Reviews & Comparisons

The face-off between the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 and the Firestone Winterforce 2 turns the spotlight on two industry heavyweights. The Blizzak WS90’s optimized contact footprint competes with X-Ice Snow’s Flex-Ice 2.0 compound. Which will take the crown?

Tire Sizes

The Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 comes in 52 total sizes in 15 to 19 inches (wheels) with following specs.

• Speed ratings: T or H.
• Load ratings: SL or XL.
• Tread depth: 11 or 12/32″.
• Weight: 17 to 29 lbs.

Review this tire in greater detail: https://snowytires.com/bridgestone-blizzak-ws90-review/

On the other side, the Firestone Winterforce 2 comes in 14 to 18″ with following.

• Speed ratings: S on all.
• Load ratings: SL and XL.
• Tread depth: 12/32″ on all.
• Weight: 15 to 35 lbs.

Review this tire in greater detail: https://snowytires.com/firestone-winterforce-2-review/

Tread Appearance

The Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 stands out because of its strong and detailed tire tread design. Let’s explore these details together.

The tread consists of three primary sections, known as ribs…Let’s dissect them individually.

Starting with the shoulders, or should I say, outer ribs, here the lugs are abundantly filled with biters.

The presence of lateral notches facing the center, coupled with longitudinal slits you see in the central area of these lugs, provide exceptional traction capabilities.

Additionally, these shoulder blocks showcase zigzag slits running parallel to the tire’s edges. And yes, mirroring typical winter tire traits, these blocks are densely populated with siping.

In the middle, the ribs is made continuous running.

It features small lateral slits which progressively widen towards the edges, and move towards the V-shaped (notches) opening.

These V shaped biters are facing both sides, laterally, by the way.

Lastly, this central rib doesn’t fall short in terms of siping either, so you get ton of these full depth interlocking, and 3D sipes.

On the other hand, Firestone Winterforce 2 also features a directional pattern.

The tread has three sections, that look like columns of blocks, (their technical term is rib).

So these ribs create 4 longitudinal channels as you can see.

The central-most rib don’t form any proper blocks, though its very biting. It looks a pattern of leaves on a vine.

You get to sharp notches here, along with small toothed edges, and of course a lot of siping (like all other winter tires).

The surrounding ribs are more aggressive, and besides having all those features of notches and siping, they get to have a more open structure, allowing for interconnected groove formations.

Though the shoulder lugs are very blocky/squared-off.

So they although carry stud holes and wave-like sipes like other blocks, they don’t provide as many biters.

Wet Traction

Wet traction is primarily determined by two factors: grip, and resistance to aqua or hydroplaning, and we have some mixed results.

In case of grip, the Blizzak WS90 takes the lead with its multi angled sipes, and a mixture of both rectilinear and interlocking patterns.

These basically point in multiple directions and suck up the water particles, clearing path for the rest of the biters/tread rubber to grip in.

(That’s how sipes work BTW, the create vacuum, and suck water in).

On the other hand, the Firestone Winterforce 2 is equipped with only laterally-oriented siping and missing with rectilinear pattern of those slits.

So you do not get as much of a grip, though the tire does slightly better when it comes to aquaplaning (which is a term used to describe, when a tire starts to float over water).

During testing, the tire demonstrated marginally higher speeds in both curved and straight aquaplaning tests, and this is because it’s wider groove channel out water much faster compared to its counterpart.

So overall Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 does better in grip, while the Firestone Winterforce leads the way, when it comes to hydro or aquaplaning resistance.

Snow Performance

In varying snowy conditions, both tires deliver competitive performance, demonstrating their prowess in handling these wintry challenges. Despite this, the Firestone Winterforce 2 carves out a slight edge, particularly when negotiating slightly fluffy snow terrain.

And a closer look at its tread pattern elucidates why.

Even though it boasts a directional tread pattern, its lugs present a more open design, enabling enhanced snow-to-snow contact. The loosely packed snow is effortlessly scooped up by the tire’s interlocking grooves and snow-trapping recesses.

Once captured, the snow creates a snowy interface between the tire and the ground, offering superior traction. This is owing to the fact that snow adheres more effectively to other snowflakes as opposed to rubber.

In contrast, the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 appears more enclosed, establishing a continuous running rib at its core and lacking the interlocking groove configuration.

Consequently, its tread doesn’t pick up as much snow, falling a bit short of its competitor.

