Dedicated winter tires?

What you guys suggest for a dedicated winter? I am located in Western Canada not on the coast.
Local tire shop trying to talk me into some Hercules Avalanche.
Another shop suggested Toyo observe gsi 6.
Currently running 275/70/17 ko2
Will be putting the winters on some 16 inch steelies.
So probably a 265/75/16
I do pack 4 sandbags in the bed and i have a tool box.

 

I use Goodyear Wranglers. They worked fine last winter.

 

I have those, they work pretty good

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/winter-tires.688841/

 

or the 200+ sticky here.

OP get Blizzaks and be done with it.

 

Blizzaks or GT Arctic grabbers.
Duratracs aren't good on ice at all.

 

OP,

It helps to also know where you are located. And, by the way, there are a lot of forums / discussions / posts here on tires but I can't help myself. I love a good tire thread ...

On my truck, I have a set of Nitto Ridge Grapplers. Great overall tire. I find them to be in the sweet spot for good on the road, good off road and good in the snow. Yes, there are other tires that do better in each of those categories but few do well in all three of them.

I am in NY, so they work fine. We tend to get more wet snow and on occasion ice so I am good. Depending on where you are, trust the posters who are in Ontario. My family lives on northern Quebec and they all run Nokian studded snow tires and nothing but. Those are absolutely great tires but overkill for where I am at.

Bit more background on your location will help.

Also don't forget the tires are only half the battle ... the other half is good driving skills and plenty of sand / weight in the truck bed.

 

This is a more interesting discussion than endlessly rehashing tire preferences IMO. How much weight are people running in the back in winter? This will be my first winter with a pickup rather than SUV, what should I be tossing in the back? Should I just buy a 200lb HC rear bumper for safety reasons?

 

Imo weight in the rear is MUCH less.important than the right tires. I've driven 20+ Ottawa winters with nothing in the bed but a bed mat. A bit of weight in back is going to help get off the line but won't effect braking. That's where tires and adjusted driving for conditions come into play and are most important factors for winter driving....imo.

Also, I had duratracs for two winters on my 2nd gen...good in snow but not good on ice at all. Will never run them in winter again. If you can afford the blizzaks or Nokian hakkas they the best for ice...imo...grabber arctics are cheaper, not quite as good, but definitely better than most.

 

I'm running General Grabber Arctic 245/70/17 basically skinier than stock but same overall diameter. I'm in hudson valley, NY where we get more ice/slush than snow at times. Rarely need 4WD unless I'm plowing. Would definitely buy them again.

As for weight in the back - camper shell and a bin strapped at the tailgate full of pavers, probably a couple hundred pounds.

 

Don't ask me. I am nuts. I follow the lead of my friends and they have a mattress made of these in the back:

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Sakrete-70-lb-Tube-Sand/3067709

And if you get stuck and need traction you can always cut one open or use it as a recovery board. I've done that too for people stuck on the side of the road.

 

Not mutually exclusive, of course. You can do all of the above. Better the have the weight in the back of the truck than not. I find it also helps to significantly reduce fish tailing. But you are right. If I were to put them in order, I would say tires are 1, good driving is 2, and weight is 3.

And you are absolutely right about the Nokians. Best tires I have ever owned by far for winter conditions.

 

https://info.kaltire.com/what-is-the-winter-tire-symbol/

 

I am near you and agree 100% ... but if I head to the Adirondacks (which is a blast in the winter I always bring a set of snow chains. But you are right -- good tires, careful driving and a little weight and you can pretty much get through any NY winter in 2WD. No question.

The drive to Gaspe, however, you need 4WD.

 

True. I do always carry chains (add that to the weight) and recovery boards and strap just in case. I need to hit ADK in the winter on something other than a snowmobile

 

I had something like this on my BMW (not this exact model but close -- and in a run flat). Honestly, I felt like someone glued me to the road:

https://www.nokiantires.com/studded-tires/nokian-hakkapeliitta-9/

 

I’m in Calgary. Make frequent trips to Northwestern Ontario. Nokian Hakkapeliitta’s.

 

I am no good with recovery boards. Put one under a tire once and created a flying missile when stepping on the gas. Goes to show you what I know. But I had those giant Lowe's tube sands in the back of my old truck (2005 Tacoma SR5). Saw two kids from the city on the side of the road and they had no traction. Opened up three of those bags and made a 10 foot sand runway. Worked like a charm. We had a good laugh leaving 200 pounds of sand there on the side of the road. On the return trip home in the same spot I noticed someone had parked there and was taking cell phone calls.

 

my advice to OP is an all season tire with a winter Snowflake rated symbol no need for 2 sets of tires

 

!00%. My advice to everyone is just listen to the Canadians ... they know ... Take a drive on the 401 and you will quickly see who gets it right ... and who doesn't.