What do you guys run in the winter?

[nyr8er]

So, I know it's early but I got some extra cash and instead of buying the wheels/tires I want for summer, I decided to get some good snow's early instead.  I'll get the others for next year.  I plan on using my stock wheels for winter and will be buying 235/45R17 snow tires.

Just curious what you guys run (size/brand-wise) and opinions.  Budget isn't a major concern ($1000).  I know I can get plenty of very nice snow's for much cheaper than that.  All my searches keep returning Blizzaks, Continental EWC's and Michelin X-Ice's.  I've also read a lot about General Altimax Arctic's.  Very cheap and seem to perform well.  Just wondering what y'all use.

I understand that smaller/skinnier tires are much better but at the moment I'm not interested in going for 3 sets of wheels as I plan to go for 18's next summer.

[byroll01]

winterforce work great for me.

[Kavik]

I really enjoyed the Blizzaks

[boxersix]

winterforce work great for me.

These, studded, are the only tires I'll run in the winter. 

[flutyr525]

blizzaks and hankook ipikes have worked great for me

[skyphix]

winterforce work great for me.

This on one car.

and General Altimax Arctic knockoffs (Wanli) on the Honda. TBH, the Honda is nearly as good in the snow with those tires than mine is with the Winterforces and much better than it was with Winterforces. Always been a big fan of the 'force, but I'm sold on the newer trend in snow tire design.

[deadlydave]

Using my stock wheels for winter and will be buying 235/45R17 snow tires.

Your Stock wheels are 17x8, right?  You any lower than factory? 

I'd be more tempted to go with 225-55-17's.  zeedevil is selling a set for cheap too.  As you go wider, you get more of a steam roller than a pizza cutter, not what you want in snow.

I Used Dunlop Wintersport M3's this winter.  The few days we had that weren't nut-sucking cold and the tires felt really squishy.  The only other weakness was in really deep, heavy snow.  My car's a featherweight with low clearance, and these did well for me in 215-45-17.  I could definitely tell these tires were made more for performance on-road winter driving than blasting through tons of snow.

Other considerations: distance.  If you're putting huge miles on your car you might want a good price/performance winter tire vs 'the best tire'.

[RedRoof2]

What do you guys run in the winter?

A 99 Wrangler on 32x11.5" tires, because even AWD cars aren't going anywhere without a shovel after the city plows them in.

[LarenF3D5]

Goodyear Ultra Ice. I've been pretty satisfied, I haven't been stuck once in the 3 seasons I've run them.

[Kavik]

A 99 Wrangler on 32x11.5" tires, because even AWD cars aren't going anywhere without a shovel after the city plows them in.

hmmmmm, I guess that's true for some 

[skyphix]

Your Stock wheels are 17x8, right?  You any lower than factory?  

I'd be more tempted to go with 225-55-17's.  zeedevil is selling a set for cheap too.  As you go wider, you get more of a steam roller than a pizza cutter, not what you want in snow.

I Used Dunlop Wintersport M3's this winter.  The few days we had that weren't nut-sucking cold and the tires felt really squishy.  The only other weakness was in really deep, heavy snow.  My car's a featherweight with low clearance, and these did well for me in 215-45-17.  I could definitely tell these tires were made more for performance on-road winter driving than blasting through tons of snow.

Other considerations: distance.  If you're putting huge miles on your car you might want a good price/performance winter tire vs 'the best tire'.

I did not like 235/55/17's on my Outback and would definitely say skinnier the better (within reason) for winter. Even the 225/45/17's on my STi in the winter caused a little bit of float but I usually didn't mind in that car.

That being said, 225/55/17's will fit on a stock ride height Impreza with minimal rubbing, even if its a wagon (thats what I'm running on mine right now).

EDIT: Forgot you were the 08+ chassis, so they should fit with no rubbing.

[nyr8er]

Your Stock wheels are 17x8, right?  You any lower than factory? 

I'd be more tempted to go with 225-55-17's.  zeedevil is selling a set for cheap too. 

Other considerations: distance.  If you're putting huge miles on your car you might want a good price/performance winter tire vs 'the best tire'.

yeah, 17x8.  stock suspension.  the 235/45 was just tirerack's recommendation (also stock size now) but i'll take a look at what devin's got.  as for distance, i barely drive it.  weekend warrior mostly.

A 99 Wrangler on 32x11.5" tires, because even AWD cars aren't going anywhere without a shovel after the city plows them in.

yeah, i hear ya there.  i've had a lifted Tacoma on 33" Baja Claws for the past 5 years and every other winter ran some studded cooper discoverers.  this'll be the first full winter in the subaru.

[Photofixer]

I ran Kelly snow trackers for the first time last year,  Didn't have any issues with them at all.  I think I paid 380 for all four mounted..

[zeedeveel55]

Unfortunately they're 215-60-17 iirc. I'll double check though

[hydrochloric]

I'm kinda lucky in that my chassis forces me to use 205 or less tires, so pretty much anything rated for snow works wonders.  Last year I ran Kelly/Pacemark Snowtrakkers (mostly because I waited too long to get tires, and when I tried driving in our first snow with my Hankook RS-2s, I realized I needed whatever I could get).  They worked REALLY well in the snow, never once did I get stuck.  I pulled someone from a snowbank in VT with them, too.  I also did an RX on them, and they worked fairly well for that.  And a road rally in the backroads of NH, in winter, after a snow storm. 

Downside?  WORST WET PAVEMENT TRACTION EVER.  I never feared they'd break loose or slide (though they pushed like pigs) or anything, but if you emergency hit your brakes on wet asphalt, the ABS was on immediately.  And I was on stock RS brakes at the time.

I have a friend who loves Nokian Hakkapeliittas, but I've had no experience.

[skyphix]

I have a friend who loves Nokian Hakkapeliittas, but I've had no experience.

Awesome, but $$$.

[RedRoof2]

hmmmmm, I guess that's true for some  

We had snowbanks up past car windshields this past year.  You ain't getting past that without a shovel, I don't care how many vowels your swedish snow tires have.

[RSlow25]

I've ran studded winterforce and blizzak ws-50's on my cars in the past winters and I'm probably going with a set of Blizzaks again this season.
just can't stand the noise of studded snow tires.

[keifer75]

winterforce for sure, cheap and efficient

[MDLP412]

Nokian, bit pricey but ill never run anything else again 

[Turbaru]

I run these, they'll get ya through all kinds of snow

[redbugeye]

I run these, they'll get ya through all kinds of snow

I use Hankook ipikes to get me to this 
They are skinnier than what you are looking at and I also dont have too much experience with other snow tires but the ipikes work great and I didnt want to spend blizzak $.
Good Luck

[spoolordie]

A 99 Wrangler on 32x11.5" tires, because even AWD cars aren't going anywhere without a shovel after the city plows them in.

wanna bet 

[stylesrex]

A 99 Wrangler on 32x11.5" tires, because even AWD cars aren't going anywhere without a shovel after the city plows them in.

Im glad you get some use from your oversized-aggresive tread, im trying to be a badass tires for a couple of snow storms in between piles of highway miles and non-existant offroad excursions.

[spoolordie]

Im glad you get some use from your oversized-aggresive tread, im trying to be a badass tires for a couple of snow storms in between piles of highway miles and non-existant offroad excursions.

ZING!!! Unysoc'ers gettin LOUD