All-Weather Tires – The Tip of the Iceberg

All-season tire with the four seasons in separate images

All-weather tires are a hybrid tire that functions in all seasons, including winter but only in mild and non-extreme winter conditions.

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WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ALL-SEASON AND ALL-WEATHER TIRES?

We admit it, it's a little confusing with all these similar sounding tire types. Choosing the right tire is important for both the performance and safety of your vehicle. But how do you choose between all-season, all-weather, summer tires and so on?

First, know that all-season tires are for basically just that—all seasons. They are engineered to get your car through the mildest conditions that you might face in any season, whether it be hot asphalt in summer, wet spring roads or light snow in early December.

However, all-season tires are not dedicated snow tires. They are not ideal for regions that get a lot of snow, especially all at once. At the very least, with all-season tires, you will need to use tire chains and studs (local laws permitting) to safely traverse through moderate winter conditions.

So, here is where all-weather tires come in! All-weather tires are designed to deliver strong performance year-round, regardless of weather conditions (and assuming the snowfall is light). All-weather tread blocks are set apart to cope with snow, lessening the need for snow chains or switching to a snow tire set every winter season.

All-weather tires use crisscross and zig-zag tread patterns designed specifically to catch a grip on snow and ice. They also use deep middle tread channels to expel water and slush, preventing hydroplaning.

ALL-SEASON VS ALL-WEATHER TIRES:

There are a few major differences between all-season and all-weather tires.

When it comes to performance:

All-season tires usually have shorter stopping distances in dry weather and may ride or handle better.
All-weather tires are usually superior on wet roads and have a clear edge in ice, slush and snow but compromise some ride comfort, tire noise and handling sharpness.

When it comes to convenience:

All-weather tires don't need to be switched out between seasons. No need to store winter or summer tires or wait at a shop to have them switched!
All-season tires should be switched out in colder months to proper winter tires as they don't provide quite as much traction in winter.

Since all-weather tires can go on your stock wheels like any other tire, your factory TPMS system can be used, giving you an extra safety buffer and saving you the cost of new tires, wheels and TPMS system.

WHERE TO BUY ALL-WEATHER TIRES

All-weather tires are still a new type of tire so we do not have a dedicated section where you can shop for them. Actually, you may have trouble finding them because the name "all-weather" is not yet an official term and each manufacturer is doing their own naming convention.

However, America's Tire does stock all-weather tires! Here are a few:

Since there's no agreed-upon naming convention, the best way to tell if a tire is all-weather is if it's labeled as all-season and has the Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake symbol, it probably is an all-weather tire. It is uncertain if the "AW" designation will become industry-wide.

If you're unsure or want help finding an all-weather tire for your vehicle, reach out to us and we'll get you taken care of.

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ARE ALL-WEATHER TIRES AS GOOD AS WINTER TIRES?

All-weather tires are essentially upgraded all-season tires. They offer increased winter condition performance in light conditions without the inconvenience of changing to new tires in cold seasons.

However, when it comes to performance in true winter conditions, you will still need a proper winter tire. Winter tires are currently still the best performing, most reliable and safest options in whiteouts and severe weather.

Shop Winter Tires

The best tire for you depends on a lot of factors, such as the kind of vehicle you drive, your regional weather conditions, your budget, your schedule and more. You might find that keeping a set of summer tires and winter tires makes the most sense for you. Or, like many Americans, you might find that an all-season or all-weather tire is best.

Whichever you're leaning toward, give us a call or stop in at your nearest America's Tire location and we'll get you taken care of!