So you can easily say that on Ice, the Blizzak WS90 shines more compared to its counterpart.

Tread Life

The lifespan of a tire’s tread is largely influenced by its rolling resistance. In this respect, the Blizzak surpasses its rival.

The reduced weight of the tire lessens the pressure exerted by its blocks on the surface, leading to decreased friction and, consequently, a slower overall rate of rubber degradation.

Conversely, the Firestone Winterforce 2 is not only heavier but also concentrates this extra weight on a smaller rubber surface due to its wider tread voids.

This causes each lug to bear a greater amount of weight, contributing to quicker tread wear and, ultimately, reducing its overall lifespan.

However, it’s important to note that the disparity in performance between the two tires isn’t substantial, explaining the absence of warranties from both brands.

So the Tread Life is seen better on Bridgestone WS90.

Ice Performance

Transitioning to icy conditions, the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 rises to prominence, demonstrating a more favorable average braking distance compared to the Firestone Winterforce 2. Impressively, it halted an average of whopping 15 feet sooner in tests.

Similarly, during acceleration tests, the Blizzak hit the 40 mph mark a full 1.5 seconds quicker from a standstill.

So, what’s the secret behind this impressive performance? The answer lies in the Blizzak’s complex tread biter arrangement.

Its central rib boasts slanted cuts of varying widths, dual-directional V-shaped notches, and a rich supply of sipes, all contributing to its superior grip on icy terrain.

Importantly, these biters also feature dual angles, which further enhance grip and contribute to the tire’s efficient braking performance.

As it pertains to handling, where the shoulder lugs play a crucial role, the Blizzak again shines with biters oriented in both lateral and longitudinal directions, assuring superior grip from every angle. Furthermore, the sipes here also possess two distinct angles, mirroring the design in the central lugs.

In contrast, the Firestone Winterforce 2 takes a backseat due to its larger tread voids and much wider notches.

When it comes to braking effectively, the central tread area is pivotal, and here, the Winterforce 2, with its wider lateral tread voids, struggles to establish a solid grip on compact ice.

Additionally, the absence of multi-angled siping doesn’t do the tire any favors. See how all of those sipes are laterally arranged on the tire’s tread (in the appearance section above).

So together, you get lacing performance of the Firestone’s tire compared to Blizzak.

Comfort Levels

The comfort derived from a tire hinges on elements such as road noise and vibration absorption, all of which can be swayed by the tire’s design, materials incorporated, tread pattern, and sidewall structure.

Let’s delve into each aspect individually.

o noise predominantly arises from air particles colliding with the tread walls. And so the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 with its comparatively closed up tread voids, offers slightly superior performance.

In contrast, the Firestone Winterforce 2 presents marginally superior performance in terms of vibration damping, offering better cushioning over road irregularities.

So here, overall, both tires essentially balance each other out in terms of comfort, resulting in a draw.

Fuel Economy

Fuel consumption is influenced by the tire’s adhesion to the road and its overall structural weight.

Having said that, the Blizzak WS90 with its lighter weight comes out better.

With that its lugs aren’t pressurized as much against the road, resulting in lower rolling resistance values.

Moreover, you also get a more streamlined central rib on the tire compared to its counterpart. This allows for a smoother rolling of the tire.

On the contrary the Firestone Winterforce 2 lacks with its considerable weight, which escalates its overall rolling resistance.

With greater weight, basically, lugs bend a lot as the tire corners, for example. This generates heat and wastes energy that could have been used in to the rolling of the tire.

So overall, the Firestone’s tire lacks in providing as much fuel economy as the Blizzak.

Summing Up

Ultimately, the decision hinges on these considerations:

The Firestone Winterforce 2 stands out as the preferred choice for fluffy snow terrains, but when it comes to packed snow and icy conditions, the Blizzak WS90 displays superior performance, demonstrated by shorter braking distances and handling times.

On tarred surfaces, the Blizzak WS90 again takes the lead in both wet and dry circumstances, while the Firestone Winterforce 2 tire holds an edge when it comes to hydroplaning resistance.

Beyond these factors, both tires deliver commendable ride comfort: the Blizzak provides a quieter journey, whereas its counterpart excels in shock absorption over bumps.

The contest is on as BF Goodrich Winter T/A KSI, carrying its renowned performance in deep snow, squares off against the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90, known for its remarkable resilience against ice. When these snow titans meet, who will rule the winter roost? Well, let’s find out.

