Gift Guide • Giveaways and Reviews

Maybe The Most Important Gift You Can Give – All Weather Tires

November 16, 2018
230 Comments

I know, I know, tires are neither glamourous nor something you can wrap yourself in and wear but I’d draw the line at saying they’re not envious. Winter tires, in my first few years out of high school and beyond, were a coveted thing that would be “nice to have” but certainly not on my priority list. As an adult with a family depending on me, they’re a priority every year. Funny how life changes that way.

That’s why, in chatting with my friends at Kal Tire, I knew that winter tires and all-weather tires are most definitely something to include in a holiday gift guide because they’re not only critical to safe driving in the winter months, they also fill the gift-giving space for those hard to buy for college students and millennials.

A Kal Tire winter driving survey confirms many Canadians aren’t making safe tire choices for winter driving: Two-thirds of motorists don’t know how to tell if a tire is winter-rated, and most have misperceptions about when it’s safe to use all-season tires. Results showed that 66 per cent of Canadian motorists don’t know the difference between all-season and all-weather tires. “People indicated they’re not using winter tires because they don’t want or need to change over to a second set of tires,” says Mike Butcher, Regional Director, Urban Retail Stores, Kal Tire. “We want to educate those drivers about how the all-weather tire might be a safer and more suitable tire.”

Of course, my own experience working with Kal Tire this past year has made me better understand the need for all-weather tires even though I live here in Saskatchewan where you’d think that would be common knowledge. It’s not. Up until a few years ago I too believed that all-season tires were enough. It wasn’t until I actually had winter tires on my vehicle that I fully understood that driving in the winter does NOT mean sliding, getting stuck, or spinning out. Not when you have winter tires on your vehicle. And with my vehicle full of precious cargo (my family!) I don’t take any chances.

Sadly though, this doesn’t seem to be the case when you look at the winter driving survey from Kal Tire. I was surprised to see that Saskatchewan drivers are among the least amount in the country to switch over to winter tires – in a province that gets it’s fair share of snow, ice and cold temperatures.

All-season tires are designed for warm, dry and mild wet conditions in temperatures above +7C. Winter tires are needed for traction in cold temperatures, once it starts to dip below +7C, as well as snow, ice and slush.

It’s worth visiting your local Kal Tire to speak to a representative and learn more before ultimately making your decision if you’re a first-time winter tire user. I’ve always found the staff to be welcoming, informative, and efficient in getting work done. They’ve also done a lot to make their environment welcoming to customers. You’ll never feel in the way or out of place.

If you’re already winter or all-weather tire driver, you know the importance of good, safe tires for your vehicle when the temperature dips below 7 degrees. That’s why I think all-weather tires make a great gift for the teenager, college student or millennial in your life. We know that with the mountain of responsibilities hurled upon them, all-weather tires may not be as attainable as they are to you or me. Visit your local Kal Tire to discuss your options with a knowledgeable staff member, and perhaps Santa will be bringing them on his sleigh this year (they fit, I asked him.)

To help make your gift-giving easier this holiday season OR perhaps make your driving to all your holiday festivities easier (and safer) Kal Tire is giving Feisty Frugal & Fabulous readers the opportunity to win a set of Nokian All-Weather Tires (maximum value $1200). To enter to win, simply fill out your name and email address in the form below and click BEGIN! Then leave a comment on this post sharing your thoughts on what you’ve learned in this post – do you use winter or all-weather tires?

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post in partnership with Kal Tire. All opinions and commentary are, as always, my own.

230 Comments

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  • We have all-season tires on one of our vehicles and every winter we put winter tires on our other vehicle. I love this post detailing the differences!

  • I have been using winter tires for years, even in my all wheel drive and 4 wheel drive vehicles.

  • Right now we are using all weather tires, but i’m thinking I might need to get some winter tires…it was slick last night!

  • My daughter’s car is in need of new tires. Now that she is on her own and at her first job she wants to be independent. I have encouraged her to use all weather tires but I think the cost is holding her back. Independence can be expensive 🤣

  • I use winter tires. This was very informative, I didn’t realize the all season tires were for temperatures +7 and above.

  • I live near Vancouver where we only get 1-2 weeks of snow, but months of rain and mild temps. Last time we had a bad winter forecasted, we bought true winter tires for our van and I was hydroplaning and spinning out at intersections. Last winter, we left the all-weather rain-groove tires on and they were great except for those 1-2 weeks when it was cold/ice/snow. We need new tires soon and I really have no idea what to get now!

