Silver --
Nokian makes at LT, load range E, mountain / snowflake qualified severe snow conditions winter tire called the
Nokian Hakkapeliitta LT2. You can buy it either studded or without studs (studdable).
LT285/75R16 122/119 Q up to 100 mph, max load 3300 lb
I been running the studded version of these as my winter tires (LT265/70R17) on my Ram dually for 9 years. I replace them at 50% tread depth (after about five winters) since the special rubber compound makes up the outer half of the tread. Traction is all about tread depth, design, sipping and rubber compound / ingredients. Black ice in the transition zone from rain to snow, when I was spending a lot of time in the Sierra, and the occasional freezing rain / fog here in Montana make the studded version the better choice.
My summer tires are Toyo M55. While they have "SNOW" on the sidewall that would have met the QC requirements before mid 2014, they are not the best winter tire, as the early winter storms here in late October / early November amply demonstrated to me before I changed them:). They are, however, really resistant to rock cuts and flats on gravel and shale roads.