Tire Sizes

The BF Goodrich Winter T/A KSI comes in 57 total sizes in 14 to 20 inches, with following specs.

• Speed ratings: H and T.
• Load ratings: SL and XL
• Tread depth: 12/32″ on all.
• Weight: 16 to 41 lbs.
• Tread warranty: standard warranty of 6 years.

On the flip side, the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 comes in 52 total sizes in 15 to 19 inches (wheels) with following specs.

• Speed ratings: T or H.
• Load ratings: SL or XL.
• Tread depth: 11 or 12/32″.
• Weight: 17 to 29 lbs.
• Tread warranty: None.

Review this tire in greater detail: https://snowytires.com/bridgestone-blizzak-ws90-review/

Tread Appearance

The Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 is a marvel in the tire world, featuring a sturdy and well-thought-out directional tread pattern.

This design is dominated by three distinguished ribs, with the central one being continuous.

This central rib is adorned with wave-like sipes and also carries straight, interconnected ones, seamlessly integrated with in-groove notches.

Moreover, you also get V-shaped incisions here (attached to those notches, you can say). These are facing on either sides, towards shoulders.

Speaking of which, the shoulder lugs also have notches, which are slightly thicker. They are slightly slanted and facing the middle lugs.

Moreover, there are in-groove notches here as well (which may seem as splitting up the shoulder lugs). Like seen on the central rib, these notches are joined up with siping slits.

And yes, zigzag-shaped slits on the lugs add an extra layer of versatility to the design, and so does the siping, which is similar to the ones seen on central blocks, of course.

On the other hand, BF Goodrich Winter TA KSI is a pretty unique design as well.

Here, the tire’s directional tread pattern has a continuous running rib in the middle, which although is very thin, has off-set edges, and V shaped siping on it.

The surrounding lugs are actually part of shoulders, so you can see most of the tread pattern is made of these blocks, though they seem to be sightly divided up by in groove biters.

If you consider these notches closely you’d note a few things about them, one, they are “plus” shaped, with lateral arms having more aggressive zigzag edges, while longitudinal varying in width.

Moreover, these grooves have triangular stone ejectors strategically placed within them.

Other than this, you get aggressive wave-like siping on these shoulder lugs, which further get more aggressive as you move towards the tread extremities.

And yes, these shoulder blocks are joined up with each other with continuous running longitudinal rib underneath, and they are actually staggered (forming mud scoops in them).

Snow Performance

When considering proficiency in fluffy snow conditions, both tires demonstrate impressive performance. However, the BF Goodrich Winter TA KSI slightly outshines its competitor.

And delving deeper into the construction and design reveals the reasons for this advantage.

The distinguishing feature of the Winter TA KSI lies in its higher number of tread voids, primarily in the shape of in-groove notches. These notches expertly trap snowflakes, thereby improving the contact between snow particles.

This phenomenon allows the trapped snow to meet the ground as the tire rolls, enhancing grip as snow adheres better to itself than to rubber.

Moreover, as the tire features greater weight on average, the snow is pushed in more (and lodging of it becomes easier).

Additionally, the Winter TA KSI is equipped with expansive V-shaped lugs, adept at displacing heavy snow.

This results in forward propulsion as the thrown snow clears the path for the tire’s roll. This exclusive characteristic marginally improves the tire’s acceleration times.

Contrarily, the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 demonstrates slightly less efficacy in braking and handling. Its design is more enclosed, boasting a continuous central rib and smaller in-groove notches.

Even though it exhibits a (kind-of similar) directional tread pattern, it lacks the extensive sweeping arms of its rival, reducing its snow plowing capability.

So overall, in case of snow performance, the BF Goodrich Winter TA KSI takes the lead.

Wet Traction

Wet traction primarily depends on two factors: tread design and rubber composition.

And although both tires feature great designs, with ample siping and soft tread rubbers, the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 is still slightly ahead of the game.

The advantage of the Bridgestone Blizzak Ws90 lies in its extensive network of straight and interlocking sipes. They exhibit superior water absorption capabilities, leading to better grip in wet conditions.

And yes, here the multi-angled structure of the sipes also ensures excellent cornering and braking abilities.

Contrarily, the BF Goodrich Winter TA KSI, with its single siping design, and which are also “less-angled”, fails to provide equal overall traction, resulting in longer wet braking distances and handling times.