  • Ashamed to admit I’ve never used winter tires… and yes I slid through an intersection this morning! #facepalm

  • Wow! This is a huge, amazing giveaway! I really need and want new tires 🙂 I currently have old winter tires on my car for all seasons.. lol. Happy Holidays!

  • We have all weather tires and also have winter stud tires for one car. The other one needs new tires and we use all weather tires for this one. Thank you ! They would be perfect.

  • I normally use all weather tires and have never had an issue. I just bought a new van and it came with a new set of winter tires and I can definitely notice a difference on our icy roads lately. I live in SK as well and couldn’t imagine using summer tires during the winter months!

  • I’ve always used all weather tires but mine are completely worn out. Would love to try this brand out, sounds great!

  • We switch to winter tires. I think if you have the space to store a set it’s better because they’ll see less wear than all-weather, but both are good and a huge help!

  • I’m a fan of Kal Tire. I’ve received good service in the past when I’ve purchased tires here.

  • We use all season tires and then switch to winter tires in the fall. Very informative and interesting article!

  • I’m a big believer in winter tires, especially here where it seems to melt and re-freeze on a daily basis

  • We have all weather tires on our Ford van from KalTire and love them but we have a young driver in our household now so would love to get him some newer tires for his vehicle!! Thank you!!

  • I was surprised to see so few people in BC planned to buy them since they are law there.
    I could certainly use these, just to feel more safe on SK roads.

  • I use them all the time. The difference is undeniable. Having said that I don’t currently have any on my car as it’s new to me this winter. So I need this!

  • I do use winter tires already , but my son could sure use a set.
    I’m surprised at the amount of people who do not use them.
    Thanks for this!

  • I think it would be great if everyone had winter tires as it makes such a difference in driving. We use all season tires and my son and daughter both swear by their winter tires and would not be without them.

  • I only have all season but am getting a newer car in a month and will be getting either all weather or winter tires for sure!

  • Like you, Tenille, I got my first set of winter tires in college and it made such a difference…I couldn’t believe it! I’ll ALWAYS have winter tires now (as long as I have garage space for my spare set).

  • Heck yeah I do! My husband and I both have a set of each. We live in a rural area and travel A LOT with prescious cargo. You feel a difference and I feel safer in the snow with winter tires on

  • I used to think that all season tires were enough also. Then I tried winter tires and definitely noticed the difference!

  • I have winter tires and can’t imagine life without them. Mine are on their last winter if they make it that long tho. So I hope I win these!

  • We have winter tires that we put on every year, but I guess we are going to need new ones according to hubby

  • I wasn’t aware that all weather tires are the same as winter tires (Probably because to me, all season sounds like they should be for ALL seasons, and they’re not, so I feel like the term all weather is trying to trick me too. Does that make sense?
    Anyhow, we DO put winter tires on both of our cars. One car has studded winters, and the other car with all wheel drive has winters, no studs. My husband travels a lot for work so we need good winter tires.

  • As a new person driving in winter weather, the very first thing I did for my first winter was buying a set of winter tires. When the roads are very icy and snowy and I’m very nervous on them, I’m always thankful about that investment, and cannot imagine driving on it with all season tires.

  • Winter tires are great. We always used them on our old vehicle but we had to get a new vehicle this year and unfortunately I have not gotten winter tires for it yet. 🙁

  • We use winter tires in the winter and all-season tires the rest of the year. I definitely notice if we get snowy weather before we change the tires over.

  • When taking to different tire experts they always have different opinions that it is sometimes conflicting each other and very difficult to decide which one is more reliable. I use winter tires for the cold season because I feel that our winters are so cold and I just want to feel safer. I really appreciate your article because it made me learn new facts.

  • So, I’m the naive one who never realized there was a thing as all-weather tires. I currently have all season tires because, frankly, I can’t afford a set of winter tires. Good to know about all weather ones though.

  • I think it’s important to have good tires on the vehicles especially for our Canadian winters and I do use all weather tires.

  • I use all weather tires, This is my first Winter with my new vehicle, Its more like a car and i’m coming out of a heavy 4×4 SUV I can definitely feel the difference on the road, I’ll have to upgrade the tires soon before the heavy winter weather hits.

