Winter tire test gislaved nord frost 100. Winter tire test: Do not walk and do not drive because of ice

Among studded tires, the podium has been shared by Continental, Nokian and Michelin for several years, keeping outsiders out of the circle of the elite. And this year was no exception.

The named three "spikes" are again the best at Russian roads: each has more than 900 points. First place went to Nokian Hakkapeliitta 7, the most suitable for active drivers. But it is, alas, the most expensive and most disadvantageous: the price / quality ratio is 6.24. Very close, with a difference of less than half a percent, the Russian version of the Michelin X-Ice North 2: cool, confident and inexpensive, price / quality - 5.51. Continental, a little late with the presentation of the new ContiIceContact, threw its vassal Gislaved Nord Frost 5 (price / quality - 5.15) into the breakthrough, slightly increasing its spikes. He did not disappoint and won the third place for the senior, and lagged behind the leader by less than 2%.

Pirelli and Goodyear tried their best to compete with the top three, but once again they successfully repulsed the attack. So, in fourth place is the Pirelli Winter Carving Edge "lighter", in fifth is the intelligent Goodyear Ultra Grip Extreme. In terms of price / quality ratio, both tires are practically equal: 5.06 and 5.09, respectively.

The sixth and seventh lines were taken by strong good players - Dutch Vredestein Arctrac (862 points, price / quality - 4.29) and domestic

Cordiant Sno-Max (856 points and 3.62).

The Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 5000 (price / quality - 5.43) and the Korean "winter pike" Hankook Winter i-Pike, clearly competing with the "Vredestein", are slightly behind, near the 840 points bar, since they have the same price / quality ratio. The Nizhnekamsk novelty Kama Euro 519 closes the top ten with a modest result of 828 points (price / quality - 3.62, as in Kordiant), which turned out to be not as strong as expected. Let's hope for a quick upgrade.

10th place: Kama Euro 519

Despite the fact that the Kama has the most studs, the grip on ice is very low: the car starts off and accelerates uncertainly, brakes with jerks. Lateral grip is the weakest among all studs. When going over the speed, the car blows off the intended trajectory, it slides for a long time. Unexpected slippage and sudden loss of traction are especially unpleasant. It is impossible to predict the start of a breakdown, you understand this only when the car has already “floated”.
On snow, acceleration and braking are weak, lateral grip is the worst of all, the edge of transition to sliding, as well as on ice, is not felt.
On a snow-covered road, the car goes smoothly, however, if you leave the steering wheel, it strives to go into deeper snow. When correcting the course, the steering angles are large. It is better to overcome snowdrifts with intensive slipping. The undoubted advantage is a confident drive back, if it was not possible to break forward.
Directional stability on the pavement is not bad, but there is not enough information content on the steering wheel and lags when steering interfere with it. Braking on dry and wet asphalt is worse than average.
Average fuel consumption at any speed. The studs are too deep, which largely explains the low grip on ice.
They make a lot of noise, transmit the entire micro-profile of the road to the car, as if they are heavily pumped.

9th place: Hankook Winter i-Pike

“Pike” or “tip” is the translation of the last word in the name of tires with a tread pattern similar to the often copied Gislaved NF 3.
On ice, the grip properties are weak, they make you move slowly. With a slight increase in speed, the car "does not hear" the steering wheel in a turn, it loses its intended trajectory and slides lingeringly. It's good that the breakdowns and recoveries are pretty smooth.
On snow, the tires brake and accelerate more confidently, but lateral grip is much worse than longitudinal.
At small angles of rotation, the driver is hampered by an "empty" steering wheel, at large angles - slipping into a skid. It is impossible to feel the beginning of the slip.
A car is being carried along a snowy road without comment. They are reluctant to drive in deep snow, but they have to skid with caution, otherwise they can bury themselves.
On the pavement, they are a little late when steering. They brake on dry and wet worse than others.
They make an unpleasant noise at any speed, two rumbling peaks stand out from the general hum - at city (40-60 km / h) and suburban (90-110 km / h) speeds.
Shake the machine gently on bumps.
Average fuel consumption at any speed.
Studded neatly, but rather small, an additional two to three-tenths of a millimeter of stud protrusion would improve grip on ice.

8th place: Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 5000

The model goes down in history, giving way to the new IC 7000, but so far it has been successfully sold.
These tires have never been strong on ice: reluctant acceleration, under-average braking, downright weak lateral grip and sluggish reactions. Nevertheless, at moderate speed, they behave quite adequately. There is only one problem: guessing this speed.
I went a little faster - the steering angles and the reaction time of the car increase significantly, it starts to blur the trajectory and gets out of control.
On snow, the steering angles are smaller, but the behavior is unstable, front end drift in the initial phase of the turn and skidding on an arc of constant radius. In both cases, a little overspeed leads to long slides. The brakes are worse than the rest, the rearrangement is performed at the lowest speed, on a par with the "Kama".
On a snowy road, they keep a straight line with confidence. They are not afraid of deep snow streams on the road, overcoming them without stress.
On clean pavement, they like the informative steering wheel and clear execution of the steering commands.
Braking on asphalt of any condition is average.
Not comfortable enough: the tread emits an almost helicopter hum, and the tires transmit shocks from any road irregularities to the body, as well as vibrations to the floor and steering wheel.
Studding is very high-quality in terms of spread (no more than 0.2 mm), but a little too small and a dozen less studs than other brands of tires.

7th place: Cordiant Sno-Max

Domestic tires; unlike "Kama", the number of thorns corresponds to European standards.
Acceleration and braking on ice is average, but when cornering, they force you to be careful: they hold much worse across than in the longitudinal direction. They require a sweeping amplitude of steering, and on the curve of the bend, the feeling that the car is turning not due to turning the front wheels, but due to the slip of the rear wheels does not leave.
On the snow, the balance "along-across" changes. The weakest acceleration and deceleration are combined with medium lateral grip. When taxiing, the steering wheel steering angles are too big, sliding a little longer than that of the giants, although they remain within reason.
The course in the snow is kept clear, but the large steering angles make it difficult to adjust. They are not afraid of snow drifts and drifts: they start confidently, move and turn, reliably get out reverse.
They float on the asphalt, while the steering wheel is "empty", it has to be turned at significant angles.
On dry asphalt the brakes are average, on wet asphalt better than average.
They make a lot of noise on the asphalt with tread and spikes and howl on dense snow. They transmit vibrations from small road irregularities and shocks from road joints.
In terms of fuel consumption, the most voracious in the test.
Stud quality: the spread of protrusion is small (0.4 mm), but the studs stick out high, there is a risk of losing or breaking the cores out of them.

6th place: Vredestein Arctrac

The peculiarity of the tire is its low weight, which gets along with the increased carrying capacity.
On ice, longitudinal grip is weak, and transverse grip is average. They slip at the start, delaying the acceleration process; the car is stopped worst of all. At the same time, they show average results on the circle, although in turns they do not instill confidence at all: they cling, then they break. They recover sharply, jerking the car unpleasantly. They don't like sliding.
On snow, they accelerate modestly, brake and turn medium.
The car is clearly controlled on them, but only before the start of slides, into which it turns unexpectedly for the driver. The case ends with a sweeping drift.
On a snow-covered straight line, they move smoothly, without remarks.
They overcome deep snow uncertainly, turn reluctantly, but get out well back.
On the asphalt, I liked it with a clear course and a clear "zero".
The brakes are good, and on dry surfaces - very good, almost on a par with the Goodyear. On wet, they show average results.
They rustle and shake the car, sounding asphalt irregularities, rustling loudly in the dense snow.
At a speed of 90 km / h, fuel consumption is average, at 60 km / h - increased.
Studding is of high quality both in the protrusion of the studs and in the spread.