However, when it comes to hydroplaning resistance, the Winter TA KSI performs notably better with its wider grooves and sweeping arms, which facilitate higher float speeds in both curved and straight aqua tests.

So wet grip comes out better on Blizzak, while Hydroplaning Resistance is superior on BFG’s tire.

Ice Performance

On icy terrains, the roles are reversed, with the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 leading the way. The tire provides a shorter braking distance by 9 feet compared to its counterpart. Moreover, the Blizzak’s acceleration is notably superior.

The reason behind this is the intricate biters spread across the tread. The central rib of the tire features varying-width slanted incisions, and when combined with V-shaped notches, they ensure excellent longitudinal ice traction.

Moreover, the tire’s multi-angled sipes further add to these biters.

Observing its tread pattern reveals two diagonally angled sipes on the rib, enhancing grip on icy terrains.

The shoulder lugs of the tire also offer biting edges in both lateral and longitudinal directions, providing comprehensive grip. These shoulder blocks notably enhance handling capabilities, displaying faster steering feedback and reduced handling times.

On the other hand, the BF Goodrich Winter TA KSI has wider tread voids, which fail to grip ice as effectively.

The lack of notches and multi-angled siping on both central and shoulder lugs also lead to a longer average braking distance and handling time.

So overall Ice performance comes out better for Blizzak WS90.

Dry Traction

Dry grip efficiency largely depends on the tire’s contact area with the ground, with directional grip and lateral traction playing key roles.

In this regard, the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90, with its “wider” central continuous central rib, has an advantage.

This allows for better and more consistent ground contact, particularly on highways, leading to shorter braking distances and quicker acceleration times.

Moreover, the lighter weight of the Blizzak WS90 is also a contributing factor here and offers superior handling. This is because, while corners, it’s lugs aren’t forced to bend a lot, leading to faster handling feedback compared to BFG.

So overall Dry Traction is seen better on Blizzak.

Fuel Economy

The fuel efficiency of tires is closely related to their grip on the road and their overall weight.

Here, the BF Goodrich Winter TA KSI could use some improvement.

What I mean is that the tire’s substantial weight and broader tread voids increases its rolling resistance and friction with the road surface.

Whereas, the lighter Blizzak WS90 exerts less pressure on the road, reducing overall friction.

And yes, it’s longitudinally aligned tread ribs streamline with the tire’s direction, reducing obstacles to movement, saving energy, and improving fuel economy.

Comfort Levels

The comfort of a tire largely stems from elements such as road noise and vibration dampening. These characteristics are largely dictated by the tire’s construction, the materials used, the tread pattern, and the sidewall design, which mainly determines the smoothness of cornering.

Speaking on noise first, which gets generated with air particles hitting around the tread, the Bridgestone Blizzak Ws90 takes the lead with its less voided tread design. With this air particles colliding with the tread walls, don’t have enough room.

(But please note, the overall difference between the two tires is not a lot).

And yes, the BF Goodrich Winter TA KSI does great in the 2nd part of overall comfort. It provides a slightly smoother ride due to its superior shock absorption over bumps. Thus, taking all factors into account, both tires offer similar comfort levels.

So you can say, overall both tires do okay here, and are rated as equals.

Tread Life

Tread life heavily depends on rolling resistance, especially in the case of these two tires.

Here, the Blizzak WS90 takes the upper hand.

Its lighter weight exerts less force on the tread blocks as they contact the road, resulting in less friction and slower rubber wear.

Conversely, the heavier BF Goodrich Winter TA KSI concentrates its additional weight onto a smaller rubber surface due to its wider tread voids.

This puts more strain on each lug, accelerating tread wear and reducing its overall lifespan. However, the performance difference between the two tires is relatively small, hence the lack of warranties.

To Conclude

In terms of snow performance, the BF Goodrich Winter TA KSI outshines with its distinctive tread design and higher count of tread voids, providing superior snow grip and clearance.

However, under icy conditions, the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 excels, due to its complex biters, angled cuts, and multi-angled sipes that provide enhanced traction and handling.

On wet surfaces, the Blizzak dominates in terms of grip, while the BF Goodrich Winter TA KSI stands out for hydroplaning resistance.

Yet, overall, the Blizzak WS90 seems to be a slightly better choice due to its quieter performance and better fuel and tread economy.

The gloves are off as Gislaved Nordfrost 200, celebrated for its innovative snow-shedding tread design, takes on the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90, hailed for its optimal performance in icy conditions. As the snow flies, which tire will take the winter crown?

