Tire Buying Guides
Winter driving puts a whole different set of demands on tires and raises a whole different set of challenges for drivers. Even on the best days, you’re likely to be slipping and sliding around on snowy or slushy pavement if you’re using all-season tires, and at the worst, you might just get stuck, end up in a ditch, or worse. When a winter storm comes through and leaves a few inches of snow on the roads, with temperatures staying cold enough that it’s going to be there for some time, there’s only one thing for it and that’s a set of winter tires. Winter tires have a special set of design features and materials that give them a real advantage over all-season tires when it comes to harsh winter conditions, deep snow, slush, or ice. They do come with drawbacks as well, but when you have to try to get through a snow-clogged road safely, those drawbacks aren’t going to matter much.
Goodyear is one of the most trusted names in the tire business – a brand that’s become synonymous with quality, performance, and innovation, for products ranging from agricultural, racing tires to passenger tires and much, much more. Goodyear leverages those decades of innovation and commitment into their WinterCommand family of tires, and we wouldn’t expect anything less of them. Let’s see what the WinterCommand family of tires is all about, and what they have to offer:
Goodyear WinterCommand Ultra
Designed for coupes, sedans, minivans, and crossovers, the WinterCommand Ultra from Goodyear is designed with Goodyear’s ActiveGrip technology suited for enhanced handling, control, and traction in difficult winter conditions. The WinterCommand Ultra starts with a Cryo-Adaptive tread compound that’s specially formulated to keep its flexibility in subfreezing weather when many other tires might harden and lose traction.
Its directional V-Tred design incorporates sweeping angled grooves and lateral grooves to quickly evacuate water and slush from the tire’s contact patch to resist hydroplaning on wet roads. Active Block Cuts and Adaptive SipeGrip help to multiply the tread’s surface area and traction with hundreds of hair-thin slits that act as biting edges to chew their way through snow and slush, and also helping to enhance the tread’s integrity and stiffness for improved control and shorter braking distances. An extra-deep initial tread depth of 11/32” enhances traction and helps to ensure long wear. The WinterCommand Ultra is Three Peak Mountain Snowflake certified for severe winter service.
NOTE: Like most winter tires, the tread compound of the WinterCommand Ultra is softer and more pliable in subfreezing weather, but will wear quickly on warmer days. Goodyear advises against using this tire if temperatures are warmer than 40-45 degrees F.
Goodyear WinterCommand LT
With the WinterCommand LT, Goodyear took some of the best design features of their proven WinterCommand tires, then beefed up their construction and materials to accommodate the extra weight, torque, and power of light trucks and SUVs. The WinterCommand LT is designed with an innovative tread compound for dependable winter grip, and its directional tread design features angled grooves and lateral grooves for great evacuation of water and slush from the tire’s contact patch. Zigzag sipes help round out the package for winter traction, and the WinterCommand LT is pre-drilled for easy installation of TSMI #15 studs in case of icy conditions (always check your local and state laws for legality or calendar restrictions on studded tires where you live). The WinterCommand LT is designed with reinforced internal construction for durability and an enhanced load rating, including a reinforced shoulder that gives it great control and cornering ability on wet, dry, or snowy roads. Extra-deep 13/32” initial tread depth helps the Winter Command LT deliver excellent traction and tread life. The WinterCommand LT is Three Peak Mountain Snowflake certified for severe winter service.
Other Goodyear WinterCommand tires
In addition to the above tires, the Goodyear WinterCommand family of tires also includes the:
Goodyear Winter Command: A studdable winter tire that features a directional winter tread pattern with 3D sipes, pre-drilled for easy installation of TSMI #12 studs in case of ice (please check the laws before installing the studs). Three Peak Mountain Snowflake certified for severe winter service.
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