The Best Winter Tires for Safe Road Trips- Why They Outperform Tire Chains

January 10, 2025

Reading Time: 5 minutes

Last Updated on 2 months

The Best Winter Tires for Safe Road Trips- Why They Outperform Tire Chains

Wintertime is one of the busiest seasons in terms of traveling, heavy traffic, and difficult driving conditions, especially if you live in the northern part of the country. The holiday season means millions of drivers are on the move, visiting family, going on vacations and road trips. It truly is “the most wonderful time of the year,” but to be safe out there while making great memories, you must be aware of the dangers of snow and ice-covered roads.

You can take various precautions to ensure your safety, but first and foremost, you must mount a proper set of winter tires. Additionally, drivers have the option to keep a set of snow chains (sometimes called tire chains) in their trunk. This crude but practical device is known to pull you out of trouble when the roads are covered with thick layers of ice, but are the snow chains the answer? Let’s find out.

Tire Chains vs. Winter Tires

Tire chains/snow chains are devices fitted to the drive wheels of vehicles to provide increased traction on snow and ice. They consist of metal-linked chains that wrap around the tires, creating additional grip. Tire chains can come in a variety of designs that offer different levels of traction and ease of installation, including diamond, ladder, and cable patterns. The working principle is straightforward: chains wrapped around wheels cut through the snow and ice and produce sufficient grip that standard winter tires cannot provide. They are highly effective in the most challenging conditions.

Winter tires (also known as snow tires) are a specific type of automotive rubber designed to cope with the harshest weather conditions. You can recognize them by the 3 Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMSF) symbol on the sidewall, specific tread designs with deeper grooves, and by the number of slits on the tread block. These tire components are superior on snow and ice since they guarantee the best possible traction. Also, snow tires have a unique rubber compound with added silica for flexibility in the lowest temperatures. Together, these attributes make the snow tires the best choice in winter, with the shortest braking distances and the best handling in any conditions.

Tire Chains And Winter Tires – Pros and Cons

The most significant advantage of the tire chains is that they can cut through even the thickest ice and pull you out of trouble. The downside of tire chains is that they can be complex to install if you lack mechanical experience; they also require tools to tighten the chain over the tire. In some areas, driving with chains on is prohibited because it can damage the road surface. Also, if you have driven a car with tire chains, you know that the road comfort is severely compromised, tire noise is excessive, and you are limited to 25-30 mph only (exceeding that speed can severely damage the vehicle, tires, and wheels).

On the other hand, standard winter tires are a far simpler, comfortable, and more straightforward solution. They are the most practical solution for regular, everyday drivers.

You can always opt for studded tires if you need an ice grip. Studded winter tires are designed to enhance traction on icy and snowy surfaces by embedding small metal or plastic studs in the tire’s tread. These studs bite into the ice, providing better grip than non-studded winter tires, especially in freezing temperatures and on icy roads. The studs typically protrude a few millimeters from the tire, and their sharp edges help create friction against the slippery surface. In extreme conditions, the tire chains will have more grip than the studded winter tire, but most drivers will never encounter such harsh conditions.

So, what are the best winter tires for road trips in 2025? Let’s take a look at our top 10 recommendations:

Best Winter Tires For Safe Road Trips In 2025