Studless Winter Tires

Studless winter tires – how to choose the right tire for the Estonian winter?

A studless tire is a winter tire without studs, but not all studless tires are the same. In Estonian conditions, the most important thing is to distinguish between Nordic and Central European winter tires.

A Nordic studless tire is developed for low temperatures, snow and ice. Its rubber compound is softer and its tread pattern is designed to work in the conditions we encounter in an Estonian winter.

A Central European studless tire, on the other hand, is intended for milder winters, with more driving on cold, wet asphalt and less snow and ice. Such a tire can be very good in, for example, a German or Central European winter, but in icy and snowy Estonian conditions it generally doesn’t offer grip comparable to a Nordic studless tire.

In the FS.ee tire search, you can filter studless tires separately by Nordic and Central European winter tires. That way you don’t have to work out from the model name or description alone which winter conditions a particular tire is designed for.

Studded or studless tire?

Both have their advantages, and the right choice depends on where and how you drive.

The biggest advantage of a studded tire is grip on ice. If you drive a lot on smaller roads, early in the morning or in areas where roads can stay icy for long periods, a studded tire gives you a bigger grip margin in tougher conditions.

The advantages of a Nordic studless tire are a quieter ride and a more consistent driving feel on dry asphalt. A good Nordic studless tire also performs very well on snow and suits the Estonian winter, but on bare ice it generally falls short of a studded tire.

For a driver who drives in the city and on main roads, a quality Nordic studless tire can be a very good choice. In tougher and more frequently icy conditions, a studded tire gives you more confidence.

Nordic or Central European studless tire?

This is one of the most important questions when choosing a studless tire.

A Nordic studless tire is designed for cold, snow and ice. Its softer rubber compound stays flexible at low temperatures, and dense siping helps create grip on snow and ice.

A Central European studless tire is designed for milder winters. Its strengths generally lie in its behaviour on wet and dry asphalt and at higher speeds, but on ice and in harsher winter conditions it involves more compromises.

For the Estonian winter, we generally recommend a Nordic studless tire.

If, on the other hand, the car is driven a lot in Central or Southern Europe in winter, a Central European winter tire may be the more sensible choice. A tire should be chosen according to the actual conditions of use, not just its name.

In the FS.ee tire search, you can select “Nordic” or “Central European” and view only the studless tires that suit your conditions of use.

Can you drive on studless winter tires in summer?

Physically, you can drive on studless winter tires in summer too, but we don’t recommend using a Nordic studless tire instead of a summer tire.

The soft rubber compound of a Nordic winter tire is designed to work at low temperatures. In warm weather such a tire becomes too soft, wears faster, and its handling and braking aren’t comparable to a proper summer tire.

Nor should a studless winter tire be confused with an all-season tire. These tires serve different purposes. A Nordic studless tire is first and foremost a winter tire, while an all-season tire is a compromise designed to work across the widest possible temperature range.

How to choose a good studless winter tire?

First, check the tire size, load index and speed index that suit your car. With the FS.ee tire search, you can find suitable tires by your car’s registration number or by tire size.

Next, consider whether you need a Nordic or a Central European winter tire, and compare suitable models according to your driving conditions and budget.

The most expensive studless tire isn’t automatically the best for every car, and choosing on low price alone isn’t wise either. What matters is what you get for your money and in what conditions you use the tire.

That’s why, for common tire sizes, we also highlight FS Recommends picks in different price classes. We choose them ourselves based on our experience, the tire’s characteristics, price and the offers currently available.

Ordering and fitting studless winter tires

You can order studless tires from FS.ee anywhere in Estonia. Have the tires delivered to an address of your choice, or order them with fitting at the FS Teenused workshop in Tallinn or at one of our partner service centres elsewhere in Estonia.

If you want the tires fitted to your car right away, choose suitable studless tires in the online shop and see our tire change price list and book an appointment.