Winter has its unique fascination with avid drivers. Safety will add more fun to adventures. That is why good preparation of excellent tires is crucial for a driver’s excitement in such a season.
Bridgestone Blizzak DM V2 and WS90 show up as excellent candidates for winter tires. Yet, what are the differences of them?
This blog discusses the influential facets to pick the optimal selection. Hopefully, it can help you make up your mind.
Criteria To Choose Tires For Winter Driving
The volatile weather of winter is a dangerous charm. So, driving in such a season requires good skill and specialized tires!
There is no need for further appreciation for the importance of driving techniques but the role of tires. However, it is usually an overlooked aspect in preparation for winter.
Divided opinions might arise, such as “why bother looking up winter-specialized tires while having the all-season tires?”.
Let’s face the unpleasant fact that such universal kinds are fine in almost all conditions but not excellent in tough situations.
“But my car has a wonderful powertrain while the suspension and braking systems do an excellent job,” some people might argue.
We all agree that those systems are relevant to the performance of an automobile. However, they will lose their power without the support of superior tires.
The small contact between a tire and the road plays a crucial role in creating traction. It tells how much a tire grips the road, directly relating to how fast a car can stop when you put on the brake.
So, the spotlight belongs to the optimized treads for winter. There are two main factors of treads for consideration as below.
- Tread Patterns
Simply put, the grooves of your tires are the tread patterns. The specific designs will adapt the best to certain cases.
Some treads accelerate the process of water dispersing. So, hydroplaning by heavy rains or water stagnation will no longer be a threat.
Meanwhile, the treads with large blocks are ideal for winter driving because they support tires to grip the snowy roads better! Also, there are small slits in snow-driving tires for effective traction!
- Tread Compounds
The hardness of a tire can profoundly impact the performance of traction. Hence, it is crucial to put the materials of treads into consideration.
People are inclined to choose hard tires for a long lifespan. However, we should not sacrifice effective traction for durable tires, especially under unpredictable winter weather.
A multicellular compound is usually in the specifically-designed tires for winter. The edges of these tires enable better grip on the road, so it is a great support to the traction!
Detailed Comparison Between Bridgestone Blizzak DM V2 vs WS90
1. Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2
| Season: Winter/snow Size: 16″ to 22″ Construction: Radial Speed Index: T, S, R Mileage Warranty: None |
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2. Bridgestone Blizzak WS90
| Sizes Available: 14” to 20” Speed Rating: Q, H, V, W, Y Mileage Warranty: N/A Rim Width Range: 5” to 10” Overall Diameter: 23” to 28.3” Revs Per Mile: 736 to 905 Max Load Capacity: 1,653 lbs Tread Depth: 11/32” Max Inflation Pressure: 44 psi |
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Both tires come from a well-known Japanese multinational corporation – Bridgestone. For nearly a century of establishment and development, the brand keeps its innovative flow to serve the best.
Blizzak WS90 and DM-V2 are among the best representatives for the special designs to hit the road in the winter. They are both excellent in many aspects, making the selection more challenging.
3. Detailed Comparison
- Performance
The levels of road grip are the priorities when considering the right tires. There are three main conditions that we cover below. Also, we share how excellent DM V2 and WS90 are in each type of road.
The size of a tire is among the crucial factors. Specifically, larger tires have more competitive advantages.
The rim width of Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 is 175, while DM V2 has a 215 rim. The tire diameters are 24 and 27.01 for WS90 and DM V2, respectively. These numbers already reveal the winner.
However, a challenging game is not that easy to end. Scroll down the following content, and it might surprise you!
- In Dry Conditions
WS90 has 11/32 inch tread depth with big grooves in the center. Besides, the dashed trenches run along the edge.
These features make contact between the tire and the road smaller. As a result, a less competitive grip on the dry roads is an obvious outcome.
Meanwhile, DM V2 has a 13/32 inch tread depth. The design puts the large trenches from the outside and the blocks in the center.
So, it has a low void ratio while the contact patch increases. These advantages make it an excellent tire on dry tracks.
- In Wet Conditions
The low traction of WS90 might make it less ideal for driving in any road situation. Yet, the zigzag-shaped sipes and broad trenches facilitate the water wiping. That is why it is still among the good winter tires.
As explained earlier, DM V2 has a better road grip thanks to the superior tread design. The positions of large grooves and central 3D zigzag sipes make it ideal for optimal hydroplaning resistance.
- On Icy Road
So far, WS90 seems to lose due to its high void ratio and low contact patch. But the tread design of WS90 could turn the tables with ideal driving on the icy and snowy tracks!
The seemingly weak point of high void ratio and great trenches enables it to get snow away. Also, the pathway will be ready as it roams forward!
DM V2 loses the advantage in this round because the low void ratio prevents it from effectively throwing out snow and cleaning the tread!
- Comfort
Traction is the factor that we have mentioned all along with this blog. Not only the contacting area, but it also determines how comfortable it is to drive on the tire.
With a larger size and low void ratio, DM-V2 also has a slanting tread design to add more effectiveness to the buffer. Additionally, more effective traction can bring about joy when hitting the roads!
In contrast, WS90 is smaller, and the tread pattern creates a high void ratio. The vehicle with this tire bumps a lot, especially in rough conditions, consequently.
- Road Noise
The massive grooves on WS90 save space for wind collisions. Along with its humble size, the rides might be shaky. These elements generate more noise when driving.
In the meantime, DM V2 sets it apart as a ‘mindful’ type. The remarkable arrangement of trenches allows it to cancel out the noise of winds. In addition, it minimizes the effects of bumping on even the choppy tracks.
- Durability
The harder the tire is, the more durable it can be. Yet, durability is not a common factor when choosing winter tires. As mentioned earlier, the hardness of the tire significantly reduces traction.
So, both these two products use materials that are favorable compounds for winter driving. The components include 55% of multicell NanoPro Tech material.
Although sharing the same materials by the same brand, these tires have different tread patterns. For this reason, the difference between their tractions tells their lifespan.
DM V2 might wear out more quickly than WS90. The large grooves and high void ratios of WS90 favor it in long-term use.
For more: Bridgestone vs Michelin Tires: Detailed Comparison 2022
DM-V2 vs WS90: Comparison Overview
The comparison of these two products brings out both advantages and disadvantages. One can be better than the remaining in one or two factors.
For example, you will love using DM V2 on dry and wet roads, while WS90 can win your heart for its excellence on snowy tracks!
The decision is still up to your preferences. Yet, the multifaceted analysis above hopefully expands the essentials of selecting the ideal tires for your automobile.
Instead of making a subjective selection, we share a summary of all the factors above.
| Factors | WS90 | DM V2 |
| On dry roads | Lower road grips | Enhanced grips |
| On wet roads | Good hydroplaning resistance | Ideal for preventing hydroplaning |
| On icy/snow roads | Excellent | Less effective |
| Comfort | Shaky | Superior |
| Noise | Noisy | Quiet |
| Durability | Long-lasting | Quickly wearing out |
For more winter tire options, you can refer to the following articles: Ultimate List Of Top 10 Best Winter Tires For Snow 2022
Conclusion
Winter rides will become more exciting if you equip your car with superior tires. So, grasping the essential points leads to better choices.
In short, there is no complete win in the juxtaposition of Bridgestone Blizzak DM V2 and WS90. So, it is challenging to point out which is a better tire for winter rides.