5th place: Goodyear Ultra Grip Extreme

Acceleration and lateral grip on ice are average, braking is better. Each turn of the steering wheel at a speed above 30 km / h causes a slight steering drift. If you release the throttle at the same time, the skid will intensify and require steering adjustments.
On snow, all characteristics are also not below average. In turns, the car is controlled clearly, the limit is limited by the demolition of the front end. However, in the second corridor of the rearrangement, a skid begins at a low speed. Keeping the vehicle in check and achieving high results can only be achieved with the help of an electronic assistant or proactive driver action.
Directional stability on a snowy road is clear, without any remarks.
Snowflakes are not for these tires. It is better to move through the snowdrifts only with tension, otherwise you will get up, or even bury yourself.
On the asphalt they go straight in a straight line, but they are late with steering .. But they slow down better than anyone else, both on wet and dry ones (in this it is practically on a par with the "Vredestein").
They buzz with a protector, but the noise of thorns is a separate article. Howl at high speed and crisp distinctly at low speed. Shake the car on small and medium bumps.
They roll well, because they consume average fuel.
In terms of the quality of the studs, they are comparable to the "Kordiant": the spread is within reasonable limits, but the protrusion is on the verge of the maximum allowable.

4th place: Pirelli Winter Carving Edge

Ice, like Goodyear, is not afraid. Accelerate, brake and turn confidently. On an arc of constant radius, the limiting speed does not cause a pronounced drift or skid, the steering of the car is close to neutral. On the ice ring, speed is limited by soft drift. This allows you to change the curvature of the turn by dumping or adding gas.
On the snow, they also work quite conscientiously: in braking, acceleration and on rearrangement they show average results. Behavior is clear, understandable, without comments, with an element of "ignition" - provoke active driving.
On a snow-covered road, they walk smoothly, clearly responding to the steering.
It is better to overcome deep snow with light slipping, but without undue zeal, otherwise you can bury yourself.
They keep the asphalt straight in a summer-like manner, braking on a wet surface is average, on a dry surface above average.
They annoy with the wheezing, howling crunch of thorns. Perceptibly shake on any irregularities, even small ones.
Studding is satisfactory in all respects.

3rd place: Gislaved Nord Frost 5

They differ from last year's by a slightly increased size of a solid insert of spikes.
Opens the premium tire category. Better braking and lateral grip, very good acceleration on ice. In turns they behave very confidently, in the limit the speed is limited by a slight skid, which requires a small adjustment.
They also hold up well on the snow: very good braking, good acceleration and average lateral grip. There are no complaints about the car's handling, its behavior and intelligibility of reactions. Handles well even when sliding.
Stubbornly heading on a snowy road. In deep snow, however, they do not behave very confidently.
On the pavement, they resemble Goodyear: they are a little late in reacting to course adjustments.
In braking on wet asphalt the best (on a par with Goodyear), on dry - quite a decent average result.
They rustle, crunch very distinctly with thorns, especially at low speed.
Shocks from single irregularities are transmitted to the body.
Increased fuel consumption at any speed.
Studding: The spread of the protrusion is within reasonable limits, but the protrusion itself would be nice to reduce a little - for the sake of the durability of the studs.

2nd place: Michelin X-Ice North 2

A nice feature of these tires, which instill confidence in safety on any road, is their well-balanced longitudinal and lateral grip. We note good braking on ice (despite the classic round studs), average acceleration and very good lateral grip. On an arc of a bend, when the gas is released, they slightly twist the car, helping to register the turn.
Excellent grip on snow: shortest braking distances, intense acceleration and record speed on the rearrangement. Stable behavior and clear reactions, even when sliding. When going over the speed, they glide gently sideways, intensively dropping speed.
Better than others, they keep the snowy road, they are sensitive to the actions of the steering wheel. They overcome deep snow with confidence, allowing them to make any maneuvers.
They are good on asphalt: they clearly keep the given direction, react without delay to the actions of the steering wheel.
Braking on dry surfaces is average, but on wet tires fail: the weakest result.
Snorting noise on paved roads. Slightly shake the car on road irregularities.
The most economical (on a par with Nokian) at any speed.
Studding is very high quality, it gives reason to believe that the studs will last a long time.

1st place: Nokian Hakkapeliitta 7

There is only one step from confidence to aggressiveness. All ice performance, including lap time, is better than average, and acceleration is the best. However, it feels like the tires accelerate and brake better than they turn. The cornering behavior on the ice is understandable and predictable, with an extremely easy assisting skid.
On the snow very good braking (better only for Michelin), the best acceleration, the second result on the rearrangement. They are well controlled even in slides, react without delay to the steering wheel turn, due to this they fit into a turn of seemingly inconceivable steepness. All this provokes a fast ride, so you need to honestly assess the level of your skill.
Clearly follow a given course on a snowy road.
In deep snow, everything is done easily and naturally, without fear of stops, skid starts, or sharp turns.
On the asphalt they float a little from side to side.
The brakes on dry surfaces are average, but on wet surfaces they show the most modest result.
They rustle with spikes and tread, shake the car on small irregularities.
Economical at any speed.
Studded very efficiently, problems due to the loss of thorns are not expected.

Out of credit: Continental ContilceContact

These tires were presented to the public after the completion of our "white" tests. But we found an opportunity to compare them with the Nokian HKPL 7 test winner in New Zealand, where winter is in full swing in June. We rented the same "Golf VI" on which we conducted our own tests, but could not find asphalt roads, so the duel took place only on ice and snow. However, for the first acquaintance and revealing the abilities of the novelty, this is enough.
On the ice, they accelerate and brake almost on par with the Nokian, but in the lateral clutch they are just a cut higher: the difference is more than 8% in favor of the German novelty. The handling is beyond praise, the steering response is clearer, the behavior is more stable - in the limit the car only slips slightly with the rear axle. And this is on very slippery ice, where "Nokian" behaves like a middle peasant: it does not shine with information content on the steering wheel and stability of behavior - it breaks down into drift, then into a skid and slides longer than we would like.
On the snow, the difference is almost the same, the braking distance and acceleration time are comparable to those of Nokian, but the handling, as well as on ice, is better than that of the "seven". The steering wheel is filled with information content on a straight line, clear reactions and understandable behavior in a turn. Tires pull the car into turns without a hint of drift HKPL 7 on the same track are less informative, give occasional drift when entering a turn and more active skid on the arc.
In deep snow, the "Germans" lose a little to the "Finns": they get under way uncertainly, demanding the addition of gas, but with intensive slipping they strive to bury themselves.
Studding is of high quality and stable.

FRICTION TIRE RATING

The non-studded tires collected in the test, they are "Velcro" or "Scandinavian", are already known to our readers. They were updated two to three years ago, with the exception of the long-lived Vredestein Nord-Trac and the new Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice +.

The results of the leaders lay down heap - in the range from 899 to 924 points. The first five differ by no more than 3%. But they have different characters, and each tire in our test set its own record, or even several.

When choosing, the reader should focus not on the overall result, but on individual preferences and preferences and, of course, take into account the advantages and disadvantages we have listed.

The Russian Nokian Hakkapeliitta R set records in braking and acceleration on snow and at the same time showed the worst braking on dry asphalt. It remains the most expensive on the market: price / quality - 6.16. The most attractive Bridgestone Blizzak WS60 in this parameter (4.99) is the best in longitudinal grip on ice and braking on dry asphalt, but the most voracious in terms of fuel consumption. The Michelin X-Ice 2 is a well-balanced tire, all good performance except for acceleration on snow. The expensive ContiVikingContact 5 (price / quality - 6.04) has the best results on an ice loop and acceleration on snow, and in braking on wet asphalt it turned out to be the worst. Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice + is a flat tire, the best in rearrangement. The price / quality ratio (5.45) is the same as that of the Michelin tire, and, apparently, in the market they will have to compete with each other. But the title itself economical tire in the fight between Nokian Hakkapeliitta 7 and Michelin X-Ice 2, the Russian-Finnish tire won.

The far from new Vredestein Nord-Trac with 852 points noticeably lags behind the others. Even with a price / quality ratio of 4.11, it is clear that he is no longer able to compete with the younger grandees.

Kama Euro 519 without studs scored 830 points. Here is an example of misuse of a product originally created in a studded version. In terms of rubber hardness, Nizhnekamsk tires are closer to "Europeans" (such as ContiWinterContact TS 830, Michelin Alpine, Pirelli Snowsport, Kumho KW17), and therefore cannot compete on equal terms with "Scandinavians" on ice and snow. But on clean asphalt they feel very confident.

