What are the Best Tires for Montana?

Locations in Montana: 3
First Montana location opening date: Kalispell MTM01 | October 13, 2015
Common vehicles: AWD/4WD vehicles, SUVs, pickup trucks, Subarus of all models
Major regions/cities: Billings, Missoula, Great Falls, Bozeman, Butte-Silver Bow, Helena, Kalispell, Belgrade, Havre
Road conditions: Paved, dirt and gravel roads, road debris like shale and rock chips, occasional potholes, severe weather, including snow, ice and slush

Famous for its beautiful landscapes, varied wildlife and natural resources like minerals, Montana is a breathtaking place to live and visit. Its small population of over a million residents swells yearly with an onslaught of tourists. In 2021 alone, there were an estimated 12.5 million visitors!

With its wide open spaces and massive mountain ranges (especially in the west), Montana is home to some…particular weather. While Montana experiences cool, moderate temps year round, it also undergoes temper tantrum storms that dump buckets of rain or snow, and even blizzard-like weather.

Pair that with the huge expanses of stretched out space between cities and towns, and you can see that Montanans have unique driving challenges. So, you might be wondering: what are the best tires for my vehicle in Montana?

Our field experts at our stores in Montana have given us their recommendations for the best tires for Montana. Check them out!

BEST CAR TIRES FOR MONTANA

The typical Montananan requires a 4WD or AWD vehicle to handle the Big Sky Country’s topography and climate. Their tires need to be able to handle a wide range of temperatures while standing up to shale, road debris and gravel roads. A good place to start is a set of all-season tires.

Michael Stevens, manager of the Kalispell Discount Tire store says one of his best selling all-season car tires is the Michelin Defender 2. This all-season touring and performance tire also comes in a very wide range of sizes and can fit your crossover SUV. Its popularity is certainly due to its class leading traction, ride comfort and whopping 80k-mile warranty.

Nate, the manager of the Billings Discount Tire store, agrees with Michelin recommendation, but also suggests the Continental ControlContact Tour A/S Plus. It matches the Michelin mile for mile with its 80,000-mile warranty while also delivering increased fuel efficiency with EcoPlus™tech. Plus, its proprietary comfort band absorbs bumps and road shocks for added comfort. Its unique tread compound is specifically designed for boosted traction, too.

Nate’s Billings customers tend to prefer big name brands like Michelin and Continental because they have a reputation for building a good product.

But if you’re looking for something with the same performance on a budget, Nate points to the dependable Falken Pro G5 A/S. This Discount Tire exclusive all-season tire comes packed with strong traction and impressive handling in wet weather, confident highway performance, a 60k-mile warranty and a cozy price point.

According to Sebastian Klug, manager of the Helena Discount Tire store, almost everyone keeps two sets of tires: one for winter and one for warmer months. His customers tend to prefer all-weather tires because they offer boosted traction and performance across a wider range of temperatures and road conditions, including light wintry days. Considering the cooler year-round months in his part of the state, this is a good tip.

For Sebastian, the Nokian Encompass AW01 is the go-to all-weather tire. Nate over in Billings agrees (it’s the preferred car tire at his store, too). There’s plenty to love thanks to its cut and puncture resistant Aramid Strong sidewalls (great to guard against shale). You’ll also be impressed with its three-peak-mountain-snowflake extreme weather designation that utilizes Snow Claws and 3D Centipede siping, which stay planted—even in winter weather. It also includes a 60,000-mile warranty.

Michael in Kalispell says his customers love the Nokian. It’s one of two top selling all-weather tires at his store. The other? The Michelin CrossClimate2. This all-weather tire utilizes Michelin’s Thermal Adaptive Tread Compound to allow for consistent performance in changing road conditions, so it’s perfect for The Treasure State. It has snappy, responsive handling and seriously stacked grip in inclement weather, and it’s all topped off with a 60k-mile treadwear warranty.

BEST TRUCK TIRES FOR MONTANA

A good majority of the vehicles you’ll see on Montana’s roads (paved and unpaved) are pickup trucks and SUVs. With the state’s demanding winter season and rugged terrain, it’s easy to see why.

Sebastian over in Helena notes that, “90% of the time a customer has a truck, they want a 10-ply all-terrain tire.” This is the preferred truck tire for off-roading and towing needs. They’re beefier and able to control the towed load without swaying at speed.

By far the most recommended and popular truck tire for Montana is the BF Goodrich All Terrain T/A KO2. Michael, from the Kalispell store, remarks that: “They do so well in any situation you run into. The siping is great!” Indeed it is! And thanks to BFG’s signature Serrated Shoulder Design and complex network of interlocking tread elements the KO2 delivers stable handling, on and off-road. It’s rated for severe weather, as well. Nate also points to its dependable versatility between paved and unpaved roads.

