Ok have to give an update. Drove from Seattle to Salt Lake going through Jackson, WY. Along the way saw temperatures below 10, cold drifted snow, icy roads, slushy roads, 8" of wet new snow... and in all of that the tires have performed great. They are not snow tires, but they absolutely blow the old tires away. They feel planted and if you drive the speed limit (actually take that exit ramp at 35 instead of 50) when the roads are snowy, there are zero issues. Only when I mash the throttle or stomp on the brakes can I get it to cut loose. Coming down the 10% slopes of Teton Pass during a blizzard I would have been terrified on the Toyos. With the Wildpeak I just took it slow and did not slide once.
But I knew they would be better in the snow... the really impressive thing is how good they are everywhere else. In Montana where the speed limit is 80 I could test the performance at speed, and there was far more wind noise at high speeds than tire noise. They seem quieter than the Toyos on dry roads, and I have found cornering performance to be great due to the stiffness of the sidewall. Performance on wet roads has been better as well, but that may just be the new tread. The only negative difference in feel is that the Wildpeaks are stiffer, so when you hit expansion joints or potholes its slightly more of a jolt. For such huge improvements everywhere else, that tradeoff is well worth it. Looking forward to testing them on gravel this summer!
But I knew they would be better in the snow... the really impressive thing is how good they are everywhere else. In Montana where the speed limit is 80 I could test the performance at speed, and there was far more wind noise at high speeds than tire noise. They seem quieter than the Toyos on dry roads, and I have found cornering performance to be great due to the stiffness of the sidewall. Performance on wet roads has been better as well, but that may just be the new tread. The only negative difference in feel is that the Wildpeaks are stiffer, so when you hit expansion joints or potholes its slightly more of a jolt. For such huge improvements everywhere else, that tradeoff is well worth it. Looking forward to testing them on gravel this summer!