7th place: Kama Euro 519

These tires are designed for studding, but the “bald” version is often sold and is not the best solution for icy and snowy roads.
On ice, the grip is worse than any real studless tire. Acceleration is delayed, braking is ineffective, jerky. In corners, there are large steering angles, lagging reactions, prolonged slides, in the limit the front end is demolished and a significant straightening of the trajectory.
On snow, braking is very weak - only "Vredestein" is worse; overclocking is mediocre, like Michelin's; on rearrangement, the limiting speed and behavior is worse than that of the rest. The remarks are practically the same as on the ice: insufficient information content on the steering wheel, large angles of its rotation, tightened sliding. On a snow-covered straight line, the car pulls towards deeper snow, the course correction is complicated by large steering wheel angles.
In deep snow they turn better than go straight, so you can tack if necessary. On the asphalt they float a little within the lane and are late when taxiing. The brakes are great. On wet surfaces they show the best results, on dry surfaces - above average.
One of the reasons: rubber is tougher than others. Not comfortable enough: they make a lot of noise, periodically whine and shake the car noticeably. Fuel consumption at 60 km / h is too large, at 90 km / h average.

6th place: Vredestein Nord-Trac

On ice, the grip is poor; braking and acceleration are very weak (worse only in "Kama"). However, on the ice circle they keep in the middle peasants, squeak like other "Scandinavians". Nevertheless, the behavior of the car is predictable, without surprises and problems. When the maximum speed is reached, it begins to gently slide outward, straightening the trajectory.
In the snow, they show themselves in much the same way. In braking, the worst of all, the lateral grip is weak, except that the acceleration is average. During acceleration, it is good to feel how the electronics keep the tires from slipping. Increased steering angles complicate maneuvering. When cornering, top speed results in slight oversteer.
On a snow-covered straight line, with uniform movement and gas release, the car prowls a little, in light acceleration it is much clearer. They do not like snowdrifts, it is better to overcome them by running, without stopping and not turning the wheel unnecessarily. It is not recommended to slip, otherwise you can bury yourself.
They walk smoothly on the asphalt, but they are late when adjusting the direction. Braking on asphalt is also not brilliant, and on wet and dry brakes are weak.
Loudly rustle the tread on the rough asphalt, on high speed howl in corners, clap on irregularities. Large irregularities are unpleasantly harsh. Fuel consumption at 60 km / h is average, at 90 km / h it is increased.

5th place: Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice +

A novelty from the company, which, in fact, fell into the category of premium tires.
She has no discernible preference for surfaces other than asphalt. On any road, the tires exhibit a fairly flat character and similar behavior.
On ice, both longitudinal and lateral grip are average. At the moment of starting, it is easy to rip the wheels into slipping, so you need to press on the gas carefully.
On snow, braking and acceleration are also average, and the speed on the rearrangement "jumps out" to the leading position. This is partly the merit of the electronics (on the "Golf" it is non-disconnectable). The skid in the second corridor starts early, but the ESP simply prevents it from developing. The same thing happens during acceleration: as in the Vredestein, it is well felt that the electronics are choking the engine, otherwise the tires will slip into a slip.
On the snowy road, everything is smooth, without any remarks.
They behave confidently in deep snow, easily maneuver, and do not bury themselves when slipping.
Light steering is felt on the asphalt when changing course rear axle.
Braking is not a record, but very effective on wet asphalt, and (especially!) On dry.
Comfortable: they rustle softly with a tread, roll gently along the road.
At 60 km / h, fuel is consumed economically, in this indicator they compete with Michelin. However, at 90 km / h, consumption increases to average.

4th place: Continental ContiVikingContact 5

The leader of our test two years ago. This time the results are more modest. Apparently, the influence of the new exercise "braking on wet asphalt". Nevertheless, no weaknesses were found on snow and ice, they are kept in the category of premium tires (more than 900 points).
On the ice they accelerate and slow down in the first four, and on the circle they show the best result. They squeak, squeak, as if instead of ice under the wheels, wet concrete, but they hold it! When maneuvering, the rudder turns are quite large.
On the snow they feel much more confident: the best acceleration, very good braking and an average result on the rearrangement. As well as on ice, the steering wheel turning angles are too big. The course on a snow-covered road is quite clear, they respond to direction adjustments without delay
They can overcome deep snow confidently in any mode.
On an asphalt straight line, they float slightly within the lane. They stop well on dry asphalt, but on wet asphalt they pass, braking the worst of all. Clutch on wet road tire workers consider the antipode of rolling resistance. Here, like the "bridge", no wet clutch, no fuel economy.
In terms of comfort, they are comparable to Michelin: quiet and smooth.
Fuel consumption at 60 km / h is average, at 90 km / h it is increased.

3rd place: Michelin X-Ice 2

Feel confident on "white" roads and off-road. There are no failures, except for weak acceleration in the snow.
They don't shine on the ice, but they hold on confidently: they slow down and accelerate actively, on the circle they share the second result with Nokian. In contrast to the "bridge", they captivate with the balanced grip "along and across". Clear reactions, smooth transitions to sliding - in general, behave clearly and reliably.
On snow, the characteristics are not leading: in braking they are the worst of the first four, on the rearrangement they are also the fourth result, acceleration is the weakest.
When gas is added, they are actively screwed into the turn, and on reset, they slightly straighten the trajectory.
The snow-covered road is kept without comment.
They behave confidently in deep snow. Even with intensive slipping, they float up, go forward, not trying to bury themselves, they are not afraid of slipping.
They walk on the asphalt without remarks, even to small turns of the steering wheel they react without delay, almost like summer tires.
On dry asphalt they slow down better than average, on wet - very good.
Comfortable, noise and smoothness without remarks. Economical at any speed, but roll a little worse than "Nokian".

2nd place: Bridgestone Blizzak WS60

On "white" surfaces they show outstanding results, but, alas, along with frankly weak ones. Excellent braking and better acceleration on ice. It would seem that the model is just right to be declared an ice leader!
But weak lateral grip spoils the whole picture (only "Kama" passes the icy circle slower), makes you to be careful in turns. Tires, instilling confidence during acceleration and braking, noticeably lose grip in cornering.
The controls are clear, the sliding is soft and understandable. On the snow, very good braking and a decent result on the rearrangement, but the acceleration is very weak. Tires require accuracy when starting off and are ready to take full throttle only in motion (Nokian seems to behave).
On a snow-covered road they walk better than others, they immediately respond to direction adjustments.
Drifts are easily overcome, they are not afraid of slipping, since they do not bury themselves.
On the asphalt they go clearly, however, the reactions, like most winter tires, are slightly smeared.
On a dry road they brake better than anyone else, they don't like wet ones - the result is worse than average.
They make noise, transmit vibrations and slight itching from microroughnesses.
Most high consumption fuel at any speed.

1st place: Nokian Hakkapeliitta R

Almost equally strong on snow and ice, not a single weak characteristic.
On ice surfaces, very good braking is in harmony with the same lateral grip and acceleration. When cornering, a slight twisting skid helps, they are well controlled in slides, gently restore grip when exiting slides.
In the snow, all the characteristics are the best. Confident braking, energetic acceleration, high speed (in conjunction with the "Goodyear") performance of the rearrangement and clear behavior on it. They admit and forgive minor mistakes in management.
Confidently hold on to the snowy road. Drifts and snow drifts are not terrible. Start after a stop, turns of any curvature, exit back - all this is done without difficulty and special skills.
On the asphalt, they float slightly within the lane.
On dry asphalt they slow down weakly, on wet asphalt. It seems that there is not much left for the asphalt, all the "forces" were spent on snow and ice.
There are no comments on the noise level. But you can find fault with the smoothness of the ride: single irregularities are marked on the body with sharp jolts.
They set a record for fuel efficiency, even ahead of Michelin.

The editors are grateful to all companies that provided tires for testing.

Special thanks to Nokian Tires for technical support.

After a significant tightening of requirements regarding the use of winter studded tires, as well as the adoption of new labeling in European countries, almost all tire manufacturers released a number of new models. Gislaved, now owned by German concern Continental AG is no exception, presenting a range of new products. One of them is the Gislzved Nord Frost 100. This winter studded tire has replaced the Nord Frost 5, the most popular in our country for many years.

