Buying tires is not the most fun activity in the world, even for diehard auto enthusiasts. That’s especially true when it comes to buying extra sets of tires for winter and other conditions, but there are plenty of great reasons why having a dedicated set of tires for the cold months is a good idea.

Tire companies use different types of rubbers depending on the tire’s purpose. Performance tires are often softer and stickier than middle-of-the-road all-season tires, but winter tires are specially designed to remain pliable and durable in cold weather. Regular tire rubber can become brittle and crack at temperatures under 40 degrees Fahrenheit, which, in addition to causing flat tires, drastically reduces their traction. The rubber compounds in winter tires resist cracking in the cold and provide better traction in winter as a result.

While most tires have treads that help channel water from under the rubber and keep a constant contact patch with the road, winter tires add siping, or tiny grooves in between larger treads, that bite into the snow and provide much better traction, especially under braking. Whether you have all-wheel drive or not, this is important, as the extra drive wheels won’t help stop your car in the snow.

Some winter tires offer stud capability, which involves having a tire shop install small metal studs directly through the tire tread. While they are tremendously noisy on dry pavement and can cause damage to bare road surfaces, studs provide the ultimate in traction and grip on snow and ice and may be a necessity in some super-snowy locales. Even so, there are often limits on the times of year when studded tires are allowed because of the damage they can cause in the wrong conditions.

Many tire shops, like Twin Falls Subaru, offer winter tire changeovers, significantly reducing the seasonal hassle of switching back and forth. Some also offer storage, so you don’t need a dedicated space to store the dirty tires when they come off your car. It’s worth noting that many people also choose to invest in a cheap set of winter wheels, which can make the changeover process much easier and less likely to damage your expensive factory wheels in the process. It also keeps the road salt and sand off the factory wheels, which are typically vastly more costly to replace than an aftermarket unit.

Finally, investing in winter tires means keeping up with two sets of rubber, unfortunately. It’s not a great idea to run winter tires in warmer weather, as they can wear rapidly and don’t provide the best traction. Winter tires are also noisier than all-season or summer performance tires because of their treads.

Twin Falls Subaru offers a full range of winter-ready vehicles with all-wheel drive, excellent ground clearance, and space to transport your gear off the beaten path. While winter tires are essential, the vehicle they’re attached to is just as vital, and there’s no better automaker for year-round safety than Subaru.