What it does
Tyres are made for different jobs. Summer rubber grips best when it is warm, winter rubber stays soft in the cold, and off-road tyres trade quiet and long life for grip on loose ground. This tool asks for your coldest weather, how much snow you get, your roads and your vehicle, then gives one recommended type and a second choice.
It also shows the marks to look for on the sidewall, so you buy what you meant to buy. Once you have chosen, set the right air with tyre pressure, and see what slippery roads do to braking in stopping distance or inspect a car with used car checklist.
How to use it
- Pick your country (it opens ready if you came from a country page).
- Tap your vehicle, the typical coldest low, how much snow you get, and your roads.
- Read the best pick and why, then the second choice.
- Look for the highlighted marks on the tyre before you buy.
What each setting does
- Coldest month: below about 7 C, summer rubber hardens and loses grip.
- Snow: a few days can be handled by all-weather; weeks need winter tyres.
- Roads: gravel, sand or mud change the pick to an off-road type.
- Vehicle: motorcycles get road, sport, touring or dual-sport instead.
Worked example
Canada, car, lows below -10 C, snow for weeks, city and highway roads: the pick is a winter tyre, second choice all-weather. UAE, car, above 7 C, never snow, sand roads: the pick is all-terrain, with all-season second, and a reminder to reinflate before the road.
FAQs
Is M+S enough for winter? No. It only describes the tread shape. The snowflake mark means a real snow test.
Can I mix types? Fit four of the same type where you can. Mixed grip makes the car handle unpredictably.
Do I need winter tyres in the UK? There is no law, but they help below about 7 C. Check the official source.
Where the numbers come from
- Tyre types and the 7 C rule of thumb are widely published tyre-engineering basics. The 3PMSF (three-peak mountain snowflake) mark means the tyre passed a standard snow-grip test; M+S only describes tread shape. Winter tyre rules as checked November 2026: Quebec (1 Dec to 15 Mar), British Columbia (many highways 1 Oct to 31 Mar); check the official source. The picks are fibub's own simple rules. Drawings are fibub's own.
Standard scientific values, such as constants, atomic weights and melting points, are facts found in every textbook; we name where ours were checked. If you are an author or publisher and want a value, a credit or a table changed or removed, tell us and we will act quickly.
Last updated 2026-11-12.