Thorn Tri-Star CD

Despite the strict limits on the maximum number of studs, the Swedish tire makers managed to find a solution to get around it. This is the new spike TriStar CD, created and released in Finland. Its height is quite impressive 11 mm with a diameter of 8 mm. To ensure the stability of the position, the Finns equipped the spike with a carbide insert in the form of a three-pointed star, which is reflected in its name. The combination of large dimensions and this shape of the insert allows the cleat to be firmly held in the tread throughout the entire life of the tire. At the same time, it was possible to reduce its weight due to the use of aluminum as the main material for manufacturing the spike. The reduction in weight, in turn, has a beneficial effect on the unsprung masses as well as on rolling resistance. As a result, the car will be easier to drive and consume less fuel.

Optimized tread block shape

Nord Frost 100 has excellent grip on slippery surfaces, both longitudinally and transversely. This was achieved through a radical revision of the V-shaped symmetrical directional pattern.

The tread blocks have become much larger. But, despite the decrease in their number, the number of adhesion edges available to the contact patch has increased significantly. Swedish tire workers have given the tread blocks a complex polygonal shape containing many corners and edges. At the same time, they are located in different directions, which gave the adhesion properties reliability and stability, regardless of the characteristics of the road surface.

Straight sipes in the center of the tread

In the central part of the tread pattern, there is a longitudinal rib, which consists of a plurality of polygonal blocks. Due to the fact that they are interconnected by a rigid bridge, the tire has excellent directional stability and instant response to steering turns. In addition, multiple corners and long edges provide the contact patch with additional edges for even more reliable traction.

For about the same purpose, Swedish tire manufacturers have equipped this tread element with a large number of straight sipes. They perform several functions at once. First of all, this is the formation of additional adhesion edges. In addition, when driving on a wet road, the straight sipes work like wipers on a windshield, "brushing" excess moisture into the drainage channels, thereby increasing the tire's resistance to aquaplaning.

S-shaped sipes in the shoulder areas of the tread

Another feature of the tread pattern Gislaved Nord Frost 100 is a huge number of undulating lamellas covering each of the blocks of the shoulder areas. Like straight sipes, these tread elements serve several functions at once. First of all, this is the formation of many additional clutch edges, which has the most favorable effect when driving not only on snow, but also on ice.

In addition, the presence of these elements significantly improves handling on asphalt. At the moment of contact with the road surface, the S-shaped walls of the lamellas are very tightly fixed to each other, which significantly increases the rigidity of the tread block. This efficient solution makes tire responses more accurate and predictable.

Multifunctional drainage system

Unlike previous model, Nord Frost 100 has received a more "advanced" drainage system, which is distinguished by the ability to perform a number of other functions. Thanks to the original arrangement of the tread blocks, cruciform channels appeared in the shoulder zones, which perfectly hold the snow mass. Due to this design feature the new Swedish tire has a much better grip on the snowy surface. At the same time, the shape of the channels contributes to the rapid removal of snow.

In addition, Nord Frost 100 exhibits excellent aquaplaning and slashplaning resistance. This is largely due to the V-shaped tread pattern, the drainage channels of which are located at a significant angle relative to the direction of travel. As the wheel rotates, snow and water, under the influence of centrifugal forces, quickly leave the tread pattern, ensuring the contact patch is clean and dry.

Main features of the Gislaved Nord Frost 100 tire

- excellent grip on any winter surface, even in the most adverse weather conditions, thanks to the optimized V-shaped tread pattern;
- increased cross-country ability in deep snow due to the large size of the tread blocks, as well as the significant distance between them;
- high stability and reliability of control when driving on ice is provided by an aluminum spike with a solid triangular insert;
- excellent resistance to aquaplaning and slashplaning, thanks to the many differently located drainage channels;
- special cross-shaped grooves in the shoulder areas, due to which the tread more reliably holds snow, thereby providing excellent grip on snow surfaces;
- a high level of comfort is ensured by a low level of resonant noise and vibrations;
- a lot of straight and wavy sipes made it possible to saturate the contact patch with coupling edges to the limit.

You may also be interested in the following models.

Winter studded tire test size 205/55 R16 (2013)

Tested tires list:

Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000
Continental ContiIceContact
Dunlop ice touch
Gislaved Nord * Frost 100
Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic
Hankook W409 I * Pike
Kama EURO 519
Michelin x ice north 2
Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8
Pirelli ice zero

"One hundred seventy, one hundred eighty, one hundred ninety ..." - this is Uncle Vanya counting the spikes in the next tire. Stop! What the hell is one hundred and ninety, if in northern European countries, where the use of studs is still allowed, the restriction came into force in July of this year: no more than 50 studs per running meter of tread? That is, a 16-inch tire (205/55 R16) should have no more than 96 studs! We recount again - and we are convinced that the tread of the new Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 tires still has 190 studs, almost twice as many!

Why did the Finns decide to bypass the new rules - and does such a number of thorns give any advantage over competitors? Let's figure it out in the course of our next comparative test, in which ten models of 205/55 R16 studded tires took part.

Talks about tightening the rules for using studs have been going on in the Scandinavian countries for a long time, and the reason is the increased wear of the roadway. The “greens” began to argue that asphalt dust is also carcinogenic, that is, it causes cancer. And in 2009, a new norm was promulgated - up to 50 studs per linear meter, and regardless of the tread width or the rim diameter of the tire. At the same time, the previous restrictions remained in force: the protrusion of the studs above the tread surface should not exceed 1.2 mm.

What about security? After all, the more spikes, the better, all other things being equal, the "hook" on the ice will be better ... Shinniks have left a loophole! It turns out that you can install more studs, but then you have to prove that a denser stud will not increase the destructive effect on the road. As a result, on the basis of the Finnish testing center Test World, a method was developed for the in-situ assessment of the impact of studded tires on the road surface. In a nutshell, after a certain number of drives over a granite tile, the mass of this tile should not decrease more than after the same exposure to reference tires with a "legal" number of spikes.

However, the rush demand for such tests did not follow. For example, Michelin decided that this was not a completely fair way to get around the new restrictions - and threw all their efforts into improving tires with a reduced number of studs. The developers of the new Gislaved Nord Frost 100 tires did the same. What about the rest?

The rest fully loaded their production capacity to produce as many tires as possible, studded according to the old rules (no more than 130 studs for 16-inch tires). After all, the ban that came into force on July 1 concerns the production, but not the sales of tires with the "wrong" studding!

And only Nokian Tires went its own way: the number of studs on the tires of the new Hakkapeliitta 8 not only did not decrease, but increased by one and a half times! Naturally, the aforementioned test was passed, and, as we learned, it was carried out not at the Test World test site, but in its own test center near the town of Nokia. It turns out that you can do so - under the supervision of an official observer from the agency for transport security Trafi. Competitors, of course, raised a fuss - they say, with so many spikes, it is impossible to successfully pass the test!

Possibly, explains Mikko Lukkula, Head of Nokian Studded Tire Development. - For three years, we have created fundamentally new lightweight studs, conducted dozens of wear tests road surface and are confident that our tires perform well on ice.

So, the main intrigue of the test is indicated.

Uncle Vanya sits behind the wheel of an Audi A3, Andrey Mokhov, having checked the reliability of the optical sensor, is located on the right and opens the laptop. Now - a dozen of braking and acceleration, then - on the lift, changing tires, again accelerating and braking ...

Despite the fact that the acceleration is controlled by the traction control system, and the deceleration is from the ABS, the spikes crumble the smooth ice into snow powder.

The last, tenth set of studded tires was tested for "acceleration-deceleration" - and ... The first sensation! The smallest braking distance on account of the ContiIceContact tires. They also provided the car with better acceleration dynamics. And even if the advantage over the "bristling" Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 tires is very small, but it is! That is, 190 studs lined up in 18 rows perform no better on ice than 130 studs spread across 12 rows. In any case, in 14-degree frost. Why? Because in order to reduce the harmful effect on the roadway, the Finns really had to change the design of the studs: they are not only lighter, but also smaller - in height and diameter - than those used in Continental tires. And those that were previously used in Nokian Hakkapeliitta 7 tires. And the carbide insert in the "small" studs is not so powerful.

Two favorites are stepping on the heels of the new Pirelli Winter Ice Zero tires.