If you’re a Goodyear fan, Nate recommends the Goodyear Wrangler UltraTerrain AT. This Discount Tire exclusive tire offers similar performance to the BFG. It also includes a severe weather rating, a long-lasting durable tread compound and an optimized void ratio to self-clean, reduce road noise and add traction in unstable surfaces (read: mud and sand).

Sebastian in Helena likes the UltraTerrain AT, but if you want a Goodyear tire that has mud terrain capabilities combined with all-terrain on-road manners, choose the Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac. It features aggressive off-road features for your CUV, SUV or truck. When you want top of the line on-road comfort, adventure-ready off-road grip and confident traction in winter weather, this is the tire you turn to. It’s also rated for severe weather.

Michael in Kalispell hasn’t forgotten your SUV. For winter traction with all-season use, he points to the Falken Wildpeak AT3W. Also offered in truck and CUV sizes, it’s an understandably popular option for its focus on the three W’s: wear, wet and winter performance! This doesn't fool around; it rolls more like a premium tire with its heat diffuser to maintain integrity across temperature fluctuations, puncture resistance and aggressive sidewall design. It’s a great on road/off-road option!

Budget shopping? No problem. Sebastian says that the Pathfinder AT goes over well at his store in Helena. Customers like its great price point, enhanced all-season traction, off-road performance and great tread life.

DO I NEED SNOW TIRES IN MONTANA?

You should change to winter tires when the temperature consistently stays below 45F.

Montana as a state has variable winter conditions with the mountains being a little milder in general. The eastern plains and badlands get swamped with snow drifts thanks to unchecked wind blowing snow about. Ice, slush and snow are a blanket concern across the state.

All Montanans know that winter tires are a must. All-season tires don’t perform as well as winter tires when the temperature drops. They also aren’t able to brake as well as winter tires below 45 degrees.

And, bad news for all-terrain tire enthusiasts: all-terrain and mud-terrain tires aren’t up to winter snuff either.

Remember, winter in Montana is anywhere from October to May, so schedule your winter tire changeover ASAP. Does anyone else remember that time it snowed in July? We do!

Nate in Billings says winter tires are an absolute must, and if you’re looking for a non-studded option, you can’t go wrong with the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90. It’s a great tire for around town and is a tried and true option, so it’s quite popular. It features multicell tech that utilizes bite particles and a dense siping pattern to yield amazing traction on snow and ice. It comes in a wide range of sizes, from your sedan to your CUV.

For you pickup and SUV drivers, the Bridgestone Blizzak DMV2 is the way to go. Essentially the WS90’s big brother, this tough winter tire features multicell tech and hydrophilic coating for dependable grip in ice, snow, slush and even dry winter roads.

In general, the Bridgestone Blizzak and Nokian Hakkapeliitta winter tires are always a good bet, so if these don’t suit your vehicle’s size or utility, check out the rest of the fam!

There are plenty of mountain passes and interstate travelers in Montana. Montanans who are heading to Big Sky Ski Resort or Red Lodge Mountain this weekend for some skiing and snowboarding would do well to keep things safe and confident with a studded tire.

ARE STUDDED TIRES AND TIRE CHAINS LEGAL IN MONTANA?

Yes, studded tires are legal in Montana from October 1 to May 31st.

Tire chains are also allowed in Montana from October 1 to May 31st. They’re not required unless you are driving a commercial truck or vehicle but they may be encouraged for passenger vehicles for safety.

When we asked Sebastian, manager of our Helena Discount Tire store, what he recommends for winter tires, he said: “Studs! Anything with studs!” Michael and Nate agree that studded tires make up the majority of their winter tire sales, both due to preference and need.

Their pick? The Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10. It‘s designed for ultimate safety and superior grip in both ice and snow. It includes eco-friendly EcoStud 10 studs, which reduce road wear and boost ice traction. Its tread compound maintains its performance in a wide range of temperatures, whether it's a mild winter day or a full on blizzard!

If you’re feeling overwhelmed with too many good options, try Treadwell. It’s our smart tire buying guide that’s designed to help you find the right tire based on your unique driving needs.

If your wheels have seen better days and need repair, turn to us at Discount Tire. Some of our stores offer wheel services and repairs! Plus, we have the largest and best priced stock of aftermarket wheels in the industry to outfit you when yours are ready to retire!

And because Montana has some pretty extreme weather conditions, it’s a good idea to check your windshield wiper blades before you hit the road. (We recommend changing wiper blades every 6 months.) Need new wiper blades? You’re in luck. We stock a full supply of high-quality, low-priced windshield wipers!

If you have other questions or want to upgrade your wheels or tires, just give us a ring, drop by or make an appointment online! Customers who buy their products online and book an appointment ahead of time wait less time in-store!

For more information on this and other tire and wheel services, check out our YouTube Channel or reach out to us on X, Facebook and Instagram.