Photo: iStock

It's October. I know you don't want to think about it .. neither do I. It was just yesterday we were enjoying a BBQ party out on the patio.

But it's time to face reality ... winter is coming (Game of Thrones fans, anyone?). And nothing says winter like the annual tire switch most of us go through.

John Mahler, our tire expert on our Ultra 94 Facebook Page has this to say about winter tires:

"Remember that all tire design is a compromise between competing great characteristics. You can have great cold pavement handling, ice traction, snow grip, slush bite and high-speed stability, but not all at once in the same tire. For ice grip, a tire has to have lots of little sipes (tiny cuts in the tread blocks); for snow traction, the tire needs lots of sharp edges on its tread blocks; and for slush removal it needs wide open channels between the tread blocks. So, figure out what your personal driving scenario is and choose a tire accordingly."

The Automobile Protection Association in Canada has done a comparison of several brands of winter tires that you may find helpful in putting John's advice into practice.

We've also done several posts here on PumpTalk about winter tires and related driving issues, including:

• Tire Inflation and Winter Driving
  
  
• Winter Driving Tips Redux
  
  
• How to Avoid Being Left Out in the Cold - Winter Maintenance Tips from CAA

Are you ready for winter on the road? When do you typically switch out your tires? Let us know in the comments!

- Rose R.