Summer tires may not be a new phenomenon to many car owners. You might have heard, seen, or even used them. These tires are constructed from materials designed to boost handling on hot summer pavement.

What Are Summer Tires?

Summer tires are also referred to as performance tires. These are tires designed to give amazing dry and wet traction and precise handling. They are made to be used in warm seasons or all year in regions that do not receive true winter.

These tires are made from a harder form of rubber than winter or all-season tires. Hot summer roads will heat the materials on tires to a point where they leave more material on the pavement than in cooler months. This means that your tires will wear down more quickly at this time of year. These tires are designed to increase durability while still providing safe, reliable traction during the season.

These tires are normally fitted to performance or luxury car models either as standard equipment or a luxury package. They offer a proper grip on wet and dry surfaces. Additionally, they offer optimal performance during the warm conditions of summer.

However, you should note that performance tires are not ideal for winter. The materials that these tires are constructed with are not designed to provide enough traction when winter temperatures go below freezing. Therefore, the car will not have sufficient control if summer tires are used during winter.

The Differences Between Summer Tires and Winter Tires

There are three main differences between the two sets of tires. These are tread pattern, rubber compound, and structure.

Summer tires have tread patterns that are block shaped. These patterns maximize the tire footprint that has contact with the road. As a result, these tires have great brake distance and excellent handling. Winter tires have a deeper tread that is designed to grip snow and ice more effectively.

Rubber is an excellent material for grip, but it tends to wear down quickly. Tires for the summer have less natural rubber in their designs to prevent them from becoming too soft and wearing down on the hot pavement. Winter tires use more natural rubber, which keeps them from becoming brittle in freezing temperatures. The rubber keeps them soft enough to continue to grip on roads with snow and ice.

Structurally, winter tires are covered with tiny grooves called sipes to help add more grip on low-friction, icy surfaces. Tires suited for summer driving rely more on tread bars.

Why Purchase Tires For Summer?

Although all-season tires are multipurpose, they come with limitations because they are best suited to average conditions and not temperature extremes. Summer tires are designed specifically with very hot conditions in mind. If you live in an area with long, hot summers, this kind of tire can be a good investment to extend the lifespan of your tires overall.

Tires for summer are ideal in all warm months that offer temperatures above seven degrees Celsius. The tread patterns offer the best handling and performance on dry and wet roads. Some regions do not receive winter and tend to have mild temperatures most of the year. In this case, summer tires may be ideal all year round.

Mixed Performance Tires

These are performance wheels that have different sizes in the front and back. For example, a car can have 270/30 R19 back and 235/45 R19 front.

Key Factors to Consider

Are you considering getting tires for summer? These are some of the considerations you need to make.

Climate

How much of the year has the truly hot temperatures where summer tires outperform? If you have shorter summers or a more temperate climate, it may be better to switch between all-season and winter tires. However, if your climate is very hot and your winters are mild, you might use all-season tires in the winter and use summer tires for the rest of the year.

If you’re not sure whether your climate is right, talk to your local tire store to see what they tend to recommend to their customers. Many of these businesses will provide such information for free as you shop around.

Size

You should always confirm your tire manual to ensure the tire size you are acquiring is accurate. The new tire should coincide with the specifications provided in the car manual. You should apply search filters for online purchases to get the right size for your ride.

Tread Design

Tread designs are what make summer tires unique. Performance tires should have specialized tread designs that help to improve traction and handling. Dry-season summer tires often have shallow treads to increase performance at high speeds. However, wet-season summer tires will have rain-channeling treads to channel water away from the tire and to help prevent hydroplaning when driving fast.

Summer tires often have unidirectional tread, meaning that each tire can only be mounted on one side of the car or the other.

Wet Traction

If you live on the eastern side of the United States, you likely have wet and/or stormy conditions during the hottest months of the year. In this case, you will want to pay specific attention to the tire treads and their ability to handle rain on the roads. This is less important to people in the western U.S., where summers are known as the dry season of the year.

Your tires should be able to enhance performance and handling when driving in wet conditions. In addition, the treads should be able to overcome hydroplaning on wet roads. This can be achieved by water evacuation by the tires while maintaining a firm grip on the wet road.

Speed Index

This is the highest speed a tire can handle. This maximum speed is denoted by a letter on the tire’s sidewall. For example, tires with T, Z, and H have speed ratings of 118, 149, and 130 miles per hour, respectively. If you are doing standard driving at or near the speed limit of typical U.S. roads, this is likely to be less of a concern for you.

What Happens If You Use Summer Tires All Year?

If you live in subtropical conditions, you may be able to use summer tires year round. However, cooler temperatures will significantly reduce the traction of these tires, and they can be dangerous to use on icy mornings.

Also, your performance tires can be damaged by the cold conditions. The tires harden and freeze, thus impairing the durability. You are likely to reduce the lifespan of your tires if you do this.

How Can You Tell If Your Tires Are Summer Tires?

The easiest way to confirm whether you have all-season or seasonal tires on a vehicle that you are purchasing is to look up the specs of the tires online. However, tires with flatter, shallower tread patterns are more likely to be tires best used for the summer.