Do Bridgestone Blizzak Tires Live up to Their Reputation?

The Tire Rack has been the largest single source of Blizzak studless winter tires in the United States since their introduction in 1993. We have tested them on ice & in the snow, as well as driven on them through South Bend, Indiana's "mild" & "wild" winters. We have found that no All-Season tire or other winter tire has matched the Blizzak's confidence-inspiring combination of deep snow, packed snow & ice traction.

What Makes Blizzak Winter Tires Special?

With the exception of Blizzak LM series winter tires, Blizzak & Winter Dueler (a Blizzak for light trucks) tires feature dual tread compounds consisting of outer tread cap & underlying base compounds. When viewed through a microscope, the outer Blizzak Multicell compound resembles the appearance of Swiss cheese because it contains millions of uniformly distributed microscopic pores that are constantly being exposed as the tread surface wears. In addition to providing thous&s of miniature biting edges, these pores help wick away the thin layer of water that often develops on top of snow packed & icy roads, allowing the biting edges to better adhere to the surface for more traction. The underlying base compound is a standard winter tread compound.

How Long Will a Blizzak Winter Tire Last?

The Blizzak's Multicell tread compound comprises the top 55 percent of the tires' tread depth, with a standard winter tread compound comprising the remaining 45 percent. When Blizzaks are approximately 50 percent worn, their "snow platform" tread depth indicators "connect" selected shoulder tread blocks to indicate that the Multicell tread compound is almost worn out, & that the enhanced snow & ice performance is about to end.

We have personal experience on a wide range of vehicles from sports cars to SUVs. Our experience, & that of our customers, indicates that Blizzak winter tires will typically provide 12,000 to 15,000 miles of winter service before wearing out their Multicell tread compound. Therefore, Blizzaks are providing an estimated two to four winter seasons of wear from their Multicell tread compound for the driver who drives an average total of 15,000 miles per year (with 3,000 to 4,000 winter miles per year).

Blizzak winter tires are not recommended to be reinstalled when their tread depth has worn down to the "snow platform" tread depth indicators before the start of the winter season.

Can I Run Blizzak Tires Year Round?

As with any purpose-built winter tire, Blizzak tires should only be used during the winter season to maximize their life span. Drivers should switch to their All-Season or summer tires during the other seasons.

Drivers shouldn't run Blizzaks (or any other winter tire) too early before or too late after the winter's core of late November to early April. This approximate four-month period represents the ideal time for winter tire use in many parts of the United States.

Winter tires don't wear in the snow, only when there isn't any!

How Do They handle on Dry & Wet Roads?

All winter tires require a break-in period of a few hundred miles to wear away the "mold release" applied during their manufacturing. The Bridgestone Blizzak is an extra deep treaded tire to provide enhanced deep snow traction & longer wear. So while Blizzak winter tires are not as responsive & won't handle like standard passenger or performance tires, they will provide acceptable traction & predictable handling.

Additionally, if handling is your goal the Tire Rack offers Bridgestone Blizzak LM-22 snow tires that will provide more handling (but can not match the ice & snow traction of standard Blizzak tires).

What Makes the Blizzak LM-18, LM-22 & LM-25 Tires Different?

These studless winter tires are performance winter tires developed for use in Europe & around the world. In order to accommodate high-speed European driving, they trade some snow & ice traction for handling & high-speed capability by featuring a winter driving tread compound able to support its H-speed rating. The Blizzak LM-18 tires are for drivers of SUVs & the LM-22 & LM-25 tires are for the drivers of high performance sport cars, sport coupes & sport sedans. Although these tires feature a single winter tread compound, "snow platform" tread depth indicators are used to identify when the tire should be retired from winter service.

What Makes the Blizzak LM-50 RFT Tires Different?

Blizzak LM-50 RFT Run Flat studless winter tires are designed to provide continued mobility during winter driving & are only available in the 225/60R17 size for Toyota Sienna vans. While Blizzak LM-50 studless winter tires share the tread design of the Blizzak WS-50, they trade the Multicell compound for a more robust winter tread compound that can endure the additional stress & heat of being driven when flat for 50 miles at up to 55 miles per hour. Although these tires feature a single winter tread compound, "snow platform" tread depth indicators are used to identify when the tire should be retired from winter service.
 

Bridgestone tires

Studless Ice and Snow Bridgestone Blizzak LM-50 RFT Bridgestone Blizzak MZ-03 Bridgestone Blizzak MZ-03 RFT Bridgestone Blizzak REVO 1 Bridgestone Blizzak WS-50 Bridgestone Blizzak WS-60 Performance Winter Bridgestone Blizzak LM-18 Bridgestone Blizzak LM-22 Bridgestone Blizzak LM-22 RFT Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25 Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25 RFT Bridgestone Blizzak LM-60 Bridgestone Blizzak LM-60 RFT

Light Truck/SUV Studless Ice and Snow Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V1 Bridgestone Blizzak DM-Z3 Bridgestone Blizzak W965 Bridgestone Winter Dueler DM-Z2 Light Truck/SUV Performance Winter Bridgestone Blizzak LM-18 Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25 4X4