Gislaved Nord * Frost 100 tires promise to become another striking novelty of this season. There are already 96 “legal” studs - and they provide quite decent braking on ice, although during acceleration - only the eighth result. Ahead were also the familiar Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic and Dunlop Ice Touch and Michelin X-Ice North 2 tires from last year's tests. By the way, why is Michelin presented? with X-Ice tires North of the second, not the third generation? The company decided that it was better not to give these tires to anyone for comparative tests until the official launch of a new model on the market.

New items for the winter season were prepared by Bridgestone, but also refused to provide them before the official premiere. Therefore, in our standings - Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000 tires, which in the coming winter will also be actively sold in our market.

The Korean school is represented by Hankook Winter i * Pike tires, and the Russian school is represented by Kama Euro-519 tires. On the ice, the results of both are very modest. But so far we are talking only about the grip properties in the longitudinal direction.

The controllability assessment began with driving on an ice circle at the maximum possible speed, and continued on a winding track, which took into account both the lap time and a subjective assessment of the convenience and reliability of control. In these exercises, the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 tires have already achieved a convincing victory. Excellent "grip" in turns, excellent control over the car on the track! By the way, I can safely recommend these tires to those who go to amateur ice races: “taking off” a couple of seconds from the circle is not a problem!

Continental tires are in second place, and right behind them - and this is the second, albeit small, but still sensation - the Gislaved tires. They allowed me to very confidently drive the car on a winding road.

Another surprise awaited me when the Audi A3 was fitted with Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic tires. The car slows down and accelerates well, but it does not hold well in corners. In the first laps I even jumped off the ice track a couple of times. Fortunately, there are not meter-long snowdrifts around, but safety strips with a ten-centimeter layer of fluffy snow.

But around the track "snow" handling - just that the snowdrifts ...

The next day, the frost subsided from fourteen degrees to minus seven. We have at our disposal a 600-meter track with perfectly packed snow. The work will be monotonous: acceleration to 50 km / h, braking, acceleration again, braking again ... But if earlier the driver was required to work with the pedals to exclude unnecessary wheel slip at the start and blocking during braking, now this is monitored by the electronics - Traction Control and ABS. And soon it seems that it will be possible to do without a driver altogether.

At the same time, the Audi A4 robotic car was perfecting its skills on the next track! The operator is still driving, but only in order to set the necessary driving modes and check the correctness of their execution by the robot. The executive systems, at the command of the electronics, step on the gas themselves, on the brake - and even turn the steering wheel. At the end of the track, the car turns around on its own and continues to measure in the opposite direction.

I felt a slight surge of professional jealousy, but quickly consoled myself with the fact that on the handling track such a piece of iron would not replace me for a long time! By the way, I was allowed to ride as a passenger in a car with a robot "at the wheel" - and ... Shouldn't I snatch, echoing the English Luddites, this impudent "arm" or "leg"? Soon there will be no need for testers on handling tracks! For example, this self-driving car already knows how to make a "rearrangement" on the snow. Sensors angular velocity slip is detected, the command is immediately given to correct the steering wheel ... Five more years - and such cars will drive along winding tracks, revealing the difference between the tires!

We are looking at the results of manual tests on snow for now and we see that when braking they are very close: the difference between the best tires(Dunlop Ice Touch) and the worst (Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000) is less than three meters, which is ten percent. During acceleration, the spread is a little more, about 20 percent, and the favorites here are already different - the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 tires. That is, the Finns have conjured up not only with the spikes, but also with the tread - after all, on the snow, it is not so much the spikes that are important as the tread.

And on the handling track, winding around the trees and snow-strewn boulders, I felt the most relaxed on Nokian tires: quick reactions and fully controlled sliding. Moreover, in sliding it is better not to slow down, otherwise the stabilization system disabled by the button will "wake up" and the pace will decrease. By the way, this is also an indicator: if on Nokian tires I "woke up" the stabilization system only once, then on other tires I bothered it much more often - due to errors caused by stretched slides (they especially upset the Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000 and Kama Euro-519 ).

At the beginning of spring, we supplemented the tests with a cycle of "asphalt" tests.

First, we looked at how the tires behave on sludge - a snow-water slurry that covered the asphalt with an even layer. This layer is only 3.5 cm deep, and the Hankook tires already float at 19.4 km / h. However, the best Bridgestone tires in this type of testing are not far behind - their limit is 21.2 km / h.

And on wet asphalt, already without admixture of snow, the shortest braking distances are on account of the Gislaved tires, and the worst is on the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8.

Yes, yes, skeptics from other tire companies have already managed to whisper that with so many studs, Nokian tires will not perform well on asphalt. On the wet - it is, but on the dry surface, the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 tires showed one of the best results under braking. This, by the way, is a reason to remind again that modern studded tires work on asphalt no worse, and sometimes even better than non-studded tires of the Scandinavian type - those that are commonly called Velcro. This is due to the stiffer rubber needed to secure the studs in place. There is still a popular myth that a studded tire rolls on the asphalt, leaning more on the spikes than on the rubber. But in fact, the studs, in contact with the asphalt, are recessed into the body of the tread, practically not reducing the contact spots of the rubber with the road. However, it all depends on what goals the manufacturer sets when creating a specific tire model. By changing the tread pattern, hardness and chemical composition of rubber, you can shift the balance of qualities, giving preference to either behavior on slippery winter surfaces (ice, snow), or on asphalt.

With the Dunlop Ice Touch tires, this balance is clearly shifted towards the asphalt: the Audi A3 brakes confidently and responds best to sharp turns of the steering wheel. But on ContiIceContact tires, the braking distance on both dry and wet asphalt is a couple of meters longer, that is, preference is given to "winter" qualities.

This is where spike tires always lose out to non-studded ones, because it is in acoustic comfort. There is clearly more noise from them, especially if the tread already has 190 studs, like the Nokian tires. However, with fewer studs, the Kama Euro, Pirelli, Continental and Bridgestone tires clatter in much the same way. And the quietest tires are Michelin X-Ice North 2. They are the softest along with Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 tires.

How will such soft tires behave if they hit a hole or bump into an asphalt ledge? Two years ago, we already conducted crash tests on summer tires. And now, for the first time, winter tires have been subjected to such an experiment.

At a speed of 40 km / h, the car runs into a steel channel set at an angle of 30 degrees - a piece of a U-shaped beam. If the tire withstands, the attempt is repeated already at a speed of 45 km / h. And so on until the tire "expires." We didn't scoff at the suspension of the new Audi A3 - we found a battered Mercedes-Benz C 180.

Bridgestone tires withstood the most impacts: they managed to break through only at a speed of 70 km / h! And this is no coincidence: when developing their tires, the Japanese take into account the specifics of bad roads, reinforce the structure and check it themselves with crash tests.

The Continental tires also hold up to the blow - they gave up at a speed of 60 km / h. The bulk of the tires was finished at a speed of 50 km / h, but the Michelin tires, which we liked so much for their softness, were punched in the very first race, at a speed of 40 km / h. We even decided to repeat the experiment - what if it was an accident? Bang bang! Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh… And the second Michelin X-Ice North 2 tire with a through hole goes to the landfill. And again, everything is understandable: the French company pays more and more attention to reducing rolling resistance, for the sake of which the sidewall is getting thinner (thus reducing the so-called hysteresis losses - energy consumption for heating due to deformation).

By the way, we also tested the tires for rolling resistance - using a treadmill drum. And it turned out that Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 tires roll easier than others, and not Michelin X-Ice North 2. But this is without studs, since studded tires would damage the calibrated drum surface. It is not a fact that this rating will not change with spikes. However, in terms of fuel consumption, the difference is still small - the bulk of the tires are separated by 0.2-0.3 l / 100 km. And the difference between the most "economical" and the most "voracious" tires (they were expected to be Bridgestone tires) - 0.6 l / 100 km. And yet, since the experiment was carried out without thorns, we did not take into account its results when deriving the final estimates.

