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There’s no doubt about it – snow tires provide excellent traction on snowy and icy road conditions. Non-studded snow tires perform exceptionally well on ice and packed snow. 

In particular, non-studded snow tires also perform well on dry roads, making them a great multi-purpose option. Additionally, they won’t cause any damage to dry roadways, which is a feature unique to non-studded snow tires.

But understand that non-studded snow tires can be pricey. 

Not only will you have to fork out cash for the tires themselves (and they’re not cheap), but you will also need to front the cost of having them professionally installed and removed at the start and end of the season. 

Non-studded snow tires do not provide great traction in deep snow and may wear out faster when driven on dry pavement.

Studded snow tires are also an excellent form of traction in the wintertime. The metal studs on the tire grip the snow and ice even better than non-studded snow tires. 

Just like non-studded snow tires, they are a very reliable option for navigating treacherous roadways; in addition to providing better traction and handling, the studs offer an additional point of contact on slick surfaces like ice and compacted snow.

Keep in mind that studded snow tires have proven to be quite damaging to dry pavement and should only be used when driving in slippery conditions. These tires may even be illegal in some states, or they might only be permissible during certain months of the year, depending on your region. 

Studded snow tires can also be expensive, and like non-studded snow tires, you will need to pay to have them professionally installed and removed.

Snow chains also provide the greatest amount of traction on ice, packed snow, and deep snow. Snow tires don’t do as well as snow chains in deep snow.

Another great feature of chains: you can easily install and remove them yourself! This makes them a fantastic option if you don’t typically need winter weather traction and are only traveling through inclement conditions temporarily.