The basis for the development of the winter studded tire Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 was the very successful model of the previous generation, which, despite its high price, still enjoys increased demand among domestic buyers.

Nokian Eco Stud 8

This phrase hides a new studding technology, first applied to this model. The appearance of this technology is due to new European legislation, which imposes stricter requirements on winter studded tires. The key feature of Nokian Eco Stud technology is the use of a new generation anchor-type stud, the flange shape of which significantly reduces the angle of its inclination when in contact with the road surface. In addition, a special cushioning "cushion" Eco Stud has appeared under the stud, made of a very soft rubber compound. Its main purpose is to provide optimal pressure on the road surface in order to reduce the degree of destructive impact exerted by the stud. The previous model also has a similar design, but in this case, an air gap acts as a shock absorber, which can only reduce the noise level. In the new "Hakka", the rubber pads under the studs have much broader functionality.

In addition to the special stud design, the new tire is distinguished by an optimized scheme for their placement, which demonstrates unprecedented grip on ice in all directions. The main feature of the new scheme is a more even distribution of studs across the entire tread pattern. Thus, none of the studs duplicate the neighboring studs, which made it possible to provide excellent traction characteristics in any conditions.

Cap&base technology in the eighth Hakkapeliitta

One of the significant innovations of this model was the updated design of the two-layer tread. The inner layer is made of a more rigid rubber compound, which makes it possible to reliably fix the stud in the tread block and also provide a more even distribution of the external weight over the contact patch. As a result, the tire demonstrates excellent grip on dry roads, high braking efficiency, and low tendency to develop uneven wear.

New tread pattern

Like the previous model, the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 tire is equipped with a V-shaped symmetrical directional tread pattern. But, unlike it, the tread pattern of the new product has a much larger number of traction edges. This was achieved by significantly reducing the size of the tread blocks, which made it possible to increase their number.

This technical solution turned out to be very effective, especially on snow and ice, where the numerous lamellas perfectly grip the road surface, providing excellent traction. In addition, the increased number of tread blocks made it possible to optimize the studding scheme, placing each stud exactly where it would bring the most benefit.

Reducing the size of the tread blocks helped to significantly reduce the heating of the tire during thaw. As a result, the tread of the tire became less susceptible to destructive temperature effects, which had a very beneficial effect on its wear resistance and rolling resistance.

Another innovation was the structure of the central part of the tread, where the blocks are rigidly connected to each other. This gave the tire a number of significant advantages, among which it is especially worth noting the improved handling on dry asphalt. At the same time, the tread blocks are equipped with special reinforcements located in their rear part. When in contact with the road surface, they increase the contact area of the block, which improves traction, especially on slippery surfaces.

3D-lamellas

As you know, the previous generation of this winter tire was not too pleased with its handling on dry surfaces. To eliminate this drawback, Finnish tire manufacturers used diagonal 3D-lamellas of the closed type in the central part of the tread. These lamellas made it possible to significantly increase the stiffness of the tread blocks, which led to the fact that the tire began to respond faster to steering wheel movement.

The same 3D-lamellas are also available in the shoulder areas of the tread. Similarly, by increasing the stiffness of this part of the tread, it was possible to significantly improve the directional stability during sharp maneuvers.

Excellent comfort

The tire design has undergone significant changes. To increase the tire's resistance to dynamic deformations that occur when driving over bumps, Finnish company specialists introduced an additional breaker layer. At the same time, the sidewalls of the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 tire, while maintaining the same stiffness, became better at absorbing shocks, which made it possible to significantly reduce the degree of vibration load on the tire.

Cryo-silane Gen 2

This tire became one of the first models to receive a new rubber compound Cryo-silane Gen 2, which is the result of very long and thorough work. The key features of the new cryosilane-based second-generation mixture include the presence in its composition not only of silica and natural rubber but also of rapeseed oil, thanks to which the elasticity of the tire remains at an optimal level in a very wide temperature range. In addition, the technology for preparing the tread mixture has changed.

Main features of the Scandinavian tire Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8

- The tread blocks of the central part are rigidly connected to each other, which made it possible to significantly improve handling on snowy and icy surfaces;
- The increased number of tread blocks made it possible to increase the number of traction edges, which improved the tire's performance on slippery surfaces;
- The optimized stud placement scheme provides exceptional behavior on ice;
- New anchor studs with special cushions at the base have a minimal aggressive impact on asphalt, while providing a low noise level;
- Cryo-silane Gen 2 rubber compound with rapeseed oil, thanks to which the tread maintains optimal elasticity in a very wide temperature range.