Okay I'm sorry, semantics.

The Blizzak has winter rubber around the outside, after the 60% point it is worn down to what 99% of the tires in the US use for summer rubber, which is technically rated M&S, and you lose some of your siping.

True, my Pirelli P-Zero and P-700Z tires use different rubber that is completely useless when it's even thinking about snowing, plus the minimal tread and total lack of sipes, ...

The point is that tires like the Dunlop Graspic and the Hakks have good winter rubber throughout the tread, I've never understood why someone will buy a tire that is useless for what you intended after 60%, to each his own. I also prefer the diagonal sipes in the hakks to the lateral sipes in most other winter tires.

The Michelin Alpins are good ice tires, but not as good in snow. Quieter and better on wet/dry than most studless ice tires, but after a set of Arctic Alpins and a set of Pilot Alpins, I don't think I'll buy another set, back to the Dunlops and the Nokian/Hakks.

Also true BTW about the amount of winter use, the Blizzaks I bought for my daughter's E320 will probably never wear out, likely she'll wreck the car first.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff