TireTalk

Considering the severe weather that comes our way during Edmonton winters, safe driving in those long months between November and April is a priority for Edmontonians. Preparing for winter driving in Edmonton, like getting your oil changed and brakes inspected, includes making sure you have the right tires.

In order to help you make an informed decision about the different tire options for safe winter driving in Edmonton, we’ve provided the details of each type for you to compare and decide which is best for you.

ALL-SEASON TIRES, WINTER TIRES, OR ALL-WEATHER TIRES?

There are other, more specialized tires, but we’re giving you information on the standard tires that are used on most vehicles. If you have questions on tires you don’t see here, by all means, contact one of our tire specialists who can answer any question you may have.

ALL-SEASON TIRES

There are basically three types of All-Season tires: Touring, Performance and Ultra-High Performance.

ALL-SEASON TOURING TIRES

These are the most common type of tires and can be found on most sedans and passenger vehicles. All-Season Touring tires are on the lower end of the rating scale when it comes to speed and load management, but are more than capable of handling average driving conditions.

ALL-SEASON PERFORMANCE TIRES

For better performance, handling and speed rating than Touring tires. Generally for vehicles that are tuned for higher performance driving than the average vehicle.

ALL-SEASON ULTRA-HIGH PERFORMANCE TIRES

These are the tires needed for luxury sedans and sports cars. As the name suggests, they offer better handling and responsiveness at higher speeds but commonly with the tradeoff of lower ride comfort and lifespan.

Although the name “All-Season” sounds like tires that can handle, well, all seasonal weather conditions, whoever named them obviously hasn’t driven in an Edmonton winter. All-Seasons are the most common tires and can handle rain well enough for spring, summer, and fall driving. But All-Season tires start to contract below 7°C, which can happen early in the fall and late into spring in Edmonton. In other words, All-Seasons aren’t safe to drive in Edmonton between November and April.

WINTER TIRES

Like All-Season tires, Winter tires are also available in both regular and performance models.

WINTER/SNOW TIRES

All-Weather tires are made of a rubber compound that allows them to remain flexible below 7°C. This means better traction in colder temperatures. The tread on an All-Weather tire is designed to push out slush and snow but not necessarily to deal with deep snow and ice. It’s for this reason that they are not recommended for extreme winter conditions like the ones we get in a Calgary snowstorm. They also don’t generally last as long because they’re used all year long.

Performance-wise, the only downside to WInter tires is that they are not designed for use above 7°C. Other than that, the only complaints against having a set of dedicated Winter tires are having to store them and the effort of swapping them in and out every late fall and spring. But for most Edmontonians, the peace of mind not having to worry about getting stranded in the snow is well worth the effort.

WINTER PERFORMANCE TIRES

These are the winter replacements for vehicles that use Ultra-High Performance tires. They provide similar performance as UHP tires but are rated for winter driving safety.

ALL-WEATHER TIRES

You can think of an All-Weather tire as a hybrid of a Winter and an All-Season tire. They are designed to be driven in temperatures above and below 7°C and handle well in rainy and slushy conditions.

Having a set of All-Weather tires saves you from having to buy a set of tires just for spring/summer and another for winter/fall and the hassles of storing them and swapping them out twice a year. But because they’re being used year-round, they will wear out faster. Another disadvantage is that All-Weather tires are not made for extreme winter conditions like deep snow and ice as Winter tires are. This might not be ideal for getting around Edmonton in the winter. So if you’re considering All-Weather tires, make sure you have a back-up plan when the snowstorms hit.

WINTER TIRE TIPS

• Although it costs more, buy Winter tires with their own rims. This makes changing them easier and saves your summer rims from salt damage
• Put your Winters on as soon as the weather consistently stays below 7°C. We’ve all seen the crowds of people waiting in line to get their Winter tires installed after the first snowfall.
• Check the air pressure in your Winter tires. Having improperly inflated Winter tires is almost as bad as not having Winter tires at all.
• Check your tread. Winter tire treads do generally wear out faster than All-Seasons so it’s important to regularly inspect your treads. If you insert a quarter in the tread upside-down and can see the Queen’s crown on the coin, have your mechanic inspect them as they may need to be replaced.
• Clean your Winters before you store them. This is important to remove any salt residue. Once clean, cover them and store them in a cool, dry environment.

TIRE WAREHOUSE, THE BEST WAY TO SHOP FOR WINTER TIRES IN EDMONTON

It’s easy to find the right Winter tires in Edmonton, or any tires, using our Tire Warehouse search engine. Filter your search to get tires that suit your driving needs. Find the best quality tires at affordable prices in seconds.