What good winter tire is suitable for Russian conditions? Review of the best models of 2013

A tire is an important detail of every car. It is on its qualities that machine safety, maneuverability and controllability depends. When operating tires it is important to observe their seasonality. And if you think that in the "all-weather" your car will be perfectly controlled both in winter and in summer, you are deeply mistaken. In summer, rubber is required only one condition, in winter - completely different. The all-season tire has only averaged indicators. Therefore, the conclusion is only one - we set the rubber according to seasonality. Today we will try to find out what good winter tires are available and appropriate in our conditions.

Studded tire from the company "Nokian"

Finnish tires "Nokian Hakkapeliitta" in the right can be considered the best for the Russian winter. The secret of great popularity of this rubber on the domestic market is quite simple. Finland has practically the same climatic conditions with Russia, which is why this product is so relevant for us. "Nokian" will cope with any roadway: it will pass through the ice, loose snow and uncleared roads. But high quality leaves a noticeable imprint on the price. This tire is considered to be one of the most expensive in its segment, however in the conditions of this winter the Finnish "Hakapelita" is in the lead in all indications and even ahead of the ubiquitous "Michelin".

Shipy "Continental Winter Viking"

That's what a good winter tires are recommended for residents of megacities. Thanks to a successful tread pattern, thoughtful placement of lamellas and proprietary "diamond" type misfiring, this model perfectly copes with its tasks not only on ice, but also on cleared asphalt. "Nokian", however, like all other studded tires, is simply useless on this roadway. But the Continental Winter Viking is an exception. It demonstrates the best indicator of controllability on dry asphalt. Therefore, this tire is recognized as the best spiky for the city.

What is a good winter tire among non-studded ones?

Definitely the winner is the German Conti Viking Contact (ContiVikingContact). For the fifth year this tire occupies a leading position in the ratings. The secret of the success of the Germans is as follows. During the development, engineers managed to find that "golden mean" in which "Conti Viking Contact" will work perfectly not only on ice, but also on asphalt. A special rubber composition and asymmetric tread give the car a minimum stopping distance in all weather conditions. That is why the rating of winter tires of this production is so great in the world market.

"Gislaved"

And again in the leaders are the Germans. It is noteworthy that this tire is produced jointly with Continental at the same plant in Germany. The quality is the same, but for the brand does not have to pay. Therefore, it is not very difficult to answer the question about what kind of winter tires are good - "Continental" or "Gislaved". Two boots are a pair, only the first is more expensive, and the second is cheaper. Such is the German paradox.

So, we considered the question of what a good winter tire is suitable for Russian conditions, and found several suitable variants of automobile tires.