While studded tires don't have much use in the UK, for parts of the Nordic countries they are essential for safe mobility.

To find out which  of the latest studded winter tires are worth fitting, Swedish magazine Vi Bilagare have tested seven studded winter tires in 225/50 R17, and included a studless nordic friction winter tire as a comparison.

Even if you don't live in an area that needs such an extreme winter tire, the difference in performance between the latest studded and studless winter tires is an interesting demonstration.

The main novelty of the test came from the new Continental IceContact 3, which is the first tire to use rubberised flexstud spikes. These studs claim to offer reduced road wear, while improving traction on ice.

 

Dry

During dry braking testing, the studless friction Continental VikingContact led the way with a significant gap to the best studded tire, which was also a Continental.

 

 

Wet

Wet braking testing swung the balance back to the studded tires, with the studded Continental tire stopping the test vehicle in the shortest distance. The studless winter tire could only manage a mid-group performance.

Due to the tread design of studless friction tires, the studded tires all had a significant advantage during wet handling and aquaplaning testing.

Snow

Continental dominated all three snow tests, with either their studded tire, or studless tire taking top spot. The budget Sailun Ice Blazer was extremely weak in all three tests.

Ice

The new type of spike on the Continental IceContact 3 delivered on its promise of improved ice trip, winning both the ice traction and ice braking tests.

Perhaps the most interesting result of the test was the ice handling, as the studless friction tire beat ALL the studded tires! This was due to the types of ice used for testing. For traction and braking testing, smooth ice was used as it replicated ice found at junctions, but for ice handling, uneven ice was used which is closer to the icy surfaces you find on the open roads. 

The testers did note one extra important point. When you lose grip on the studless tire, it takes much longer to recover the grip, which means they still recommend studded tires overall, as they will provide higher manoeuvrability and safety reserves in real life useage.

