Advantages of Studded Tires
Studded tires provide extra traction on icy roads. They work by digging into the ice with small metal studs in the tread. This gives better grip for accelerating, braking, and cornering. They work especially well near coastal areas prone to ice in winter. Regular winter tires without studs can work better on snow.
You can choose tires with studs already embedded or get studdable tires and add studs later. Installing studs typically costs around $15 per tire. You could use studdable tires without studs to get winter traction benefits before adding studs when ice becomes common.
The studs are staggered across the tread to optimize grip. The protruding carbide pin on a properly installed stud should extend 1mm from the tread. Studded tires are noisier and wear faster on bare roads.
Disadvantages of Studded Tires
However, studded tires can damage bare roads. So consider when you actually need studs before purchasing. They are also less effective on loose or deep snow, when they cannot get enough resistance to add traction.