Does a tire without studs cease to be a tire?

Despite the growing popularity of the non-studded tire segment, studs still dominate the market. This is quite justified. Despite the fact that non-studded tires, nicknamed "lipuchki" by the people, have achieved a truly high level of safety on the roads, in the winter period on clean ice, they lose to studs. But what if the tire has lost more than half of the studs?

Manufacturers allow for such a possibility, so they lay almost the entire set of technologies that non-studded tires have in their tires. They have a similar or even identical rubber compound. Studded tires also have in their arsenal lamellas of complex shape for removing a thin water film from the contact patch and creating additional gripping edges.

As the tread wears out, the reliability of retaining the anti-skid studs decreases, since the thickness of the tread rubber that holds the stud becomes smaller.

However, nonetheless, it is in your interest to keep the anti-skid studs for as long as possible. Follow the rules for running-in new studded tires and remember that any sharp start or braking can lead to their premature loss.

It is important to understand that when the studs are lost, the winter tire does not cease to be a tire and is still able to provide safe handling even in winter conditions due to other technologies. But at the same time, the characteristics on an icy road will inevitably be reduced, which means it's worth adapting your driving style taking this fact into account.