Winter tires - Goodyear vs. Hankook vs. Uniroyal?

[jmann]

Hi. I am buying four new winter tires (also getting them studded). Anyone on the board have any opinions/experience with the following:

1. Goodyear Nordic (I believe Canadian Tire only?)

2. Hankook Kingstar W411

3. Uniroyal Tiger Paw Snow & Ice

Of the three - any good/bad experiences and which would you reco best of the three?

Thanks!

[davidy]

Of the three posted, I would go with the Tiger Paw Snow and Ice. I think that someone recently posted a good review on these tires....much improved from the previous version.

Dave

[sparky]

I put Goodyear Nordics on the family Caravan last winter and -- combined with the van's traction and stability control -- they worked very, very well. Of course, no studs are allowed in Ontario. But we didn't have so much as an anxious moment all winter as we commuted from Kanata to downtown Ottawa through the hellish traffic of the Great Winter Transit Strike. I have no experience with the other tires you named, so can't compare, but I wouldn't hesitate to buy the Nordics again.

[DKaz]

BFGoodrich Winter Slalom KSI might be the same price as the Uniroyals.

[davidy]

BFGoodrich Winter Slalom KSI might be the same price as the Uniroyals.

If the KSI are anything like the Nordic Wintertrac (same tread as the BFG Winter Slaloms), they are poor winter performers and are not durable (all four had sidewall bulges within a year or so). No more Nordics of any kind for me.

Dave

[DKaz]

The new for 2009 BFGoodrich Winter Slalom KSI studless snow & ice tire is nothing like the original old school BFGoodrich Winter Slalom snow tire.

BFGoodrich Winter Slalom KSI


Original BFGoodrich Winter Slalom

[sparky]

BFGoodrich Winter Slalom KSI might be the same price as the Uniroyals.

If the KSI are anything like the Nordic Wintertrac (same tread as the BFG Winter Slaloms), they are poor winter performers and are not durable (all four had sidewall bulges within a year or so). No more Nordics of any kind for me.

Dave

I've had the old BFG-based Nordic IceTracs on my Suzuki wagon for three winters and they look to be good for a fourth. Performance has been just fine, in my experience, and according to some head-to-head testing I read at the time of purchase. IceTracs -- not WinterTracs -- were based on BFG Winter Slalom, IIRC.

[Canada Stig]

Never used those particular Hankooks but I have used 3 different kinds of Hankook snow tires plus Hankook Optimo all seasons and I have to say they have been quiet, dependable tires that last a long time.  The other Hankook snows I have used have been excellent in all winter conditions and I am now at a point that I only buy Hankook replacement tires. 

And no, I do not work for Hankook or a Hankook dealer.  The manufacturer I work for uses Firestone, Continental and Goodyear more than anything else, but I still prefer the Kooks!

[weebl]

I've had the old BFG-based Nordic IceTracs on my Suzuki wagon for three winters and they look to be good for a fourth. Performance has been just fine, in my experience, and according to some head-to-head testing I read at the time of purchase. IceTracs -- not WinterTracs -- were based on BFG Winter Slalom, IIRC.

No, IceTracs were a tire based on something from the Michelin group, but it wasn't the BFG Winter Slalom.  I have had 2 sets of the IceTracs, and they are good for the price, but not offered any more.  I believe they were based on the European Kleber Kris Alp (1).  That was already obsolete in Europe when I bought the first set of IceTracs (they were already on to Kris Alp 3).

The Winter Slalom was also sold as the Winter Trac at Canadian Tire.  My dad had these on his van.  Good for deep snow.  Useless on ice.

I did not even know BFG finally got a new winter tire this year.  Hopefully miles better than the garbage original Winter Slalom.  The other garbage Michelin group winter tire was the Uniroyal TIger Paw Ice & Snow, unless that is also a new version this winter.

CT switched from Michelin to Goodyear for their winter tires a few years ago.  The Goodyear Nordic were based on a product they sell in Europe, which was I believe UltraGrip 800.  A decent tire from what I've heard.

Most decent house brand winter tires will likely be based on another product, often from a different market and not otherwise available here.

As for those Kingstars by Hankook.  Though Hankook may be a Korean company with a good name on their tires, they have Kingstar as their el-cheapo bottom of the barrel brand, and make these junkers in China.  I wouldn't touch these with a ten foot pole.

[mrthompson]

I run the Tiger Paws on both the 2000 Focus and the 1999 Caravan.  These tires are great in snow, good on ice.  One day last winter I helped push two stuck cars, one even with winter tires.  My Focus had no trouble getting around.  One of the stuck cars was in the parking lot of my son's daycare.  The stuck Civic (with winter tires) was blocking the entrance to the visitor's lot so I parked in fresh snow in the employee's lot and walked over to help push the car to freedom.

They are surprisingly quiet for such an old school looking tread - less noise than Firestone's Winterforce and worn out Toyo all seasons.  Less squirm than the Winterforce as well.

[sparky]

I've had the old BFG-based Nordic IceTracs on my Suzuki wagon for three winters and they look to be good for a fourth. Performance has been just fine, in my experience, and according to some head-to-head testing I read at the time of purchase. IceTracs -- not WinterTracs -- were based on BFG Winter Slalom, IIRC.

No, IceTracs were a tire based on something from the Michelin group, but it wasn't the BFG Winter Slalom.  I have had 2 sets of the IceTracs, and they are good for the price, but not offered any more. 

Thanks, weebl. My memory of which Trac was which is a little hazy. I bought the tires quite a while ago. I found the IceTrac good in snow and very good on ice and bare, glazed pavement.

[weebl]

No problem.  I liked them too.  They are on the fourth winter season for our Sienna and handle Edmonton winters well.  Looks like they will be good for a while yet.  My brother inherited my last set of IceTracs, and replaced them this year with a set of WinterForce, after the old tires had been in use for 7 winter seasons total!     Last 3 of those winters were in Ottawa, the rest were in Vancouver's wet winters.  Last year was when performance began to diminish significantly, and they were getting close to the 5/32" limit for winter tires.  Only complaint I had was they were slightly noisy (but not by much).  Too bad they aren't around anymore.