  • As a fellow Canadian (right next door in Alberta, actually) I’ve had a second set of tires (winters) for every car I’ve ever driven since a stint with Kal Tire four years ago – and no matter where the future takes me, I’m never going back to relying solely on all-seasons; too dangerous.
    All-weathers, on the other hand, would be awesome to use; I’ve been wanting to get Nokian WRG3s for years!

  • An important post this time of year. I think winter tires make a world of difference and will always use them, its not worth the risk otherwise.

  • I have used winter tires for years and definitely notice a difference between them and all season tires.

  • Thanks very much for this very helpful information! We just bought a new vehicle last month and to be honest, don’t know if we have all-weather, or all-season tires on it, will contact our sales rep and inquire.
    Our second vehicle has all-season tires and they need to be replaced.

  • I use winter tires each winter. But they are starting to get worn down and will need to be replaced in the near future.

  • I just switched over to my winter tires today and you definitely notice the difference driving!!

  • I use all weather tires but have been thinking of getting a set of winter tires. Our winters are getting worse each year.

  • Have used winter tires the last 3 winters. My car is now 15 years old so going to keep my all seasonal on this year. Planning to buy a new car in the Spring then shopping in July for new winter tires.

  • I’ve never had winter tires… Mostly because of th cost. My new vehicle has all wheel drive which does help but I’ve heard from lots of people that you really feel the difference with winter tires. I am planning to have them next winter if all works out

  • I just bought winter tires for my work vehicle and I have noticed a big difference from the all-seasons that were on it. I would def invest in all-weather tires for our pleasure/personal vehicle.

  • I really need some new all weather tires because living in the country makes it a sure thing for getting out of the driveway.

  • We change from seasonal tires to winter. Need as much traction as possible in my province.

  • We had winter tires for our old vehicles but had to get two new (to us) vehicles unexpectedly this year. That was a big enough expense on its own and so the thought of buying *another* set of tires made me stress but it really makes a difference I guess.

  • I use winter tires, because slipping around in my car is not fun and not worth the aggravation.

  • I have winter tires on my car but my husband needs some – we spend a lot of time in the snow!

  • we have winter tires for our SUV (just put them on) but for our car we have all season tires that are worn and need to be changed

  • We use all-weather tires but have been considering winter tires because you need a certain amount of tread on all-weather for them to be any use to us in the snow.

  • I currently use all weather tires. I’ve thought of winter tires but didnt know if it would make a difference.

  • we always put on winters. Although, a quality set of all seasons have been in the past totally serviceable and certainly comparable for us now that we’re back in Ontario. Winters were a no-brainer up North!

  • I have never had winter tires – mine are always all-year ones I guess…. I should really learn more about them!

  • We are mostly using an all weather tires, but I’ve experienced the difference and would love to have winter tires when we can afford them.

  • I use winter tires in the winter and I think everyone should. I also think that if there is an accident and one driver doesn’t have winter tires on, they should be the one most likely at fault.

  • Just bought a new car! I’d love to win some new winter tires!! Fingers crossed. Those SK roads can get slippery!!!

  • I have all-weather tires for our mild winter here in Victoria, BC. We do need to have tires with the snowflake symbol in order to drive on our crazy winding mountainous highways! Thanks for the chance to win – what an amazing giveaway! 🙂

  • We use winter tires and believe me you really notice the difference. I think winter tires should be mandatory right across the country.

  • My winter tires are mounted on rims. This cuts down on damage to tires being mounted twice a year.

  • I have winter tires on my truck. When part of my job involved driving in rural and remote Saskatchewan areas, I put winter tires on my vehicle. The winter tires have made a world of difference and have given me better traction and stability. Yayyy! Winter tires!

  • I sometimes wonder if all-weather would meet my needs just fine, but I use winter tires as I have kids and safety is my thing.

  • I always use all-weather tires. They work good and you can avoid the hassle of trying to get an appointment to get your tires changed.

  • Interesting to learn the percentages of what people know about tires and how many actually use winter tires. I use winter tires myself.

  • For a number of years, while I lived in southern Ontario, I just used all-season tires. It wasn’t till about 10 years ago that I started changing my tires with the season. I now live in a snow-belt area and winter tires area must.

  • We used to swap with winter tires before, but when that old car with our winter tire set was sold, we need to have new set now.

