The Barum Polaris 5, known for its exceptional snow grip, and the Debica Frigo HP2, with its superior ice traction, lock horns in this face-off. Let’s crown a king out of these budget friendly winter tires.
Table of Contents
Sizes Info
The Debica Frigo HP2 comes in 15 to 18 inches with following specs.
- Speed ratings: T and H.
- Load ratings: SL and XL.
- Tread depth: 12/32″.
- Weight: 16 to 28 lbs.
- Tread warranty: None.
On the other side, the Barum Polaris 5 (review) comes in 74 total sizes, in 13 to 19 inches wheels, with following specs.
- Speed ratings: T, H and V.
- Load ratings: SL and XL.
- Tread depth: 9 to 10/32″.
- Weight: 15 to 26 lbs.
- Tread warranty: None.
Ice and Snow Traction
When navigating icy terrains, the Debica Frigo HP2 shines brilliantly, as it showcases with 8 feet shorter braking distances, on average, and a whole second faster handling times (on laps, again on average).
Simply put, the tire offers gerater number of biters, and those combined with the tire’s better interlocking siping, you see better results overall.
In contrast, the Barum Polaris 5, with a less aggressive siping pattern and lacking multiple angles, finds its overall ice traction somewhat limited.
Though the tire does better when the ground is fluffy.
When faced with the challenge of softer, powdery snow terrains, the Barum Polaris 5 tire’s comprehensive network of tread voids functions as snow traps, providing superior contact between the tire and the snow. This enhanced contact generates greater friction, as the lodged snow meets the ground.
The Debica Frigo HP2, in contrast, lacks these specific characteristics. The tire fails to establish as much contact with the lodged snow within its grooves. Furthermore, its smaller tread voids limit its ability to paddle through the snow. In contrast, the Barum Polaris 5 throws snow backwards, generating better forward momentum.
Verdict: The Debica Frigo offers better icy traction, but lacks to its counterpart, when it comes to fluffy/powdery snowy terrains.
Comfort Levels Explored
When delving into the realm of comfort, the intricacies unfold in a captivating tale, divided into two chapters: the department of noise reduction and the tire’s ability to navigate road shocks with grace.
Let us embark on an exploration of each aspect separately.
Road Noise
The symphony of road noise originates from the collision of air particles with the tread walls, with the shoulder area acting as the main gateway for these, I should say, acoustic disturbances.
So this means, reduction of shoulder voids corresponds to a decrease in noise production.
In this regard, the Debica Frigo HP2 gains commendable points with its relatively compact design, keeping the shoulder voids small. By doing so, it restricts the influx of air and minimizes its impact on the tread walls, as explained above.
Yet, the Barum Polaris 5 challenges this achievement with its innovative pitch sequencing technology. This technology introduces variations in the tread block geometry, leading to the creation of distinct sounds. The harmonious interplay of these tones cancels each other out, effectively reducing noise.
Hence, when it comes to noise reduction, both tires are similar.
Road Bumps Absorption
The tires’ ability to absorb the jolts and imperfections of the road, highly depends on the build. That’s why the Debica Frigo HP2 takes the lead with its softer tread compound.
The tire’s malleable composition allows it to gracefully embrace the road’s imperfections, offering a smoother ride.
However, just as in the realm of noise reduction, another twist in the plot unfolds, as the Barum Polaris 5, while potentially less efficient in absorbing bumps, manages to provide a subjectively better sense of overall steering.
I am it’s firmer rubber to road contact provide a better under and over steering balance. So one can also draw both tires here as well.
Verdict: Debica Frigo HP2 offers superior impact comfort performance.
Fuel Usage
The efficiency of a tire’s fuel consumption is deeply intertwined with its tread design and overall weight. These elements significantly influence rolling resistance, a crucial factor impacting fuel consumption.
In this regard, both tires exhibit nearly identical levels of rolling resistance. The Debica Frigo HP2, with its lighter average weight across all sizes, features slightly wider tread voids. Consequently, this increased lug movement during maneuvers demands additional fuel.
On the other hand, the Barum Polaris 5, despite its heavier weight exerting greater force on the lugs, strikes a balance with its stiffer compound, resulting in equivalent fuel consumption levels.
Thus, when it comes to fuel efficiency, we once again witness a harmonious tie between these two contenders.
Dry Directional Grip
The tire’s capacity for directional grip is predominantly attributed to the central area of the tread. This region bears the bulk of the tire’s load during straight-line motion, such as highway driving. So how well tread connects the road form there is crucial.
That’s why it makes sense why the Barum shows better results here. While both tires exhibit continuous central ribs for consistent road contact, the Barum Polaris 5’s compact and continuous pattern extending to the surrounding lugs contributes to a shorter braking distance.
Verdict: The Barum Polaris 5 demonstrates superior linear grip when it comes to dry conditions, where it shows 5 feet quicker braking distances on average, compared to Debica.
Wet Traction
The tire’s traction on wet surfaces hinges greatly on its tread design and the composition of its rubber compound.
In this domain, the Debica Frigo HP2 shines slightly brighter than its rival, even though both tires feature extensive siping. Sipes, acting as channels or voids, expel air and draw in water particles, thus enhancing wet grip.
Leveraging a dual siping system, which combines assertive interlocking and linear designs, the Debica Frigo HP2 showcases remarkable wet traction abilities. The multi-angled sipes further enhance cornering capabilities, ensuring grip in all directions.
On the other hand, the Barum Polaris 5 employs a different siping approach, featuring predominantly lateral sipes. This results in a slightly different traction performance.
However, it’s worth noting that the Barum Polaris 5 excels in resisting hydroplaning. The tire showcases superior “float” speeds, which refer to the maximum speed it can maintain over standing water without losing contact with the road. This advantage holds true in both straight and curved water-testing scenarios.
Dry Lateral Traction
The performance of lateral traction, or handling, is heavily influenced by the tire’s shoulder structure and overall mass.
But why shoulders? Let me explain.
During cornering, the weight is displaced to the edges of the tread (shoulders/sidewalls) due to inertia, so compact shoulders do better.
Now, while both tires exhibit similar footprints in this area, the Barum Polaris 5 still lacks due to its greater weight, which pushed lugs to bend more against the road.
This excessive bending of the lugs creates an imbalance between understeer and oversteer, compromising the tire’s overall steering feedback.
Consequently, the Debica Frigo HP2 emerges as the victor in terms of dry handling. It provides better control and stability, granting drivers a heightened sense of confidence.
To Conclude
After thoroughly evaluating these tires across various criteria, it becomes evident that each possesses its own unique appeal, depending on specific strengths.
The Debica Frigo HP2 stands out with commendable performance in wet traction, shock absorption, and ice traction.
On the contrary, the Barum Polaris 5 exhibits superior performance in powdery snow traction and dry directional grip.
It’s crucial to note that both tires perform equivalently in terms of fuel usage and road noise, making the ultimate choice highly dependent on individual requirements and prevailing driving conditions.
