Studded vs. Studless Winter Tires: What's the Difference?
Learn how studded and studless winter tires grip ice differently, where studs are allowed, and how NEXEN TIRE WINGUARD winSpike 3 and WINGUARD Sport 2 fit each need.
Studded and studless winter tires are designed for cold-weather driving, but they provide grip in different ways. Studded tires use metal studs to improve traction on icy surfaces, while studless winter tires rely on winter rubber compounds and tread features such as sipes to provide grip on snow and ice. The best choice depends on your typical road conditions, local regulations, and vehicle requirements.
NEXEN TIRE offers both approaches in the U.S. NEXEN TIRE WINGUARD winSpike 3 is a studdable winter tire that can be fitted with studs, and NEXEN TIRE WINGUARD Sport 2 is a performance studless winter tire.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Studded tires grip ice with metal studs, while studless tires grip snow and ice with a winter compound and dense siping.
- WINGUARD winSpike 3 is studdable, with studs installed separately by a tire dealer, and it carries Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMSF) certification even without studs. WINGUARD Sport 2 is a performance studless winter tire with 3PMSF certification and H, V and W speed ratings, depending on size.
- Studded tire rules vary by state, so check local rules before installing studs, and fit winter tires on all four wheels.
What Is the Difference Between Studded and Studless Winter Tires?
Both types are designed for winter driving, and both NEXEN TIRE options carry the 3PMSF severe-snow symbol. They differ in how they grip ice, the conditions each is designed for, and where they can be used.
| Selection point | Studded | Studless |
|---|---|---|
| NEXEN TIRE product | WINGUARD winSpike 3 (studdable) | WINGUARD Sport 2 |
| How it grips ice | Metal studs, installed in molded stud holes, bite into the ice | High-density multi-sipe technology and a winter compound |
| Designed for | Ice and snow | Wet roads, slush, snow and cold, dry pavement |
| Where it can be used | Where and when state law allows studded tires. It can also run without studs | Every U.S. state |
| 3PMSF symbol | Yes | Yes |
| Speed ratings (vary by size) | T on most sizes, R on select LT sizes | H, V, W |
Our performance ratings reflect the same split. WINGUARD winSpike 3 is rated higher than WINGUARD Sport 2 for ice, with studs installed, and for snow, while WINGUARD Sport 2 is rated higher for wet performance and dry handling.
How Do Studded Winter Tires Work?
A studded tire carries small metal studs in its tread. On ice, the studs bite into the surface and add mechanical grip to the grip of the rubber.
WINGUARD winSpike 3 is a studdable winter tire designed for sedans, crossovers and SUVs. Studs are sold separately and must be installed by a tire dealer where permitted by local regulations. With studs installed, it is designed for drivers who regularly encounter hard-packed ice, black ice and frozen roads. Without studs, it performs as a 3PMSF-certified winter tire in snow and cold, so it can also be used where studded tires are not allowed.
Its 3D Kerf Technology is designed to help maintain tread block contact with the road for improved handling on snow, while the extended tread edge is designed to help improve braking performance on wet and icy roads. With studs fitted, its stud pin design is made to keep the area around each stud clear of ice and snow powder.
Most WINGUARD winSpike 3 sizes are T speed rated. Select sizes are available in LT (light truck) construction with higher load ratings, and most of those are R speed rated.
How Do Studless Winter Tires Work?
A studless winter tire grips snow and ice through its rubber compound and tread design. The winter compound is designed to stay flexible in low temperatures, and sipes, the thin slits cut into the tread blocks, add biting edges.
WINGUARD Sport 2 is a performance studless winter tire with 3PMSF certification. Its high-density multi-sipe technology is designed to improve braking grip on ice and snow and to support long tread life. A directional tread pattern is designed to support cornering on snow and dry roads, and large, wide grooves are designed to clear water to help reduce hydroplaning. Available in H, V and W speed ratings depending on size, WINGUARD Sport 2 suits passenger cars, sport vehicles and SUVs that need speed-rated winter capability.
Because it has no studs, WINGUARD Sport 2 can be used in every U.S. state, including states that restrict or prohibit studded tires.
Are Studded Tires Legal in Every State?
No. Studded tire rules vary by state. Some states allow studded tires only during set winter months, some limit them to certain areas or vehicles, and some prohibit them. Check your state's current rules before having studs installed.
Where studded tires are not permitted, WINGUARD winSpike 3 can run without studs as a 3PMSF-certified winter tire, and WINGUARD Sport 2 is studless by design.
Which Winter Tire Should You Choose?
| Your winter driving | Choose | NEXEN TIRE option |
|---|---|---|
| Frequent hard-packed ice or black ice, in a state that allows studs | Studded | WINGUARD winSpike 3, fitted with studs |
| A mix of rain, slush, snow and cleared highways, including states that restrict studs | Studless | WINGUARD Sport 2 |
Whichever you choose, start with the size, load index, speed rating and inflation pressure on the tire placard on your driver's door jamb or in your owner's manual, and install winter tires on all four wheels. The U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) advises fitting winter tires to all wheel positions to maintain vehicle mobility and control, and never on the front axle alone, including on front-wheel-drive, four-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive vehicles. Find sizes for your vehicle with the NEXEN TIRE U.S. Tire Finder, and locate a dealer with the NEXEN TIRE U.S. Dealer Finder. A dealer can also install studs on WINGUARD winSpike 3.
FAQS
Frequently asked questions
Are Studless Winter Tires Good on Ice?
Studless winter tires grip ice with a winter compound and siping rather than metal studs. WINGUARD Sport 2 uses high-density multi-sipe technology designed to improve braking grip on ice and snow. For drivers who face ice regularly and live where studs are allowed, WINGUARD winSpike 3 fitted with studs adds the grip of metal studs.
Does WINGUARD winSpike 3 Come With Studs?
No. WINGUARD winSpike 3 is studdable: its tread has molded stud holes, and the studs are purchased and installed separately by a tire dealer. Without studs, it still works as a 3PMSF-certified winter tire. If you plan to run studs, have them installed while the tires are new. USTMA advises never inserting studs in a used tire, even one that is only slightly used.
Where Can I Buy WINGUARD winSpike 3 and WINGUARD Sport 2 in the U.S.?
Both tires are available through NEXEN TIRE’s authorized dealer network across the United States. Use the NEXEN TIRE U.S. Dealer Finder to find a nearby dealer, and the NEXEN TIRE U.S. Tire Finder to check sizes for your vehicle. For WINGUARD winSpike 3, studs may be purchased separately and installed by a tire dealer where permitted by local regulations. Contact your local dealer to confirm stud availability and installation services.
Can I Mix Studded and Studless Tires on One Vehicle?
It is not recommended. USTMA notes that studded winter tires achieve optimum handling only when they are installed on all wheel positions, and it advises never fitting them to the front axle alone. Choose a matching set of four: WINGUARD winSpike 3 with studs on every wheel, or WINGUARD Sport 2.
Which Suits Frequent Highway Driving: Studded or Studless?
For frequent highway driving between winter storms, WINGUARD Sport 2 is available in H, V and W speed ratings depending on size, and in our performance ratings it is rated higher than WINGUARD winSpike 3 for wet performance and dry handling. WINGUARD winSpike 3 is T speed rated in most sizes and designed around ice and snow traction. USTMA notes that winter tires need a speed rating equal to or higher than the one on your vehicle's tire information placard to keep the vehicle's speed capability. With a lower-rated winter tire, keep vehicle speed within that tire's rating.
