Studded vs. Studless Winter Tires: Which Is Right for You?

Once you’ve decided winter tires make sense for you (our guide to winter vs. all-season tires covers that choice), the next question is often about studs. Should you get tires with metal pins, or a modern studless design? Or a studdable tire that leaves the choice open?

There is no single right answer. It depends on how icy your roads get, how much bare pavement you drive on, how much road noise you’ll put up with, and what your state allows. This guide walks through how each type works and who each one tends to suit.

How studs grip ice

Studs are small, lightweight metal pins set in a staggered pattern across the tread. Each one sticks out only slightly past the rubber. When the tire rolls onto ice, the studs press into the surface and give the tire something to hold on to, much like the spikes on a pair of cleats.

That is where studs shine. Tire maker Nokian says studded tires outperform studless winter tires on wet ice and hard-packed snow. Its advice is simple: if you drive on icy roads more often than snowy ones, studs are the better match.

The trade-offs show up on clear roads:

• Bare pavement. On dry pavement the studs, not the rubber, are doing much of the touching. Tire makers note this can lengthen braking distances.
• Noise. Studs add road noise on bare pavement. Studless tires are the quieter choice.
• Wear. Driving on clear pavement wears the studs down, and studs wear the road too.
• Break-in. New studded tires need a gentle start so the studs seat firmly in the rubber. Nokian’s guidance is to avoid quick acceleration, fast cornering and hard braking for the first few hundred miles. Follow the break-in guidance for your specific tire.

How modern studless tires grip

Studless winter tires handle snow and ice without any metal. They lean on three things working together:

• Cold-flexible rubber. Winter compounds are designed to stay soft in the cold. Tire makers point to about 45°F as the point where all-season rubber starts to stiffen. Rubber that stays flexible keeps more of its grip on cold, slick roads.
• Sipes. These are thin slits cut into the tread blocks. Together they add thousands of small biting edges.
• Deep, open tread. Wide grooves bite into snow and give slush a path to escape.

Because there is no metal, studless tires are quieter on bare roads, and the laws that restrict studs don’t apply to them. They are not built to run year-round, though. Winter compounds are made for the cold, so plan to swap back to your regular tires when the weather warms up.

Michelin’s winter tire guide, for example, says quality non-studded winter tires are enough for most drivers. If you spend most of your time on plowed city streets and highways, a good studless tire is usually the practical pick. Brands such as Bridgestone, Continental and Nokian all make studless winter lines.

Studded vs. studless compared

Studdable tires: keeping your options open

A studdable tire is a winter tire made with small holes molded into the tread. It is sold without studs. You can drive it as a studless tire, or have studs installed so it works like a studded one.

A few things to know before you go that route:

• A shop installs the studs. Installation should follow the tire maker’s specifications. Washington State’s rules, for example, say studs may be installed only by the tire manufacturer or a tire dealer following those specifications.
• Decide early. Studs go into new tires. Washington’s rules say studs must not be put into a tire after it has been driven, and shops generally won’t stud tires that already have miles on them. Make the call when you buy.
• Check your exact size. Confirm with the tire maker that the size you need is listed as studdable.
• Call the installer first. Not every shop offers studding. When you order from us, you can ship tires straight to a local installer by entering the shop’s address as the shipping address and the shop’s name in the Company name field. Call ahead so the shop expects the delivery and can confirm it will stud the tires. Our shipping policy has the details on how orders ship.

Winter tires are made in sizes for cars and crossovers as well as pickups and larger SUVs. You can browse passenger car tires and light truck tires by size, then check the product details and the tire maker’s page to confirm whether a model is studless or studdable.

Check your state’s rules before you stud

Studs are restricted in many places because they grind grooves into pavement. The Washington State DOT estimates that studded tires cause $20 million to $29 million in damage to state-owned roads each winter.

How states handle this varies a lot:

• Seasonal limits. Many states that allow studs only permit them during a set winter window. Washington, for example, allows studded tires from November 1 to March 31. WSDOT says there are no individual exceptions or out-of-state waivers, though the state can extend the deadline when weather calls for it.
• General bans. Some states prohibit studs for most drivers. Minnesota’s law, for instance, bars studded tires on its highways, with narrow exceptions such as limited use by visiting nonresidents.
• Road trips. Rules apply where you drive, not just where your car is registered. Check every state on your route.

Because dates and exceptions change, look up the current rules on your state DOT or DMV website before you buy studded or studdable tires.

Which should you choose?

Studded tires may suit you if:

• Your roads are icy more often than they are snowy, or you drive rural roads and hills that stay slick for days.
• You face freezing rain or glare ice on a regular basis.
• Your state allows studs, and you can live with more noise on dry days.

Studless tires may suit you if:

• You mostly drive plowed streets and highways, with ice only now and then.
• You want a quieter ride on bare pavement.
• You live in or travel through states that limit or ban studs.

A studdable tire may suit you if you want studless manners now but may need studs later. Just remember that the stud decision has to be made while the tires are new.

Whichever you choose, install winter tires on all four wheels so grip stays balanced front to rear. Nokian specifically advises studded tires on all four wheels. Match the size and load rating on your door-jamb placard or owner’s manual, have a certified shop mount them, and drive to the conditions, because no tire makes ice safe. For more on sizing and vehicle type, see our guide on choosing the right winter tire, then browse our winter tires.