Tire Sizes

The Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 comes in 52 total sizes in 15 to 19 inches (wheels) with following specs.

• Speed ratings: T or H.
• Load ratings: SL or XL.
• Tread depth: 11 or 12/32″.
• Weight: 17 to 29 lbs.
• Tread warranty: None.

Review this tire in greater detail: https://snowytires.com/bridgestone-blizzak-ws90-review/

On the other side, the Gislaved Nordfrost 200 comes in 14 to 19 inches wheels with following.

• Speed ratings: T only.
• Load ratings: SL and XL.
• Tread depth: 10/32″ on all.
• Weight: 15 to 35 lbs.
• Tread warranty: None.

Tread Appearance

The Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 is a tough tire for winter. It has a unique pattern on the outside, called the tread. Let’s delve deeper into its remarkable traits.

The tread surface presents three distinct sections, 2 outer and one in the middle, where I’d start from.

So here in the central rib, there’s aren’t any proper blocks formations, however they do make triangular shapes, with the two incisions.

And as these slits vary in length, these act as in-groove notches.

Moreover, these slits also join up with V shaped openings on either sides (consider them notches).

Moving towards shoulders, lugs also have two types of notches there.

You can see one of those laterally placed, while other seems to split up the blocks right in the middle. Both of them provide tremendous bite.

And yes, besides that, like any other winter tire, you see a ton of wave-like siping everywhere.

On the other hand, Gislaved Nordfrost 200 features a asymmetric tread design.

So here you get to have 4 total ribs, which form 3 longitudinal channels in the middle.

The two central ribs contain elongated lugs (at the right of the image), with sharp edges, in-groove notches and a ton of wave-like siping.

While the other rib contains smaller blocks, though with more edges, more prominent siping, and stud holes.

Moving towards shoulders, you get the similar tread features.

Although they carry in lengths considering both sides, they get to have similar stud holes and wave-like sipes on them.

All these create ample biters for all kinds of snowy terrains, as you’d see in the upcoming sections.

Ice Performance

On an ice, the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 comes out with confidence, stopping an average of 10 feet shorter than the Gislaved Nordfrost 200 when it comes to braking.

This show of agility is also evident in acceleration tests as well, with the Blizzak hitting the 40 mph mark from a standing start a full second faster on average.

So, what’s the secret behind this icy mastery?

Well, its all attributed to the tire’s intricately designed biters scattered all over the tread.

For example, its (tread’s) central rib comes out with a symphony of slanted incisions of various sizes, V-shaped notches facing both lateral directions, and an abundance of siping, all of which contribute to superior ice-biting capabilities.

Noteworthy is the dual angle design of these biters, enhancing the grip further and thus, allowing for effective braking.

As for handling, the tire’s shoulder lugs, key components in this area, are embedded with biters facing both lateral and longitudinal directions, providing a well-rounded grip from every possible angle.

Similarly, the sipes also come with two distinct angles, mirroring those seen on the central lugs.

However, the Gislaved Nordfrost 200 seems a bit under-prepared for icy conditions, marked by larger tread voids and fewer notches.

The central tread area, critical for effective braking, struggles to secure a good enough grip on packed ice due to the tire’s wider lateral tread voids.

Additionally, the absence of multi-angled siping doesn’t help its case either.

Moreover, this shortfall extends to handling as well, where the lack of notches, there, results in longer handling times compared to its competition.

Though, things are significantly improved once you decide to put stud on the lugs, which are BTW, missing in WS90 (in all sizes).

Snow Performance

In a winter wonderland of snowy conditions, both tires truly make their mark, showcasing their prowess with commendable performances.

However, the Gislaved Nordfrost 200 appears to have a certain flair, particularly when navigating through fluffier snow terrains. And the secret to its superior traction? It’s all in the tread.

This tire dons an asymmetric tread pattern, with lugs that spread open like welcoming arms to the snowy surface.

These lugs make intimate snow-to-snow contact, enabling them to scoop up and retain the fluffy snow particles within their interlocking grooves and snow-vices.

This creates a layer of captured snow, paving the way for the tread to maintain contact with the ground using this snowy buffer. After all, snow shares a better bond with its kindred flakes than with rubber, enhancing traction significantly.

On the flip side, the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 is somewhat of a snow minimalist, featuring a more closed design with a continuous running rib at the center and lacking the interlocking groove structure.