Test results

Experts' opinions on each tire are presented below

A place	Tire	Expert opinion
1	Rating: 9.0 Nokian	Load / speed index: 94T Weight, kg9.2 Number of studs / studding lines 190/18 Protrusion of spikes, mm 1.2 Country of origin: Finland With so many pimples, a victory over competitors, especially in ice disciplines, should be simply devastating! But the matter was limited to simply victory, without defeat. On the handling track - the best time, driving is a pleasure. But the advantage over the ContiIceContact tires, which have 60 fewer studs, is negligible, and the Continental tires are even better in acceleration dynamics. Because there are many spikes in the tread of Finnish tires, but they are small: the diameter, the height of the spike, the width of the carbide insert - everything here is smaller than that of Continental tires. Perhaps for more high temperature, on “soft” ice, the effectiveness of “small” spikes would have been higher, but our tests took place in 14-degree frost. On snow, Nokian tires are traditionally good: accurate and timely responses to the steering wheel and gas. But on asphalt, the behavior is unstable. While Nokian tires provide good deceleration on dry surfaces, they have the longest braking distances on wet surfaces. And the expected drawback was the "itchy" sound from the spikes, which did not leave the cabin in the entire speed range. Braking properties on dry asphalt Noisiness High price
1	Rating: 9.0 Continental	Load / speed index: 94T Weight, kg9.8 Shore hardness, unit 49 Protrusion of spikes, mm 1.3 Country of origin: Germany On ice, the ContiIceContact tires are great. Acceleration and braking are the best in the test, and the balance of drift and drift on the ice handling track is such as if you were driving not on the front, but on four-wheel drive car... I slightly threw off the gas at the entrance to the turn - and then you drive the car in an arc in controlled sliding with four wheels! On the snow, the tires are also good, and only the not always appropriate slight tendency to skid the rear axle did not allow to give the highest point for "reliability of handling". On the asphalt, the grip is average, although the "Change" maneuver was done very well. The car reacts sluggishly to the first impulse, but then the tires are "squeezed" and hold lateral overloads well. It's a pity that the soundtrack during such maneuvers is already very intrusive - the Continental tires whine on a straight line, and the rumble increases in corners. These tires have excellent impact resistance. And the thorns in them hold to the last: in order to pull out a thorn planted on glue, you need to apply an effort 2-2.5 times higher compared to other tires. I wonder if the ContiIceContact tires will continue to perform as well on ice after switching to a lightweight stud? Such tires with the HD index, produced after July 1, 2013, have already appeared at Russian dealers. + Adhesion properties on ice and snow Handling on ice and snow Impact strength Adhesion on wet asphalt
3	Score: 8.8 Gislaved	Load / speed index: 94T Weight, kg8.8 Shore hardness, unit 48 Number of studs / studding lines Protrusion of spikes, mm 1.3 Country of origin: Germany "Not by number, but by skill!" The tread of the Gislaved Nord Frost 100 tires has a total of 96 standard offset studs, but on ice these tires are better than many tires that have 130 studs each. On the handling track - the third time, but the lag behind the leader, who has almost twice as many studs, is less than a second! No wonder German tire workers (Gislaved today is 100 percent product Continental) have been working on a new tread and new "triangular" studs! Slides are small and easy to control. And on the snow, decent behavior, although on the track, handling is hampered by sharp breaks in sliding. But on wet asphalt - the minimum braking distance! At the same time, the tires make little noise and gently “swallow” irregularities. In general, well-balanced winter tires: they work confidently on country roads and are almost ideal for urban use. And the price looks reasonable. + Grip and handling on ice Snow grip Adhesion properties on asphalt Moderate handling on snow
4	Score: 8.7 Pirelli	Load / speed index: 94T Weight, kg9.1 Tread depth, mm: 9.5 Shore hardness of rubber, unit 50 Number of studs / studding lines Protrusion of spikes, mm 1.2 Country of origin: Germany These tires came to our test a month and a half before the official premiere - we did not even know the real name of the model, since there was no marking on the smooth sidewall. But both the protector and the new design spikes were already "commercial" - now both the insert and the spike body have a complex trapezoidal shape. In terms of longitudinal dynamics on ice, the Pirelli tires are almost on par with the leaders in the test. But on the handling track, there were sharp breaks in side slip. However, Pirelli tires, whether winter or summer, have always endowed the car with sharper, sportier reactions. A similar behavior is observed on snow, but here the grip properties in the longitudinal direction were at an average level. Here on the asphalt - good deceleration, both dry and wet. The ride is good, but there is a lot of noise - the rumble is heard even when driving on packed snow. Albeit with reservations, but we also recommend these tires - primarily to those who drive in winter mainly on city streets cleared of snow. + Adhesion properties on ice Moderate handling on ice and snow Noisiness
5	Score: 8.5 Michelin	Load / speed index: 94T Weight, kg 9.3 Tread depth, mm: 9.4 Shore hardness, unit 52 Number of studs / studding lines Protrusion of spikes, mm 1.0 Country of origin: Russia When we ran this test with Michelin X-Ice North 2 tires in early February, we received an invitation to the official premiere of the next generation X-Ice North 3 tires. But all attempts to get new tires for the test failed! However, in Russia, the novelty will not appear in all dimensions and half of the sales of Michelin studded tires will fall on the X-Ice North 2 model. Decent tires, and with a pronounced family feature of Michelin tires - this is high resistance to slippery road and soft, understandable transients. It's bad that the slides themselves last a little longer than we would like. This also manifested itself on the asphalt: the stretched sliding prevented the high speed “changeover”. But there are no problems with braking, and the level of comfort is beyond praise: these are the softest and quietest tires in our test! They would have a stronger sidewall, otherwise when hitting an "obstacle" thin rubber breaks at a speed of 40 km / h, although most tires hold up to 50 km / h, and some remain intact and at a higher speed. In general, very comfortable winter tires, which are best used on the streets of large cities. + Comfort Adhesion properties on wet and dry asphalt Insufficient resistance to slashplaning Low impact strength
6	Score: 8.4 Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic	Load / speed index: 94T Weight, kg10.3 Protrusion of spikes, mm 0.9 Country of origin: Poland Introduced last year, the Goodyear UltraGrip Ace Arctic tires were immediately among the leaders in our tests, but this year they were not so impressive. The reason could be the changed weather conditions, the progress of competitors, but it seems that the matter is in a lower quality studding. The cocked hat spikes themselves have not changed, but most of them turned out to be excessively sunk into the tread - the overhang averages 0.9 mm versus 1.2-1.3 mm for competing tires. Here we need to look for the reason for lagging behind the leaders of the test both in acceleration and in braking on ice. And on the handling track, the lag is already beyond the bounds of decency: the Audi A3 on Goodyear tires covers the 800-meter track for ten seconds longer than on Nokian tires! We also noted last year that Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic tires perform better in the longitudinal direction than in the lateral direction, but now the imbalance has worsened - the car holds very badly on the arc! On snow, the handling situation is better, but there are problems with acceleration. On the asphalt - at the level of the middle peasants. It is curious that the clatter of the spikes is almost inaudible, but the tread itself howls in the entire speed range. What these tires definitely pleased with was their impact resistance: in this discipline - the third place. With normal studding quality, these tires would certainly be able to compete with the leaders, but according to the results of our test, we would not recommend using these tires on cars without electronic stabilization systems. + Braking properties on ice and snow Adhesion properties on wet and dry asphalt Impact strength Handling on ice Traction capability on snow
7	Score: 8.3 Dunlop	Load / speed index: 94T Weight, kg10.1 Tread depth, mm: 9.8 Shore hardness, unit 55 Number of studs / studding lines Protrusion of spikes, mm 0.9 Country of origin: Poland According to the final assessment, Dunlop tires are only 0.1 points inferior to Goodyear tires. No surprise: the Dunlop brand today is three-quarters owned by Goodyear, and the Dunlop Ice Touch and Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic tires were developed by the same engineering team. The tread patterns are different, but everything else - groove depth, rubber hardness and studs - is the same. Unfortunately, the quality of the studding is the same: the studs in the Dunlop tires also turned out to be deeper than necessary. By the way, tires were made at the same plant in Poland. The problems with handling on ice are similar: in the lateral direction, the Dunlop tires hold much worse than in the longitudinal direction. It is difficult to drive on a winding track because of the sudden, unexpected slippage. But on the snow - the minimum braking distance! At the same time, acceleration and handling indicators are as "sluggish" as on ice. But on a dry surface - the minimum braking distance and the maximum speed of the "rearrangement". The car responds clearly and quickly to steering movements, which is a rarity for winter tires! True, there is also a side effect - increased rigidity when passing through small irregularities. + Grip and handling on asphalt Braking properties on snow Smooth running
8	Score: 7.5 Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000	Load / Speed Index: 91T Weight, kg 10.6 Tread depth, mm: 9.7 Number of studs / studding lines Protrusion of spikes, mm 1.0 Country of origin: Japan Aggressive tread cut by a fine network of wavy lamellas - and spikes lined up in 14 lines. But the studs are ordinary - with cylindrical inserts, and the tread rubber is not as "tenacious" as the competitors', which is indirectly evidenced by its increased hardness - 20% more compared to Nokian tires. And as a result - very modest grip properties both on ice and on snow. Handling also leaves much to be desired (cornering speed is limited by unpleasant slip of the front axle). Bridgestone tires float up later than others on a snow-water slurry. And on the asphalt they work excellently: on the "rearrangement" the reactions are so fast and accurate, as if the car is "shod" not in winter, but in all-season tires. And most of all we were pleased with the impenetrable sidewalls. But there is a trade-off here too: a stronger sidewall is also stiffer, so Bridgestone tires do not have the best effect on ride comfort. Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000 tires will surely find their poor buyer, especially in the hinterland - where tires are often changed not because of tread wear, but because of holes in the pits. + High impact resistance High slash resistance Traction and handling on asphalt Handling on ice and snow Comfort
8	Score: 7.5 Hankook	Load / Speed Index: 91T Weight, kg10.0 Tread depth, mm: 9.4 Shore hardness of rubber, unit 57 Number of studs / studding lines Protrusion of spikes, mm 0.7 Country of origin: South Korea Even at the stage of "static" measurements, we assumed that the Hankook tires were superfluous in this test: most of the studs barely protrude above the tread level. There are those that rise only 0.3 mm! On ice, such studs, of course, do not work - the car slides menacingly both when braking and cornering. But at the same time it gets a decent rating for the reliability of control: yes, the car slides and therefore goes slowly, but the limit in adhesion properties is felt well, the breakdowns are soft, there is a good balance of drift and skid ... It also happens. However, the Hankook tires were unable to shine even in the snow, where the studs no longer play a big role. The tread copes poorly with drainage functions - on the sludge (snow-water mixture), Hankook tires float before others. They also work poorly on wet asphalt (the braking distance is too long) - and only on dry asphalt everything is more or less in order. But this is not enough to recommend the Hankook Winter i * Pike as a winter tire. True, there is an argument that for many sounds stronger than arguments about safety: Hankook tires are exactly half the price of Nokian tires. + Price Dry grip and handling Adhesion properties on ice and snow Low slashplaning resistance Adhesion on wet asphalt
10	Score: 7.1 Kama	Load / Speed Index: 91T Weight, kg10.3 Tread depth, mm: 9.0 Shore hardness, unit 59 Number of studs / studding lines Protrusion of spikes, mm 0.8 Country of origin: Russia Despite the tread pattern very much reminiscent of the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 4 tires, Russian tires Kama Euro-519 cannot yet compete on equal terms with imported counterparts. Longitudinal grip on snow is encouraging, but on the handling track, all hopes disappear. It is difficult to "fill" the car into a corner, and therefore before each of them you need to slow down more than in the case of other tires. The picture is also sad on the ice: the slides are also poorly predictable and poorly controlled. And there are problems with braking on ice. The reason seems to be the same as with the Hankook tires: insufficient stud protrusion above the tread surface. On average - 0.8 mm: such a departure is not enough for a good "grip" on the ice. On asphalt, the tires perform at an average level. When performing sharp maneuvers, the reactions to the steering wheel are "smeared". And let the thorns slightly annoy with a clatter, the protector hums fairly. And on bumps, these tires are one of the toughest. Yes, the Kama Euro-519 tires came in last in our test. But if you remember about the price and the stellar composition of the participants, then this is not just the last, but the honorable last place. And if the manufacturer establishes control over the quality of studding, then, you see, it will be possible to apply for higher and no less honorable places. + Price Braking properties on snow Adhesion properties on ice Handling on ice and snow Low comfort level

