Winter tires for the family fleet...

It might still be hot down in the lower 48, but winter is just around the corner here in Fairbanks, AK.

I've got a '14 Mazda 6, wife has a '14 Subaru Crosstrek. I have a set of WS-80 blizzaks with about 6000 almost all snow/ice miles on them, they look barely worn, and today I picked up a set similar aged set of Hankook iPikes with studs for $140. Tread wear is basically identical between the 2, and both sets are the same size because both cars use the same tire size.

I drive 40-50 miles a day, mostly in town, and twice a month I drive 150 miles to a little town for sales calls. The road is a 2 lane winding mountain highway.

She drives 10 miles to town and back 3-5 days a week for work.

Who's car gets studs, who gets the blizzaks?

All else being equal, I'd give my wife the most capable snow tires. However, the noise of the studded snows would drive her nuts, so we run Blizzaks on the minivan

Mileage says you get the studs.
Driving(riding) experience says the wife gets the studs.

Deciding factor is road conditions for each. I know they will be icy, but who gets to drive on the most icy ones?

Her route has 2 stop signs and no traffic lights, so likely to be less icy than my daily sales route in and around downtown Fairbanks. Intersections tend to be the most polished and awful in my experience, as well as the higher altitude exposed roads leading out of town I take more often.

Her car, on all seasons, had trouble stopping the last two winters but that's about it. We only lived 1/2 mile from her job before we moved up in to the hills. My Mazda didn't like getting going on hard ice on blizzaks but had plenty of braking and handling traction.

I'm leaning towards her getting blizzaks and me taking the studded iPikes.

skierd wrote: I'm leaning towards her getting blizzaks and me taking the studded iPikes.

You have already answered your question. From what you have described, this is the way to go.

Also her commute is short enough that you could drive her in the iciest conditions in the car with the studs on your way in.

skierd wrote: I drive 40-50 miles a day, mostly in town, and twice a month I drive 150 miles to a little town for sales calls. The road is a 2 lane winding mountain highway. She drives 10 miles to town and back 3-5 days a week for work.

Another way of looking at it, who's got the most to lose if they slide and crash?

Looks to me like you should have the studs to best deal with the mountain roads.

Can the Blizzaks be studded?

Blizzacks are the winter tire equivalent of "Miata" when it comes to answers.

Do be aware they come in more than one flavour. Broadly divided between best for ice or best for snow.

There might actually be better ones, but I stopped looking many years ago. Go find out what the Scandihoovians buy if you want safe alternatives.

DeadSkunk wrote: Can the Blizzaks be studded?

No. That's actually why they were developed, because studded tires chew up dry roads.

I'd say whoever has longer commute gets studded and shorter commute gets non studded.

About a week after I posted this we got our first big snow of the season, on the day I was planning to swap out the bald all-seasons on my 6 to the iPike's and later that week or the next swap my wife's Crosstrek to the blizzaks. I couldn't get off my road in my 6 so the wife's car went in and got the blizzaks installed instead. It fortunately rained a few days after the snow, melting enough to get down to two bare dirt/mud strips so I was able to drive my car out and get it to the shop to change over it's tires.

After driving both cars on icy and snowy roads with proper tires, I'll never buy blizzaks again for as long as they're legal in Alaska. They're awesomely great in fresh snow, and if you live somewhere where the snow is only down for a few days before the roads get cleared back to bare pavement they're great. They are significantly better than all-season's on black ice too, surprising I know, but compared to the iPike's they're no where near as good on ice.

The iPike's are noisy bastards compared to the General Arctic Altimax's I had on my Mustang before, and aren't as good on ice (fewer studs), but they are definitely superior on ice to the blizzaks by my seat of the pants judgement.

The 2000 F250 4x4 we just bought to be our beater truck got a set of Cooper Discoverer M+S winter tires, but didn't stud them because I plan on using the same wheels and tires year round. It gets moving better in 4wd than the Mazda, but the Mazda brakes better and tracks better on ice. Apples to grapefruits, but interesting to me.