Legality of Studded Tyres?
 

Hi

I'm starting a long winter 4x4 trip across Russia and back next month (I hope), and I ill at some point need to get proper winter tyres (with studs) for safety.

My plan was to get them in Russia in October, but I'm toying with the idea of getting them in Europe.

I'll be crossing Netherlands, Germany, Polan, Lithuania, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia to get into Russia.

Is it legal to drive with studded tyres across these countries in September?? I know it is a legal requirement to have winter or M+S tyres in these countries in winter (typically Nov to Mar / Apr), but I can't seem to find much that says it is illagal outside of these times.

I know that studded tyres make a hell of a noise on dry asphalt, so it will be pretty obvious. And I'm not a fan of German police...

Thanks

EO

Doubt it in September. In the back of the Michellin Europe Atlas is a table showing dates where studded tyres are permitted, so I imagine a simple google search will produce similar info.

Regulations for the use of winter tyres, snow chains and studded tyres in Europe

looks like studded tyres are not allowed at all in several countries on your list and in no case allowed so early in the season.

Thanks for the link, I did have a search but didn't find anything as definitive as that, everything was vaguely worded. Looks like the idea is a non-starter!

Cheers

EO

Not only is it illegal to drive on studded tires in September even in countries that allow them (Estonia, Finland, Sweden do in the winter months), but the tires you will find in Western Europe are not going to be the same winter tires as what you need for Russia. Western and Central Europe have such mild winters that the tires sold there, even if they are the same model name and tread pattern, are made out of a different rubber compound. Furthermore, I don't think you will even have much choice for studded tires outside of Scandinavia and Estonia.

It is better by far to get the tires you need in the place where they are common - i.e. Russia. Any big Russian city is going to have them in stock.

I work at a tire shop in Finland, so hope this post helps. There are 3 type of winter tires available, studded tires (for example Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice Arctic SUV), non studded for the nordic and northern russian winter (for example Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice SUV), and non studded for the central european winter (for example Goodyear Ultra Grip 9).

From Estonia onwards, I think your best choice would be the Nordic non-studded tyres. In a 4x4 vehicle with nordic non-studded tires, you will be able to go 99% of the places that you could go with studded tires.

In Tallinn, you can buy new tires for example at https://www.kummimees.ee/

If you do decide to come to Helsinki as well, I will be more than happy to help with the tires.

Hi Otso

Thank you so much for your reply, very helpful. If I understand you correctly, you're saying that metal-studded tyres are not so much better than non-studded winter tyres? I plan to drive on winter roads, so this will be ice and hard-packed snow, will studs not be a big advantage here? In what conditions are studs really useful?

A few years ago I was travelling in Russia in my Hilux with summer tyres during the start of winter. I had very little control and was reduced to driving in 4WD at 50 km/h for much of the time. A friend then drove me on similar roads with studded tyres, and he was driving totally normally (e.g. 120 kmh, passing other cars and turning) and the car was planted. I was impressed.

Also, is there any way to tell the difference between winter tyres for Nordic countries / Russia, and those for use in Central Europe? I have been looking at the Nokian WR SUV 3, do you know which category these fall into?

Thanks again for your help,

EO

Those who live in extreme climates have two sets of tyres optimized for different driving conditions and they change from one to the other as driving seasons change. For travellers crossing several countries and several climates, that isn't an option so best you can do is pick a tyre that will be reasonably optimum for the entire journey. Studded tyres are out, so err on the side of safety and just run snow tyres for the whole trip. Carry chains for extremes. Wear is worse in the summer of course but not all that bad.

Hi EO,

Ive spent 10 Winters driving in the Rocky mountains here in Canada and a lot of time in Norway, temperatures get below -40 C here for a while, I run Bridgestone Blizzak DMV-1 on the Discovery2 every Winter and BFG All Terrains in the Summer, my wife drives her Mini Cooper S all year round with Nokian Hakkepeliitta R on during the Winter and Continental Summer tires the rest of the time. I have used the Bridgestone LT rated Blizzaks for about 7 Winters now.
The Nokian tyres you mention, the WR SUV 3 are a high performance tyre - so more for BMW X5/ Range Rover etc etc, I would go for the Hakkepeliitta R2 SUV which is still speed rated for 190 kmh but will be a bit cheaper and as good if not better than the WR SUV 3
The other thing is to consider is an LT (Light Truck) rated tyre too, which will be heavier duty with a deeper tread, what are your regular tyre sizes and on which vehicle - the Hilux?

Although they are not quite as good as studded tyres the grip levels are still very very good, my wifes Mini will go up hills a 4x4 SUV on 3 season tyres (used to be called 'all season' tyres, but not any longer) will get stuck on, even on sheet ice the grip is excellent. I have seen rental cars here ( on Summer or 3 season tyres) stuck on sheet ice in flat level car parking lots, unable to move, the tyres just spin.
As the guys have mentioned you are better to get some studless Winter tyres and carry a set of chains for deep snow, buy them in Scandinavia or Russia, any tyres made for Western Europe will have a slightly different less pliable compound for warmer climates.
People do drive Winter tyres around all year, as the compound is softer they will wear faster, but on an overland trip its not a huge issue,
I would definitely go with Nokian if possible, the only reason I am not running them on the Discovery2 is that they do not make the correct size for it. The Bridgestone tyres are ok but the silica does not run all the way through the tread compound, so as they wear they become less effective on ice.


Hope that helps!

Part of the point of Gipper's post above is that some tires are made of rubber specially formulated to give extra grip. It's not just the tread pattern (although that helps)--it's the rubber itself.

If the choice is cheap winter tires vs. cheap winter tires with studs, I'll take the studs every time--they're great on ice, good on packed snow, and only somewhat less effective on dry pavement. But if I was looking for a single set of tires to cover me from shoulder season through deep winter, it'd have to be Blizzaks or Hakkepeliittas. They're pretty good on ice, pretty good on snow, perfectly fine on dry pavement, and legal year-round--but they're expensive and wear out fast.

At home I trade off between 4 all-weather tires and 4 winter studded tires. When I've got the studded tires mounted, I often find that when things are icy I'm the only 2-wheel drive car on the roads, and I'm constantly passing 4-wheelers in ditches.

YMMV, but I hope that's helpful.

Mark

That's a big can of worms to open :) but essentially, studs are really useful on sheet ice. Black ice, frozen roads, that kind of stuff - they do make a difference. On soft/mushy snow and dirt, not really.

I drive on studded tires in the winter because while they are noisy and inconvenient most of the time, there may be that one occasion per winter where they make the difference between crashing or stopping in time. But it's a valid argument that Nordic-compound deep-tread tires are a better overall package. Depends on your preference and risk assessment.

Studded tyres are not allowed in Poland, in Lithuania you can use them, but there are some restrictions on the high way roads, as I remember, so needs to be checked.

In Latvia you can use any kind of riepas, studded tyres are allowed as well.

I live in Estonia. I wasn't born here so the first winter was a sphincter-fest and any confidence with winter driving since comes from an adrenaline-avoiding driving style and having to change tyres twice a year.

I have two vehicles. One came with studded winter tyres (regular family car), and a L1H1 van with non-studded.

With the exception of heavier braking I have not noticed any discernible difference in the performance or grip of the studded and non-studded. I personally prefer the latter.