Results

1st: Continental IceContact 3
225/50 R17 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 2nd 44.9 M 43 M +1.9 M 95.77% Subj. Dry Handling 6th 2 Points 5 Points -3 Points 40% Wet Braking 1st 28.8 M 100% Wet Handling 6th 44.12 s 43.18 s +0.94 s 97.87% Straight Aqua 3rd 60.3 Km/H 62.2 Km/H -1.9 Km/H 96.95% Snow Braking 2nd 16.9 M 16.7 M +0.2 M 98.82% Snow Traction 2nd 4.06 s 4.05 s +0.01 s 99.75% Snow Handling 1st 83.75 s 100% Ice Braking 1st 8.67 M 100% Ice Traction 1st 4.14 s 100% Ice Handling 2nd 52.64 s 51.35 s +1.29 s 97.55% High grip on snow and ice, low noise. Weak subjective dry handling. The new rubberised studs in the IceContact 3 really work. Excellent grip in all conditions. Read Reviews
2nd: Michelin X Ice North 4
225/50 R17 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 4th 46.7 M 43 M +3.7 M 92.08% Subj. Dry Handling 1st 5 Points 100% Wet Braking 5th 31 M 28.8 M +2.2 M 92.9% Wet Handling 7th 44.37 s 43.18 s +1.19 s 97.32% Straight Aqua 6th 58.1 Km/H 62.2 Km/H -4.1 Km/H 93.41% Snow Braking 3rd 17.9 M 16.7 M +1.2 M 93.3% Snow Traction 3rd 4.17 s 4.05 s +0.12 s 97.12% Snow Handling 3rd 86.49 s 83.75 s +2.74 s 96.83% Ice Braking 2nd 9.42 M 8.67 M +0.75 M 92.04% Ice Traction 3rd 4.51 s 4.14 s +0.37 s 91.8% Ice Handling 3rd 52.89 s 51.35 s +1.54 s 97.09% High grip on snow and ice, good handling, low noise. Weak aquaplaning resistance. Quietest studded tires on test, even with 257 spikes, with the lowest signs of wear. Read Reviews
3rd: Continental VikingContact 7
225/50 R17 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 1st 43 M 100% Subj. Dry Handling 6th 2 Points 5 Points -3 Points 40% Wet Braking 5th 31 M 28.8 M +2.2 M 92.9% Wet Handling 8th 45.65 s 43.18 s +2.47 s 94.59% Straight Aqua 8th 57 Km/H 62.2 Km/H -5.2 Km/H 91.64% Snow Braking 1st 16.7 M 100% Snow Traction 1st 4.05 s 100% Snow Handling 2nd 85.59 s 83.75 s +1.84 s 97.85% Ice Braking 4th 10.64 M 8.67 M +1.97 M 81.48% Ice Traction 7th 5.16 s 4.14 s +1.02 s 80.23% Ice Handling 1st 51.35 s 100% High grip in the snow, good handling on uneven ice, low noise. Relatively poor in dry and wet, weak aquaplaning resistance. As the only non-studded tire on test, the Viking Contact 7 had an impressive all round ability. Read Reviews
4th: Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9
225/50 R17 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 5th 47.1 M 43 M +4.1 M 91.3% Subj. Dry Handling 4th 3 Points 5 Points -2 Points 60% Wet Braking 3rd 29.9 M 28.8 M +1.1 M 96.32% Wet Handling 1st 43.18 s 100% Straight Aqua 7th 57.5 Km/H 62.2 Km/H -4.7 Km/H 92.44% Snow Braking 4th 18 M 16.7 M +1.3 M 92.78% Snow Traction 5th 4.23 s 4.05 s +0.18 s 95.74% Snow Handling 4th 87.54 s 83.75 s +3.79 s 95.67% Ice Braking 3rd 9.68 M 8.67 M +1.01 M 89.57% Ice Traction 2nd 4.27 s 4.14 s +0.13 s 96.96% Ice Handling 4th 53.92 s 51.35 s +2.57 s 95.23% Good handling and high grip on snow and ice. Weak aquaplaning resistance, moderate Noise. One of the most stable tires on test, with great handling. Read Reviews
5th: Hankook Winter i pike RS2
225/50 R17 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 6th 47.8 M 43 M +4.8 M 89.96% Subj. Dry Handling 4th 3 Points 5 Points -2 Points 60% Wet Braking 8th 31.4 M 28.8 M +2.6 M 91.72% Wet Handling 4th 43.71 s 43.18 s +0.53 s 98.79% Straight Aqua 1st 62.2 Km/H 100% Snow Braking 6th 18.1 M 16.7 M +1.4 M 92.27% Snow Traction 6th 4.27 s 4.05 s +0.22 s 94.85% Snow Handling 5th 87.93 s 83.75 s +4.18 s 95.25% Ice Braking 7th 10.97 M 8.67 M +2.3 M 79.03% Ice Traction 5th 4.94 s 4.14 s +0.8 s 83.81% Ice Handling 5th 55.52 s 51.35 s +4.17 s 92.49% High resistance to aquaplaning. High noise levels, long wet braking. Excellent aquaplaning results, but the smallest spike protrusion hampered its results on ice. Read Reviews
6th: Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic
225/50 R17 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 3rd 46.2 M 43 M +3.2 M 93.07% Subj. Dry Handling 2nd 4 Points 5 Points -1 Points 80% Wet Braking 2nd 29.8 M 28.8 M +1 M 96.64% Wet Handling 2nd 43.59 s 43.18 s +0.41 s 99.06% Straight Aqua 2nd 60.9 Km/H 62.2 Km/H -1.3 Km/H 97.91% Snow Braking 4th 18 M 16.7 M +1.3 M 92.78% Snow Traction 4th 4.2 s 4.05 s +0.15 s 96.43% Snow Handling 7th 89.15 s 83.75 s +5.4 s 93.94% Ice Braking 5th 10.87 M 8.67 M +2.2 M 79.76% Ice Traction 6th 5.03 s 4.14 s +0.89 s 82.31% Ice Handling 7th 56.63 s 51.35 s +5.28 s 90.68% Good driving performance in the dry, good traction and braking in the snow. Weak lateral stability on snow and ice, high rolling resistance. Smallest number of spikes on test at 130, which was an issue on ice. Good in the wet and dry. Read Reviews
7th: Bridgestone Noranza 001
225/50 R17 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 7th 48 M 43 M +5 M 89.58% Subj. Dry Handling 2nd 4 Points 5 Points -1 Points 80% Wet Braking 4th 30.8 M 28.8 M +2 M 93.51% Wet Handling 3rd 43.64 s 43.18 s +0.46 s 98.95% Straight Aqua 5th 58.2 Km/H 62.2 Km/H -4 Km/H 93.57% Snow Braking 7th 18.4 M 16.7 M +1.7 M 90.76% Snow Traction 7th 4.4 s 4.05 s +0.35 s 92.05% Snow Handling 6th 88.07 s 83.75 s +4.32 s 95.09% Ice Braking 6th 10.88 M 8.67 M +2.21 M 79.69% Ice Traction 4th 4.88 s 4.14 s +0.74 s 84.84% Ice Handling 6th 55.94 s 51.35 s +4.59 s 91.79% Low rolling resistance. Long dry braking. Acceptable grip on ice, but poor in the snow and long dry braking. Read Reviews
8th: Sailun Ice Blazer WST3
225/50 R17 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 8th 48.2 M 43 M +5.2 M 89.21% Subj. Dry Handling 6th 2 Points 5 Points -3 Points 40% Wet Braking 7th 31.3 M 28.8 M +2.5 M 92.01% Wet Handling 5th 44 s 43.18 s +0.82 s 98.14% Straight Aqua 4th 58.6 Km/H 62.2 Km/H -3.6 Km/H 94.21% Snow Braking 8th 19.2 M 16.7 M +2.5 M 86.98% Snow Traction 8th 4.57 s 4.05 s +0.52 s 88.62% Snow Handling 8th 93.63 s 83.75 s +9.88 s 89.45% Ice Braking 8th 13.97 M 8.67 M +5.3 M 62.06% Ice Traction 8th 6.58 s 4.14 s +2.44 s 62.92% Ice Handling 8th 60.11 s 51.35 s +8.76 s 85.43% Non mentioned. Very poor grip on snow and ice, poor handling in the dry and wet. Not recommended. Not only poor grip, but the tires started to lose spikes in the first 80 km. Read Reviews