First Impressions Yokohama Ice Guard 10 winter tir

I just returned to Winnipeg after a business trip. I timed the return just right, the “minor†snowstorm yesterday actually turned out to be a major blizzard with 35 cm of snow, the Trans Canada west of Winnipeg was closed yesterday. The temps also really dropped, so there is glare ice everywhere.

I had a layover in the Twin Cities last night and was worried about the snow, so I managed to snag a much earlier NorthWest flight back to Winnipeg. What a mess, traffic piled up, Snow Routing, idiot pickup and SUV drivers, etc.

After the cab ride back to my condo, I drove to my parents house to pick up my cat. A lot of the side streets are still unplowed, and strong NW winds are making drifts. I have to get used to that crunching sound under the car from snow/ice again.

I had Dunlop Graspic DS-2 winter tires last year, but they were damaged in a vandalism incident at my condo. The contractor responsible for his subs reimbursed me by getting 4 new Yokohama Ice Guard 10 tires, which I put on before leaving. They’re on their own steel wheels.

I immediately noticed a huge difference on glare ice. If you floor it the Traction still kicks in, but nowhere near as much as with the Graspic tires. They also hold corners on snow/ice much better. Deep snow traction appears to be better too. If you feather the gas pedal when accelerating and the brake pedal when stopping, they really work well.

On the downside: on dry pavement the cornering is far mushier than with the Graspic’s, and those were far mushier than the Michelin Harmony I run the rest of the year. They’re noisier than the Graspic’s on dry pavement, a look at their tread pattern will tell you why.

What I dislike most about the Ice Guard 10 tires is at highway speeds on dry pavement: I have to make *constant* steering corrections. The car is all over the road. The Graspics were actually very good on the highway, they needed less correction than the Harmony tires.

Given the vastly superior snow and especially ice traction, I won’t trade the Ice Guard tires for the Graspic. I sure wouldn’t try to go back to an “all season†tire for winter.

Since the Ice Guard tires are on steel wheels, once Spring rolls around they will definitely come off.

 

Well, compared to the Michelin Harmony "all season" tires, I still think the Graspic tires are far superior for winter traction. And I would have to say that if you spend a LOT more time driving on dry highways, the Graspic tires are MUCH easier to live with than the Ice Guard.

I have found that driving around Winnipeg at speeds under 70 km/h, the Ice Guard appears to offer superior snow and especially ice traction compared to the Graspic. They also ride softer, which is a real benefit due to the frozen slush now covering the streets.

I didn't pay for the tires as my Graspic tires were ruined in a vandalism incident caused by the subcontractors of the painting contractor my condo association hired to paint the lower level and the storage areas. I did have to sign off for the tires and I noticed they were $135 Canadian a tire, about $25 a tire more than my Dunlop Graspic DS-2.

I would say if I had to do it again, and my priority was city-only driving and superior traction on ice, I would go with the Yokohama Ice Guard 10's. If my condo association allowed studded tires in the heated underground parking I would then run Nokian studded tires.

If I wanted better snow/ice traction than "all season" tires, and a tire that was easier to drive at highway speeds, I would stick with the Dunlop Graspic DS-2. I'm sure you'll be happy with your Graspic tires, they are still way better than "all season" tires.