​There are laws for when I can run studded tires - In Vermont, there are no such laws, but most states and provinces do have these laws. In the northern states, the dates are a good guideline of when you should put on and take off your winter tires anyway. They are louder than studless tires - Yes, they are louder. Even the new advanced, quieter studs used by some manufacturers are louder than studless tires. Winter tires are louder than all-season tires and more aggressive winter tires are louder than less aggressive. Studded tires hurt the road - Technically, they do hurt the road a little bit. This will do nothing to reduce the life of the road because the vast damage caused by frost will destroy it long before any effects of studs will be evident. Studded tires extend dry and wet road braking - This is also true. Some tests show they can extend wet pavement braking by as much as 15%. Our opinion is that it is worth giving up some wet and dry braking to improve snow and ice performance. This is because we never find the limits of tires in wet conditions where we always find the limits of our tires in snow and ice. So then, why would anyone want these loud, expensive, regulated things? One word – safety.  We have found the benefits of studs go well beyond what any test can show. More important than any improvement to ice and snow braking or improved lateral stability is how studded tires react to the loss of traction vs studless tires. Because of the mechanical connection to the road, studded tires lose traction in a more gradual and predictable way than their studless counterparts. They also never totally lose traction no matter what surface you are on or how cold it is. This all adds to a safer more predictable driving experience. Who should use them?  If you live on that side of a mountain as some do, or you need to drive no matter what to get to your job, or you live on rural roads that don’t get plowed or salted as frequently, you should definitely consider studded tires.  Are you a road warrior, especially one that drives many of his/her miles on the highway? If you are, you should run studs. The reason we recommend studded tires to this type of driver is because when you are putting on that many miles, like it or not, you probably aren’t always paying as much attention to the road as you should be. In winter, even on sunny days, there is often water that runs across the road in spots that may cause black ice. With studs in your tires, this is less of a concern. They can save you when you don’t even realize there is a problem. So, who would we NOT recommend studded tires to? People who have the option not to drive on really bad days.  People who live and drive in mostly plowed and salted areas. Also, people who are spirited drivers regardless of season; studded tires probably aren’t the best choice. Not all studded tires are made equal. If the tire is designed right, the studs will be arranged so that they hit in 4 for more different spots. This ensures that every stud has a fresh spot on the ground for maximum traction. Also, the number of studs on a given tire can be different. For example, A Cooper Weather-Master WSC has 5 points of contact and twice as many studs as the average tire. An example of the other side of this is the Firestone Winterforce which has only two points of contact (which is the worst) and a low stud count. The studs also have a break in period where the stud “sets”. During this period drive more gingerly and try to avoid spinning on the start of sliding to a stop. When the nubs have worn off on the tread of the tire is a good indicator that the studs are set.