This means its tread is somewhat reserved when it comes to collecting snow, giving its competitor the upper hand.

Dry Traction

Dry grip hinges on the extent of the rubber’s contact with the ground, and 2 very different, yet crucial components come into play here, namely, directional grip and lateral traction.

Directional Grip

The effectiveness of the directional grip rests on the central area of the tread. And in this regard, the Blizzak WS90, with its continuous running rib there, ensures persistent surface contact as the tire rolls straight, leading to superior performance.

So you get shorter braking distances here on average, along with acceleration times.

Handling

Handling depends on shoulders and tire’s overall weight.

As the tire corners, its weight shifts towards the edges of the tread (aka shoulders), and how well they contact the ground becomes crucial.

And in this regard, the Gislaved Nordfrost 200, with its wider grooves, doesn’t quite measure up to the Blizzak.

Moreover, the tire’s greater weight also affects its performance. This added weight precipitates increased lug movement as the tire navigates corners, which subsequently weakens steering feedback.

Wet Traction

Wet traction is primarily influenced by two key factors: tread design and rubber compound.

In this context, even though both the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 and the Gislaved Nordfrost 200 come equipped with abundant siping and thermally adaptive, soft rubbers, the Blizzak WS90 still offers slightly a better performance.

And this is because of the tire’s mixture of both rectilinear and interlocking sipes, which display a better proficiency at soaking up water particles encountered by the tire.

Moreover, you also get sipes with multiple angles, which enhance the tire’s grip as it maneuvers around corners. In such scenarios, water is absorbed into the slits, and the biters/sipes oriented parallel to the tire’s motion ensure the necessary grip.

On the other hand, the Gislaved Nordfrost 200 features siping predominantly in a lateral orientation. So it’s not quite there, if you know what I mean.

Though its hydroplaning resistance performance is quiet commendable, no doubt.

Upon testing, this tire indeed presented slightly superior “float speeds” in both curved and straight aquaplaning tests.

BTW, for folks who don’t know, the float speeds are simply maximum (fastest) speed a tire can achieve over standing water, before it starts to float.

And the Nordfrost offers better with its superior inter-connectivity of its grooves/channels.

So the tire’s tread disperses water efficiently in all directions, outshining its counterpart, which features a continuous central rib that somewhat obstructs the water’s path (most laterally).

Fuel Economy

The tire’s adhesion to the surface and its structural weight significantly impact fuel consumption.

And considering both it can be explained why the Gislaved Nordfrost 200 is taking the back seat here.

The tire’s considerable weight enhances the overall rolling resistance, while its relatively wider tread voids generate increased friction as the tire navigates the tarmac.

However, it’s worth noting that the tire’s performance markedly improves in extreme winter temperatures.

Contrarily, the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90, being lighter and equipped with longitudinally aligned ribs, allows for better streamlining as compared to the asymmetric pattern of its competitor.

This design promotes smoother straight-line travel, such as on highways, resulting in more efficient fuel consumption by curtailing energy wastage.

Comfort Levels

When considering tire comfort, several factors come into play, including road noise, vibration absorption, tire construction, material composition, and yes, the tread pattern. And considering all, it can be seen why we have some mixed results comparing both tires.

In case of noise, which gets generated when air particles are colliding with the tread walls, the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 emerges slightly ahead of its competitor, thanks to it’s slightly less voided structure.

So the tire does not give as much room for air to hit around, as much as it does in case of Nordfrost 200.

Though this Gislaved emerges superior in the vibration absorbing tests, as it offers marginally superior cushioning when encountering bumps.

Tread Life

Tread durability is another aspect that’s significantly influenced by rolling resistance. In this arena, the Blizzak WS90 manages to surpass its competitor.

The tire’s lighter weight translates into less force exerted by its tread blocks onto the road surface. This, in turn, results in reduced friction and slows down the rate of rubber degradation.

In contrast, the Gislaved Nordfrost 200 carries a heavier weight and concentrates this additional burden on a smaller rubber surface due to its comparatively wider tread voids.

This configuration results in each lug bearing a greater pressure, accelerating tread wear and potentially reducing the tire’s overall lifespan.

However, it’s crucial to point out that the performance disparity between the two tires is not vast. This perhaps explains why neither tire offers warranties.

Summing Up

Ultimately, the verdict comes down to this.

When it comes to maneuvering on fluffy snow, the NordFrost 200 holds an edge. However, the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 reigns supreme on packed snow and ice, demonstrating superior braking distances and handling times.

