We all have that one set of tires that turned a sketchy commute into a confidence booster. Whether it was hydroplaning resistance that kept you glued to the interstate in a monsoon or studs that clawed through black ice like it was dry pavement, your real-world experience is the ultimate test. AutoSpies wants to hear from you: What are the best tires you’ve ever had for rain, for snow, and for ice—and why? Drop the make, model, size, the vehicle they lived on, and the story that sealed the deal.
Rain Kings
Monsoon season, standing water, midnight oil changes—tell us the tire that laughed at aquaplaning. Was it the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S on your WRX that sliced through flooded on-ramps at 70 mph without a twitch? Or the Continental ExtremeContact DWS06 that let your minivan haul the kids to school in a deluge without once lighting up the ABS? We want the wet-braking numbers you felt in your gut, the lap times you accidentally set on the way to the grocery store, and the moment you realized the tread pattern was worth every penny.
Snow & Ice Warriors
When the plows can’t keep up and the forecast says “wintry mix,” which rubber turned your driveway into a launchpad? Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 on a Subaru Outback that climbed an unplowed hill in 4-Lo like it was gravel? Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 on a Tesla Model 3 that stopped shorter on glare ice than your summer tires did on warm asphalt? Share the temperature, the incline, the “I can’t believe this is an EV” grin. Studded, studless, siping secrets—lay it all out.
The Specs That Matter
Tire make & exact model
Size (e.g., 245/40R18)
Vehicle year, make, model, drivetrain
Region & typical winter low
One-sentence “never forget” moment
Post your answers in the thread below or tag
@AutoSpies with photos of the tread (bonus points for side-wall shots next to a ruler). We’ll compile the top vote-getters into a community-sourced buyer’s guide just in time for the first nor’easter. Your garage floor wisdom could save the next driver from a $600 mistake—or inspire a $600 upgrade.
What’s the tire that earned a permanent spot in your “never selling these” bin? Name it, claim it, and let the rubber meet the rhetoric.