The current crisis forces us to save on everything, including tires. After all, a set of even budget tires costs a pretty penny. Therefore, when choosing tires, many motorists first look at the price, and only then study their characteristics and get acquainted with the test results. We also decided to talk about the rating of the winter tires we tested, starting primarily from their price. The most expensive in our list is the “spike” “Nokian-Hakkapelita 8” with an average price in online stores of 3,700 rubles apiece. Not cheap, of course, but in our rating it is ahead of the rest - 944 points. "Hakki" has the first places in almost every exercise. Moreover, as we managed to notice, high performance remain so even after a fairly long run.

Slightly cheaper - at a price of 3500 rubles apiece - you can buy Continental-ContiIsContact tires. For a couple of years now, the manufacturer has hinted at replacing this model with the next one, but is in no hurry to move from words to deeds. Is it really necessary? Second place with 915 points and very nice results They say unequivocally: the potential of "ContiIsContact" is still great, it is too early to write off this model.

Much cheaper German "Gislaved-Nord Frost 100" and Japanese "Bridgestone-Blizzak Spike-01" - 2700 rubles per tire. Which one should you choose? To answer, you will have to study the table with the results. According to the results of measurements, these tires are comparable, the difference is only in the subjective assessment of experts. However, Gislaved received 884 points and fourth place, and Bridgestone - 859 points and only the sixth line of the rating.

For 2,400 rubles, you can buy the fifth "Nordman" (younger brother of "Nokian"). The characteristics are no worse than those of the more expensive Bridgestone and Gislaved. The offer is tempting because this tire scored 886 points in our table of ranks, which allowed it to take an honorable third place and climb the podium.

Japanese "Toyo-Observ G3-Ice" is cheaper than "Nordman" by only 100 rubles. In the protocol "Toyo" has 853 points and the eighth final place. If cross-country ability is not so important, if you are ready to put up with insufficient comfort and mediocre handling, then the choice of "G3-Ice" is justified.

You can save even more if you prefer Formula Ice tires (this is a new brand of Pirelli). About 2,000 rubles apiece, 863 points and the fifth place in the ranking is a good combination. The cost of saving is slightly "weakened" characteristics on snow and insufficient directional stability on asphalt. Cordiant-Snow Cross competes with Pirelli-Formula Ice - 1950 rubles per tire. The result is 856 points and the seventh place. Translated from the language of numbers, this means that on asphalt at a speed of 60–80 km / h, you will have to keep the distance increased by a body and a half due to low braking properties by modern standards. Snow Cross does not have the best indicators of handling, directional stability and comfort. But the car on these tires quite confidently keeps on ice and snow.

Finally, Amtel-Nordmaster ST is sold for 1700 pe. More than two times cheaper than the leaders! And - a modest 829 points and the ninth place on our list. If you are an ardent pilot, then before choosing Amtel, we advise you to carefully study the test results and only then go to the store. Errors in driving on these tires can be fraught with danger. "Nordmaster" is suitable for leisurely and experienced drivers.

TEST RESULTS

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Experts' opinions on each tire are presented below

A place	Tire	Expert opinion
1	Points total: 944	Place of manufacture: Russia Maximum speed: T (190 km / h) Tread pattern: directed 8,7-8,9 Number of spikes, pcs .: 174 1,3-1,6/1,6-1,9 Tire weight, kg: 7.2 3700 Value for money: 3.92 + Better grip on snow and ice. Good braking properties on dry asphalt. Economical. Excellent cross-country ability, good handling. - Minor remarks regarding comfort.

	Sergey Mishin: Reliable and safest on any winter roads and off-road.

2	Points total: 915	Place of manufacture: Germany Maximum speed: T (190 km / h) Tread pattern: asymmetric Depth of tread pattern in width, mm: 8,9-9,1 Shore hardness of rubber, unit: 56 Number of spikes, pcs .: 110 Spike protrusion before / after tests, mm: 1,8-2,0/1,8-2,0 Tire weight, kg: 7.4 Average price in online stores, rubles: 3500 Value for money: 3.83 + Very good grip on snow and ice. Best braking properties on wet asphalt, good on dry. - Minor remarks regarding handling, road holding on a snowy road and comfort.

	Sergey Mishin: Reliable and safe in any winter conditions.