  • I use separate winter and all season tires because winters in the North are very icy, slippery and winter tires are needed!

  • I would love to win new snow tires. I have winter tires but they are getting old. So is my car, LOL!

  • I now use all weather tires instead of winter tires. I think they are a great option for people like me that don’t want to change tires twice a year.

  • I agree winter tires are very important as they are MADE for extreme weather conditions. This is something that we need but isnt in our budget and I worry as we get a lot of snow where we are now. This would give me such peace of mind.

  • we have all season tires as that is what came on our car. for the time being i just don’t drive when it snows which isn’t ideal. i would love to have all weather tires at some point!

  • I have all weather tires. Though I am too scared to drive in the snow. Hubby has all weather tires too.

  • Wow! I didn’t know how many people don’t switch to winter tires. Makes you wonder how many accidents and deaths could have been prevented. I walk a lot and am always almost getting hit at least once a week, no matter how cautious I am. I’m terrified one of these days I won’t be so lucky.

  • We feel that winter tires are helpful in years of lots of snow and it is worth having to figure out how to store two sets of tires.

  • I got a new vehicle this fall so I only have all seasons… so far! My old car had winter & all season sets.

  • I used to use all season and a few years ago we actually bought some good winter tires and wow! The difference!!! They are a must! Especially in these Alberta winters.

  • We are moving further North, so next year we will need them for sure, but it would probably make things a little safer where we are now in a more city setting.

  • My husband has winter tires on his van and we love them , but I need some winter tires on my little Suzuki car. That would be the world of difference for me and it would give me more confidence and a better sense of personal safety when I have to drive it.

  • We have winter tires for our truck and they are worth every penny! Would love to win a new set for the car since it doesn’t drive much in the winter all-seasons would be perftect

  • Currently using winter tires, and it’s going to be time for new ones soon. Very happy I found this blog!

  • My husband needs a set of tires to get his vehicle inspected since we moved to Saskatchewan. This would be totally awesome as it is the one thing we just can’t afford right now.

  • I do use winter tires and I feel more confident when I drive – plus my insurance premium is lower! They are gently used, but they are over 10 years old, so it’s time for a new set!

  • All weather’s are awesome. I had a set on my Mazda (Nokian’s, actually) and I loved them. Well worth the investment.

  • Would love my wife (chief transporter of our children) to have a set of winter tires for when the temps dip below 7 degrees.

  • We use winter tires! It would be a dream come true to win these because ours needs replacing!

  • We have an all weather tire on our Sequoia and this year we put winter tires on our Corolla. Would love to win this to put new all weather tires on in the spring. It would make my year!

  • We use winter tires, Nokian ones to be exact from Kal tire and have been very satisfied with them.

  • I don’t drive but my daughter will be getting her license soon & I would love for her to have a set of all-weather tires so she can be safe on the roads here in Alberta. She will be using a car my parents have for her & it has old all-weather tires on it currently.

  • We have winter tires on our one car and the other has all season for around town. Would love a set for our second car as I transport the kids in it. Thanks so much for this amazing giveaway!!

  • NO we dont’ have winter tires and we were going to buy some as my hubby had just started working with a major tire company…sadly they filed for bankruptcy so we never did get the tires.

  • Since 2012, I’ve always used winter tires. My problem is getting them put on in time, and taking them off before it’s gotten so warm they are useless.

  • We use all weather tires and hubby was just saying the other day that we need some new tires.

  • Winter tires are a must when you live in Winnipeg ! I have a set for my vehicle, but my husband really needs some for his car !

  • I’ve used winter tires for a few years now and they definitely make a difference. I wasn’t a believer until I actually tried them.

  • I’ve never had winter tires… But always wanted them! I think they’d make a huge difference in being able to navigate on days like this!

  • I saw the video on fb about the freezing rain you guys had last night in Regina, drive safe, although the video had a guy on SKATES on the sidewalk. ..crazy

  • great, informative post! our household has previously used both all weather and winter tires on vehicles! thank you so very much for this chance! 🙂

  • I thought Sask would know more about using winter tires, they have been a must have for our house!

  • We use both in our house. We have an aggressive all season tire on our truck and this year put winter tires on our car. No regrets in the Saskatchewan winters. This would be great to shop for those new tires in the spring!

  • We just started using winter tires last year for the first time on our van. We have all season on our car.

tenille-lafontaine

Feisty Things

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