When assessing performance on tarmac, the Blizzak WS90 outshines in both wet and dry conditions. Nevertheless, the Gislaved Nordfrost 200 claims the crown when it comes to hydroplaning resistance.

Aside from these specifics, both tires deliver commendable ride comfort. The Blizzak WS90 provides a quieter journey, whereas its competitor, the Nordfrost 200, excels in absorbing bumps.

Both the Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 and the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90, come with their unique strengths and weaknesses, promising impressive performances that have set the bar high for winter tires. Though, lets see who will triumph in this fierce winter duel?

Tire Sizes

The Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 comes in 52 total sizes in 15 to 19 inches (wheels) with following specs.

• Speed ratings: T or H.
• Load ratings: SL or XL.
• Tread depth: 11 or 12/32″.
• Weight: 17 to 29 lbs.

Review this tire in greater detail: https://snowytires.com/bridgestone-blizzak-ws90-review/

On the other side, the Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 comes in 16 to 21 inches with following specs.

• Speed ratings: H, V and W.
• Load ratings: SL and XL.
• Tread depth: 10/32″ on all.
• Weight: 18 to 32 lbs.

Review this tire in greater detail: https://snowytires.com/pirelli-winter-sottozero-3-review/

Tread Appearance

The Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 stands out as a formidable winter tire, characterized by its thoughtfully engineered tread pattern. Let’s unpack its distinguishing features.

The tread encompasses three distinct sections, which are referred to as ribs.

Two of these ribs constitute the shoulders of the tire, and the third rib forms the central part.

This central rib is continuous running, and features slanted slits which join up with the V shaped notches, facing both sides.

(See how the slits form a triangular shaped pattern as well).

Delving into the shoulder ribs, these parts are packed with a lot of biting edges.

One of these are laterally placed (facing the central section), while the other are longitudinal, right in the middle of the blocks.

And of course, like the rest of the tread, you get a lot of siping everywhere here as well.

On the other hand, Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 also features a directional design, and here you see 3 ribs as well, just like the Blizzak WS90.

Let’s talk about the middle rib first.

So here, there are V shaped lugs (if you will), with sharp edges, longitudinal slits and wave like siping pattern of multiple angles.

Moreover, as all of these lugs are sitting on a continuous running secondary rubber layer (underneath), you get reinforced foundations.

So these lateral tread voids between the blocks act as in-groove notches, proving great overall bite and traction.

Moving towards the shoulders, you see elongated lugs here, with wider lateral tread voids in between.

These lugs also have a lot of siping, though their edges are smoothed out.

Wet Traction

In the realm of tire performance, one critical trait is the ability to maintain unwavering grip on wet surfaces. This crucial feature is largely dictated by the tread pattern and the rubber’s texture.

And both competitors here, being in the winter terrain category offer pretty great performance values with their numerous tread voids that aid in efficiently dispersing water, providing resistance to hydroplaning and wet grip.

Though still by a very tiny margin, you get to see the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 edging out a bit more, (past its rival).

This is because this tire offers a clever mix of interlocking and straight sipes, which have a more aggressive biters to them, so you get a more gripping tread here.

Moreover, the tire also features better flexibility to its tread, so all its sipes create superior suction to soak up water particles coming beneath (this is how sipes work by the way).

On the other hand, the Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3, although commendable in its resistance to hydroplaning, thanks to its wide grooves, and its decently designed lateral sipes, doesn’t quite match up to the Blizzak WS90’s prowess on wet surfaces.

Snow Performance

When it comes to tackling (soft) snow, both tires put up a stellar show, being designed to deliver top-notch performance even in harsh wintry conditions.

However, here the Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 is the one taking the lead, still.

So what causes this tire to have better performance on fluffy snowy terrains?

The secret to its success lies in its unique tread pattern which is spacious and furnished with lugs that enable snow-to-snow contact.

The tread voids of the Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3, basically, act like snow trappers, effectively capturing snow particles and creating a layer of snow that interacts with the ground, as the tire rolls.

And this results in superior traction, as snow binds better to snow than to rubber.

On the other hand, the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 opts for a less aggressive approach, especially with heavier snow. Its compact and less assertive tread pattern does not gather snow as efficiently.

So overall you get a superior performance with Pirelli’s tire.

