The second component is actual tread design, the part of the tire that contacts the snow and provides bite. Siping, the small transverse slits on the outer edges of the tread and on the tread blocks, contributes to the tire maintaining traction. Under side loads when cornering, sipes on the outer edge of a tire are squeezed together, resulting in the tread acting as a solid block. Bridgestone's Blizzak family of winter tires use a unique tube multicell tread compound. Microfibers dissolve in the curing process, leaving channels that cut through and disperse water more efficiently, improving snow and ice performance, says the company.
Pricing is usually comparable to standard all-season rubber.
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