3	Points total: 886	Place of manufacture: Russia Maximum speed: T (190 km / h) Tread pattern: directed Depth of tread pattern in width, mm: 8,8-8,9 Shore hardness of rubber, unit: 53 Number of spikes, pcs .: 110 Spike protrusion before / after tests, mm: 1,3-1,6/1,5-1,8 Tire weight, kg: 7.3 Average price in online stores, rubles: 2400 Value for money: 2.71 + Good grip on snow and lateral grip on ice. Moderate fuel consumption. A clear course on the asphalt. - Satisfactory handling, directional stability on a snowy road, cross-country ability and level of comfort.



4	Points total: 884	Place of manufacture: Germany Maximum speed: T (190 km / h) Tread pattern: directed Depth of tread pattern in width, mm: 8,9-9,1 Shore hardness of rubber, unit: 53 Number of spikes, pcs .: 90 Spike protrusion before / after tests, mm: 1,5-1,7/1,7-2,0 Tire weight, kg: 7.0 Average price in online stores, rubles: 2700 Value for money: 3.05 + Very good braking properties on wet asphalt. High lateral grip on snow. Clear and understandable handling. - Satisfactory directional stability on a winter road, cross-country ability and level of comfort.

	Sergey Mishin: Suitable for any winter roads.

5	Points total: 863	Place of manufacture: Russia Maximum speed: T (190 km / h) Tread pattern: directed Depth of tread pattern in width, mm: 9,0-9,3 Shore hardness of rubber, unit: 52 Number of spikes, pcs .: 110 Spike protrusion before / after tests, mm: 1,3-1,7/1,3-1,7 Tire weight, kg: 7.0 Average price in online stores, rubles: 2000 Value for money: 2.32 + Good braking properties on dry asphalt. High running smoothness. - Poor grip on snow. Fuzzy course following on asphalt.

	Sergey Mishin: They will reveal their best properties on icy roads and in urban modes on cleaned streets.

6	Points total: 859	Place of manufacture: Japan Maximum speed: T (190 km / h) Tread pattern: directed Depth of tread pattern in width, mm: 9,0-9,4 Shore hardness of rubber, unit: 49 Number of spikes, pcs .: 110 Spike protrusion before / after tests, mm: 1,6-2,0/1,6-2,1 Tire weight, kg: 7.7 Average price in online stores, rubles: 2700 Value for money: 3.14 + Better transverse grip on ice. Good accelerating properties on ice. - Increased fuel consumption. Limited cross-country ability. Difficult road holding on asphalt, low level of comfort.



7	Points total: 856	Place of manufacture: Russia Maximum speed: T (190 km / h) Tread pattern: directed Depth of tread pattern in width, mm: 9,7-10,0 Shore hardness of rubber, unit: 54 Number of spikes, pcs .: 110 Spike protrusion before / after tests, mm: 1,6-1,9/1,2-2,2 Tire weight, kg: 7.3 Average price in online stores, rubles: 1950 Value for money: 2.28 + Good braking properties and lateral grip on snow and ice. Good cross-country ability. - Poor braking properties on all asphalt conditions. Difficult handling and directional stability on a winter road. Not a high level of comfort.

	Sergey Mishin: Better than others they are suitable for the outback with icy, snowy roads and snowdrifts.

8	Points total: 853	Place of manufacture: Japan Maximum speed: T (190 km / h) Tread pattern: directed Depth of tread pattern in width, mm: 8,7-9,0 Shore hardness of rubber, unit: 55 Number of spikes, pcs .: 90 Spike protrusion before / after tests, mm: 1,6-1,9/1,8-2,3 Tire weight, kg: 7.8 Average price in online stores, rubles: 2300 Value for money: 2.70 + Satisfactory handling on a winter road. - Poor braking on wet asphalt. Difficult road holding on asphalt. Low level of comfort.

	Sergey Mishin: Suitable for any winter roads, but will not help in deep snow.

9	Points total: 829	Place of manufacture: Russia Maximum speed: Q (160 km / h) Tread pattern: directed Depth of tread pattern in width, mm: 9,1-9,3 Shore hardness of rubber, unit: 53 Number of spikes, pcs .: 112 Spike protrusion before / after tests, mm: 1,3-1,8/1,3-1,8 Tire weight, kg: 6.8 Average price in online stores, rubles: 1700 Value for money: 2.05 + Best braking properties on dry asphalt, very good on wet asphalt. - Poor longitudinal grip on snow and ice, increased consumption fuel. Difficult handling and directional stability on a winter road.

	Sergey Mishin: Their best qualities will be revealed on cleaned asphalt roads.

10	Points total: 818	Place of manufacture: Russia Maximum speed: T (190 km / h) Tread pattern: directed Depth of tread pattern in width, mm: 8,3-8,9 Shore hardness of rubber, unit: 59 Number of spikes, pcs .: 112 Spike protrusion before / after tests, mm: 1,1-1,5/1,2-1,5 Tire weight, kg: 7.9 Average price in online stores, rubles: 1800 Value for money: 2.20 + Good braking properties on dry asphalt. Satisfactory directional stability on a snowy road. - Poor grip on ice, weak on snow. Difficult handling on a winter road, limited cross-country ability, low level of comfort.

	Sergey Mishin: For a leisurely ride on cleaned asphalt and slightly snowy roads.

I hasten to share my impressions of the novelty of this season - winter studded tires Gislaved Nord Frost 100.From November to February, I skated 10 thousand kilometers on them, starting from dry asphalt and ending with crystal clear ice, which allows us to draw certain conclusions.

In general, I am not only not a supporter, but rather even an opponent of winter studded tires when it comes to operation in Moscow and the Moscow region. Studless tires have tremendous benefits in terms of low noise levels and increased ride comfort, and they do not tend to slip on dry asphalt.

But if you drive on winter roads with snow crust or regularly go out on the ice for training, it is simply pointless to do this on studless tires. The thing is that studless tires, in principle, do not allow loading the front axle with braking before a maneuver, therefore there is no hook on the steered wheels and if it happens at high speed, the front axle starts to drift and the car drives past the turn.

2. Therefore, on the ice - only thorns, only hardcore. For the first time, Nord Frost surprised me in the fall, when after changing very decent summer tires (), I did not notice an increase in noise at all (here it should be noted that the Octavia has noise insulation of 3 points on a five-point scale, while Japanese and Korean C-class cars usually do not reach up to 2 points). For the sake of fairness, it is worth noting that after running in, when all the studs came out, the noise still appeared, but I realized this only after I rolled on the freshly laid "silent asphalt". All in all, the acoustic comfort is excellent.

3. Immediately, I note that I have a dimension of 225 / 50R17 and in this standard size the tires come with the XL index, that is, they have a reinforced sidewall (and, as befits all low-profile tires, they have rim protection). There are no complaints about handling on any surface, the steering response is, of course, more smeared than summer tires, but not critical.

4. The tires have shown phenomenal braking performance in all conditions, be it asphalt or ice. At the same time, there is a flip side of the coin - poor grip during acceleration. That in a snowy mess, that on clean ice, the gas pedal must be handled very gently, otherwise all 4 driving wheels break off into slipping. But what can I say, at street temperatures below minus 10 degrees, a modest 152-horsepower turbo engine easily breaks all 4 driving wheels into slipping, even on dry asphalt. It seems that my past studless tires provided much better grip during acceleration. But all the thorns are still in place.

5. Of course, it should be borne in mind that studded tires are not a panacea if the driver has absolutely no driving skills. Also, it is not always worth making a choice on the basis of exclusively "synthetic" tests for acceleration dynamics, braking distance and the speed of the elk test. Here a lot depends on the driver. Therefore, I recommend everyone to visit at least once in their life. And of course, you should always pay attention to the weather conditions - even the slightest change in the ambient temperature can drastically change the grip of the tires.

On-board shooting from the track on the "secret lake". It is very slippery, it is impossible to accelerate quickly, the lap time (3.3 km) is 3 minutes 45 seconds. Although you can see that most of the track is not rolled out to ice.

In the same place on the lake, another day - a different temperature. The best lap time is 3 minutes 30 seconds.

Summing up, we can admit that Nord Frost 100 is a very worthy tire model for daily use, which does not cause acoustic discomfort and is perhaps an excellent choice for those who do not have enough studless tires. And given the pricing policy, it will be a bestseller anyway without my recommendations. I'm going to put in a Michelin X-ICE North 2 for comparison.

Photos used in the article