All Season vs. All Weather Tires

As spring has arrived and we are slowly moving toward summer, it is time to take another look at all season tires. However, did you know that there is a difference between all season and all weather tires?

In today’s blog post, we will take a look at these models.

Winter Weather Traction

The main difference between all season tires and all weather tires is their performing capability in winter weather.

Most all weather tires sport the three mountain peak and snowflake symbol which designate their capability to ensure the ice and snow grip. This means that they can easily perform in harsher winter weather conditions thanks to their detailed tread design and durable tire compound. On the other hand, all season tires feature a less detailed tread design, which offers good dry, wet and cold weather traction. However, these tires do not offer good extreme winter weather grip on the road surface.

Braking Capability

All weather tires provide exceptional braking ability with the combination of a detailed tread design and a durable all weather compound. This enables the tire to increase the grip on the road, even in ice- and snow-covered surfaces. As a result, this enables the tire to increase its braking power, shortening the braking distance.

While all season tires offer great braking power, they are unable to perform as well as all weather tires do on ice- and snow-covered surfaces. These tires also utilize their tread design and all season compound to optimize their braking capability, however, their ice and snow braking is longer and less effective.

Cornering Grip and Control

All weather tires tend to feature thick, chunky tread blocks which bite into the surface in versatile weather conditions. These shoulder tread elements boost the cornering and maneuvering ability and power with additional biting edges for gripping. As a result, all weather tires can easily conquer winter conditions, which boosts the maneuvering ability.

All season tires on the other hand are more focused on comfort and fuel economy. In this manner, these tires feature smaller and smoother tread blocks that are unable to firmly grip onto ice and snow-covered road surfaces.

Hydroplaning

All weather tires feature wider circumferential grooves that channel water and slush away from the footprint, maintaining the ideal surface contact enhancing the wet and winter weather traction. These tread elements guarantee the tire’s constant surface contact to ensure a safer year round driving experience.

All season tires feature thinner grooves along its tread area, which helps prevent hydroplaning in wet and lighter winter conditions. The narrow grooves manage to channel water and slush from the footprint, but they are unable to offer the same levels of traction and surface grip as all weather tires offer.