How does a winter tyre work?

At the heart of the winter tyre’s advantage is its use of a softer compound rubber than uses a higher silica content – a combination that allows it to retain its suppleness and grip as the temperature plummets. Summer rubber hardens below 7deg C, which means it tends to ‘skate’ over cold and damp surfaces.

Many winter tyres also claim to have deeper grooves or channels in the tread that help them clear standing water and slush more effectively. 

However, independent testing reveals there’s often very little difference in resistance to aquaplaning (where a layer of water forms between the road and tyre, causing a total loss of grip) between summer and winter rubber; rather, it’s just that the latter is better able to find grip on the cold surface when the water is finally cleared.

One area where winter tyres really excel is in the snow, and this is thanks to their ‘sipes’ – small cuts in the tread blocks. Contrary to popular belief, these types of tyres don’t cut through the snow in the fashion of off-road rubber that digs through the mud to find a grippier surface below. 

Instead, the sipes hold snow and create a surface that allows more snow to ‘stick’ to the tread, which actually increases grip. It’s similar to rolling a snowball: the snow sticks to itself.

Can I use winter tyres all year round?

Technically, yes you can use winter tyres throughout the year, but as the temperature rises through spring and summer they won’t be at their best. 

Of course, winter tyres will still be a safe option, but the softer compound and special tread patterns simply aren’t as effective at dealing with warm, dry Tarmac.

For starters, you’ll get less grip than a standard summer tyre, meaning lower cornering speeds and longer braking distances. You’d expect a softer compound tyre to actually be grippier in the dry, but as the treads and carcass heat up they become less effective, essentially sliding across the Tarmac at speeds at which a summer tyre is still clinging on gamely.