Winter tires other than Nokian LT3

[thatJeepguy]

I ran ko2’s living in Vail for some time and NEVER had a problem.

 

[Nex]

I run the Falken Wildpeaks over Snoqualmie pass quite often. They are a good tire.

 

[Sharpie69]

Josh84, how is the ride with the D load range, I'm in the market for a designated set of snow tires for a second set of rims I have but I don't want to make things worse with the way 2017 rides sometimes

 

[Josh84]

Josh84, how is the ride with the D load range, I'm in the market for a designated set of snow tires for a second set of rims I have but I don't want to make things worse with the way 2017 rides sometimes

I honestly can't tell the difference in ride (no better, no worse), which is nice and will probably ride better when towing my camper in the summer.
This is the 3rd set of Duratracs I have bought. 1st 2 were on a 2006 F-150 and a 2014 f-150.
Even if these tires were no better than the K02's in ride or on snow/ice (they are, big time), they are lighter, (1lb) they are cheaper ($15), they have more tread depth (3/32 more) and I expect from previous experience they will last at least 20k more miles.
My original plan was to put the Duratracs with studs on my original 2018 wheels and run the K02's in the summer on my 2020 wheels, but in the beginning of November I realized my K02's were lower tread than I thought and just said screw it I'm just buying Duratracs and running all year long.

 

[Sharpie69]

I honestly can't tell the difference in ride (no better, no worse), which is nice and will probably ride better when towing my camper in the summer.
This is the 3rd set of Duratracs I have bought. 1st 2 were on a 2006 F-150 and a 2014 f-150.
Even if these tires were no better than the K02's in ride or on snow/ice (they are, big time), they are lighter, (1lb) they are cheaper ($15), they have more tread depth (3/32 more) and I expect from previous experience they will last at least 20k more miles.
My original plan was to put the Duratracs with studs on my original 2018 wheels and run the K02's in the summer on my 2020 wheels, but in the beginning of November I realized my K02's were lower tread than I thought and just said screw it I'm just buying Duratracs and running all year long.

Thanks for all of that information, I will definitely use it to help make my decision

 

[Josh84]

Thanks for all of that information, I will definitely use it to help make my decision

No problem, here is a picture of them on my truck.

 

[2001-2500hd]

I live in the PNW and I'm a big skiier. While KO2s are techincally winter-rated and might do OK in states with dry/cold snow, the Northwest gets wet/heavy snow and marginal temps that means heavily traveled roads to/from ski resorts turn into brutally slick ice rinks. Anything short of good studless winters/studs and it gets hairy. It's sort of manageable in a smaller AWD vehicle if you're very careful, but even then it can get so slick that if you're not running a serious winter tire, you'll slide off the road just from the banking in corners if traffic comes to stop (have seen easily 20-30 cars in one day in this state.)

Anyway, suffice to say KO2s on a 6000lb truck on icy days here are not fun. Coming from a sportscar with great winters, it sucks the fun right out of the drive up - managed through once but only after doing several 200 yard long four wheel drifts up a banked turn. I finally was ready to pull the trigger on Nokian LT3's after hearing a lot of praise but ran into a major issue: The factory was in Russia and they've closed it. So there's none left and none coming any time soon.

Has anyone used any other snow tire in the stock size that is worth it's weight? I have another vehicle shod with winters I can use but it'll be a shame to ditch what is otherwise the ideal ski truck.

Studded Hurcules Avalanche Extreme. I also live in the pnw and i run ko2s in spring summer and fall but oct-april i wont play the all terrain under my 7000lb truck game either. I also was told the same thing from cal tire with the nokian lt3s. Even though my winters are less then half the tread depth of new there still better then any ko2, durratrack or wildpeak by 10x in snow and ice

 

[lawtonmc]

Yokohama makes their Iceguard G075 in 315/70r17. I have no experience with it though.

 

[Badgertits]

Unfortunately, I don’t think anyone else made a dedicated winter tire in the 315/70/17 size. I love my Nokians. I completely understand what you mean (I live in WI and came from MN). KO2’s are hot garbage on ice/packed snow.

My back up would be Duratracs if I didn’t have the Nokians.

I run the Nokian Hakkapelitta (spelling?) on my Raptor but if I couldn’t get em I’d 100% go w/ the Duratracs b/c you can get em studded, which would improve winter traction all around despite not being a true winter tire- they have good siping but the studs help quite a bit.

I originally had my Nokians studded but took em off last winter b/c I was chewing up my concrete driveway whenever I was turning the wheel parking etc when there wasn’t snow/ice everywhere