Table of Contents
Overview
The Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9 is a premium winter tire featuring the world’s first double stud technology to enhance your winter driving. The new technology offers unprecedented grip on curved or straight roads, in snowy or icy conditions. The Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9 provides a balanced and responsive base for your to go about your winter business without worrying about your vehicle’s safety.
These are just some of the groundbreaking technologies featured in the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9 design:
Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9 Features
Stud concept
The Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9 features two kinds of metal grips. The studs on the central portion of the tire optimize the wheel’s longitudinal grip while the studs on either side aid in securing the sides of the tire to add traction and distribute pressure efficiently.
Steel belt structure
The Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9 has also integrated an Ultra High Tensile Steel Belt structure to balance your vehicle and enhance its handling during evasions and even high speed motorway navigation. The metal layer sits just under the rubber exterior and is tough but weighs very little. As well as helping balance the body of your car across all tires on uneven ground, the steel belt also protect your tire against punctures, which in turn will improve its mileage.
Pros of studded winter tires
Never worry about stopping in rough weather
Especially in early winter, you might find yourself driving along when an unexpected snow storm makes the driving conditions challenging. In most cases you would be legally obligated to get out of your vehicle and fit chains or cables to your wheels. Dedicated studded winter season tires mean that you won’t have to subject yourself to the cold, wet weather, struggling to get your car fit for your journey. Instead, sit back and drive on knowing your wheels are made for the challenge.
Stability
While other forms of enhancements, like chains or cables, do exist to help anchor your vehicle in the snow, these cause major discomfort. External metal fixings aren’t as secure as an embedded stud and can shift around the wheel as the car moves, causing high levels of vibration. Using studded winter tires not only eliminates this discomfort but also eliminates the risk of the external stabilizers slipping on uneven ground.
Noise
On a related note, the external grips are loud. Chains, and to a lesser extent cables, clatter and clink on clear roadways. This makes them a headache when driving in quieter residential areas or during that pesky in between system where much of the snow is gone, but some ice still remains. Using embedded studs reduces this noise level almost completely and makes for a more comfortable ride for your bum and your ears.
More dependable than studless tires
Studless tires are becoming more popular. They are made with deeper grooves in the tread pattern to compensate for the lack of metal grip. While studless tires can work in mild to middling weather conditions, the studde model is still superior in severe weather. Studded winter tires are indisputably more reliable on both snow and ice and can even help stabilize vehicles in wet conditions.
Inclines and braking
The stud’s increased grip in extreme weather really pays off when tackling large hills. Even on inclines that are challenging to ploughs, a good studded tire will put you at a huge advantage when driving up steep hills or mountains. When descending, the heightened traction will allow you to control the speed to get your vehicle to ground level safely.
Minimize damage to your vehicle
Both chains and cables put you at risk of external damage to your car. Although the equipment comes with specific instructions as to where to put the locking mechanism, a chain or cable runs the risk of detaching or breaking. If this happens, the odds are you probably will just have to push on and only face the potential repair bill to the side or undercarriage of your car when you get the chance. Studs will not detach from your vehicle, nor can they cause any damage. You can drive, safe in the knowledge that the imbedded metal will only enhance and never impede your journey.
Strength
As mentioned previously, chains and cables sometimes do break or bend. Studs do not. This is because tire studs are made from tungsten carbide, a compound of tungsten and carbon, and is pretty much the strongest metal in any industry, on par with titanium and impervious to impacts and abrasions. In fact, the only stronger substance are diamonds. So, if you’re not on any kind of budget, you could really go all out on bejeweled winter car wear.
How do they handle winter terrain?
The Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9s are high performance tires on all winter terrain. On top of the double studded tires, the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9 also features an intricate tread pattern. The unidirectional marks pack snow into the tires in order to produce snow on snow friction for added grip. The tread patterns on the shoulders of the tires work to bite into snow as you drive, anchoring and pulling the wheel forward. As well as a superior grip on ice and snow, the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9 also boasts an excellent wet grip for when spring begins to take over and you are confronted with slush rather than snow banks.
What is their noise level?
The Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9 are exceptionally quiet despite the metal studs. The noise level when driving over snow, ice, slush, and clear roads is minimal, resulting in an extremely comfortable ride for passengers as well as pedestrians.
Specifications and sizes
The Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9 are recommended for all standard passenger vehicles, including electric and hybrid cars. The tire’s intricate build and efficient design minimizes your fuel expenditure in winter weather regardless of your vehicle, but owners of electric cars might be especially pleased to optimize their travel between charging ports
The Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9 comes in four different variations:
- 175/65R14 86T XL: This model bears loads up to 530 kg and can rotate at speeds up to 190 km/hour
- 175/65R15 88 T XL: This version has a maximum load of 560 kg and also caps its speed at 190 km/hour
- 185/60R15 88T XL: This tire also supports vehicles weighing up to 560 kg and also caps its speed at 190 km/hour
- 185/65R15 92T XL: Taking it up a notch, this model can handle vehicles of up to 630 kg and also moves up to 190 km/hour.
Customer reviews
Testers of the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9 are consistently impressed by its easy handling and sensitivity. The wheels perform exceptionally well on snow and ice and the carefully designed structure translates to an excellent driving experience on wet and dry roads.