Ice Performance

When venturing icy terrains, the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 shines as a top performer, with its distinct tread design, featuring a mix of angular cuts and V-shaped notches varying in size and direction.

All these biters, coupled with the tires intensely siped pattern, ensures quicker braking and superior handling responsiveness.

In contrast, the Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 falls short, with its larger tread voids and fewer notches.

These simply put can’t grip ice as effectively as the Blizzak.

Directional Grip

The performance of directional grip largely depends on the tread’s central area as, this part carries the majority of the tire’s load during straight-line driving.

And considering this factor explains, why the Blizzak WS90 excels here.

The tire comes with a more streamlined continuous running central rib, forming greater contact with the ground. Whereas on Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3, you get in-groove biters or notches instead, which eat away the rubber, that could have contacted the ground, and provided directional grip.

That’s why the Blizzak WS90 comes out with shorter braking distances (a direct measure of directional grip).

Handling

The essence of a tire’s handling or lateral traction is anchored on the performance of its shoulder lugs.

This is because, as the tire navigates through corners, the weight is redistributed towards the tread’s edges, or shoulders. And the efficiency of these lugs in adhering to the road underlies the overall handling capabilities.

In this context, the Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 claims an advantage due to its less deep tread and denser shoulder lugs.

With a compact shoulder design, the tire achieves superior road contact as it corners, as more of its shoulder lugs engage with the road surface.

And with a shallower tread depth, its lugs are less prone to flexing or bending as the tire navigates corners, resulting in a more balanced steering feedback, and consequently, superior handling.

On average, the tests show the Blizzak WS90 lacking a whole second, on average, on lap times.

Fuel Economy

Fuel efficiency hinges on the tire’s rolling resistance, essentially the ‘stickiness’ of the tread against the road.

And in this regard, the Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 takes the lead, despite the similar weight and tread design of both tires.

With its shallower tread depth and slightly harder rubber compound, the Pirelli’s lugs are less flexible and are less prone to bend or mold as the tire corners, brakes, or accelerates.

And this leads to less heat generation and overall energy expenditure, enhancing fuel efficiency.

So overall, Blizzak is lacking in the fuel economy department.

Tread Life

In the realm of tread life, winter tires often struggle to keep pace due to their softer rubber composition that tends to wear more rapidly. Therefore, it’s not surprising that both tires exhibit similar, and admittedly not overly impressive, performance in this area.

The Bridgestone Blizzak WS90, with its thermally adaptive rubber, tailored to handle winter’s harsh temperatures, is prone to faster wear. However, its lifespan finds a lifeline in its deeper tread depth.

This means that while its rubber might be softer and wear down quicker, the additional tread depth provides extra mileage before reaching the 2/32″ tread depth, which is the legal limit for driving.

Thus, despite its faster-wearing rubber, the Blizzak WS90 manages to keep pace with its counterpart in terms of tread life.

Vibration Absorption

Tires can be considered as the secondary suspension system of a vehicle.

And so in this regard, the Bridgestone WS90 comes out on top, with its cutting-edge compound, which not only offers better thermal adaptability on snowy terrains, but also a better cushioning to the imperfections of the road.

When the tire interacts with bumpy surfaces, its build proficiently diffuses these disturbances, resulting in a remarkably smoother ride. Here, the Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 doesn’t quite measure up, owing to its stiffer tread compound.

However, when it comes to noise reduction, the Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 has the upper hand.

Noise Generation

Tire noise predominantly gets generated from air, which enters through the sides/shoulder voids, and hits the walls around generating unwanted sound-waves.

That noise is further amplified (literally), by the phenomenon, known as in-groove resonance, where echoing happens.

Now, the Blizzak WS90 although produces similar noise at the start, its softer compound still gets to be louder, with its susceptibility to generate larger resonance values.

On the other side, the Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 pulls ahead thanks to its advanced pitch sequencing technology.

This technology, which involves variations in tread block geometry, generates different sound frequencies that effectively cancel each other out, thereby reducing “resonance” noise.

To Sum Up

In the fierce duel between the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 and the Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3, it’s clear that both tires demonstrate strengths in different areas.

While the Blizzak WS90 outperforms the Winter Sottozero 3 in aspects such as wet traction, ice performance, directional grip, and vibration absorption, the latter takes the crown in terms of snow performance, handling, fuel economy, and noise generation.

And yes, when it comes to tread life, both seem to offer a balanced showdown.

As such, the final choice would ideally come down to specific driver requirements and the typical driving conditions encountered.