on the highway and cost more than other types of tires due to more rubber being used and the size of the tire.
From all-season tires to mud tires, there is a tire for every need and occasion. Hopefully, armed with this information, the next time you need a new set of tires you’ll have an idea of what you want before you ever walk into a shop.
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