Opinions: Nokian Hakkapeliitta RSi VS Bridgestone Blizzak WS-60

Hi guys,

I'm shopping for winter tires and wanted to get some feedback on 2 winter tires that I'm looking at.

I do a fair bit of highway driving but I also do my share of city driving...if I had to break it down, I would say I do about 60% highway and 40% city. Part of the highway I drive is concrete and the rest is ashphalt. I live in the city so that also means I often have to drive my way in and out of snow banks.

So I'm looking at the Nokian Hakkapeliitta RSi and the Bridgestone Blizzak WS-60. The prices I've been quoted are similar for both. Have any of you driven either of these tires? Perhaps even both of them? What have your experiences been like? Would you use them again? Would you recommend one over the other?

Thanks for your feedback!! :)

I have had the Hakka RSi on my Protege for 2 winters and they are simply amazing. Prior to that, I drove on Michelin Arctic Alpin which were OK. RSi excels in slush, wet snow, & hard packed snow. I remember trying to do a quick e-brake u-turn in slush that would normally lock up the Arctic Alpin. Instead, the RSi gripped so well that I almost hit the opposite curb (because the car didn't spin around fast enough.) In very deep snow, the tread blocks/sipes are too closely spaced to effectively shed the white stuff. The tires turn into big white donuts. :) I got stuck on a couple of occasions when daring (crazy?) enough to try navigating unplowed streets during a heavy snow storm.

The other thing you should know about the RSi is that the sidewall is very soft. Some people are not comfortable with the marshmellow handling, but this is the price you pay for incredible grip in the snow and extreme cold. High-speed handling in the snow is excellent as well. Rarely did the Protege oversteer when changing lanes.

Hope that helps.

J.

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Originally Posted by Go_Habs_Go

Hi guys,

I'm shopping for winter tires and wanted to get some feedback on 2 winter tires that I'm looking at.

I do a fair bit of highway driving but I also do my share of city driving...if I had to break it down, I would say I do about 60% highway and 40% city. Part of the highway I drive is concrete and the rest is ashphalt. I live in the city so that also means I often have to drive my way in and out of snow banks.

So I'm looking at the Nokian Hakkapeliitta RSi and the Bridgestone Blizzak WS-60. The prices I've been quoted are similar for both. Have any of you driven either of these tires? Perhaps even both of them? What have your experiences been like? Would you use them again? Would you recommend one over the other?

Thanks for your feedback!! :)

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In all professional tests i have seen Nokian Hakkapeliitta in average were bit better than Blizzak. On wet snow slash test they were better even Gislavel and Continental.

I had Hakk's on the P5.. simply amazing and I'm trying to locate a full set of Nokian's right now.. I honestly wouldn't bother looking at the Blizzaks..

Save yourself the headache.. btw, never once did I get stuck, and the P5 had a Eibach Pro-Kit installed as well..

IMO- The Hak's are arguably the best and most all-around capable snow tires you can purchase for your car. They essentially laugh at almost anything winter will throw at them.

Blizzaks are awesome in deep snow and better than the Haks at this only. The Blizzaks are also very noisy winter tires and they wear very quickly. You will be lucky to get 3 winters out of them.

thanks for the replies guys!

I'm looking at the Hakkapeliitta RSi's but apparently there is a new one that just came out called the 'R', supposedly it is replacing the RSi model. Anyone got any feedback on that one?

I've also been speaking to Allen at SimplyTire (thanks for all the great replies Allen!!) and he mentioned that the Gislaved's NordicFrost 5's are quite the tire as well, perhaps even better than the Nokian's!

I've heard from several people I know, that the NordicFrost 5's are an amazing tire. I was originally considering Hakkapeliitta's but ordered NordicFrost's instead.

All these different brands of tires is making me poor head spin like a top! LOL

But thanks for all the feedback guys, much appreciated. :)

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Originally Posted by Go_Habs_Go

All these different brands of tires is making me poor head spin like a top! LOL

But thanks for all the feedback guys, much appreciated. :)

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Put yourself at ease bro, just get the Noki's, you won't be sorry! ....especially since you live in Montreal! :)


_3

I think I will be getting the Nokian Hakka 5's (unstudded). I'm calling several places now to try and get the best price...

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Originally Posted by Go_Habs_Go

I think I will be getting the Nokian Hakka 5's (unstudded). I'm calling several places now to try and get the best price...

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Warning, they are not cheap...but, you do get what you pay for with these tires.

Who in the GTA sells Nokian tires? The only place on the net I found is 1010tire.com, and they're $200 a piece :whoa

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Originally Posted by gta_driver

Who in the GTA sells Nokian tires? The only place on the net I found is 1010tire.com, and they're $200 a piece :whoa

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Kal Tire has the Nokian's, but they are not in the GTA I believe. If you go to their website, it will show list of locations in Ontario. Good luck.

Here's something to backup all the claims ppl are making about the Nokian's.
http://www.apa.ca/template.asp?DocID=97#suv

There is no doubt that W60 is good tire. But it new and not much tested.
Even now, there is some customer’s complains about wearing and floating on high speeds and turnings.
Hakka5 usually are estimated as excellent, except they are bit noisy.
SUV test can’t be too legitimate. I highly suspect Hakka will be worst tire in Bus driving tests.

im running on Nokian Hakkapeliitta 225/55/16 on a mazda3 .. they are pretty damn noisy when im driving.. LOL! its only oct and there was a bit of snow all ready.. thats why i had them put on this erly.. but lets see what i can get with these tires when snow is on the road ..

the hakka R is the newest for this year. i just ordered 1 set for my wife's van. they are about the same price as WS60.(i got WS 60 last year for my car).
i didnt get the hakka R yet, so cant compare to WS60. but whatever i heard is only good thing about it, thats the reason i go for it this year. anyway, during last years winter, WS60 is amazing winter tire to keep me alive. lol....

IMO: if you cant get the hakka R through local dear (they are hard to order this time). you can still get Gislaved Norforst 5 from Allen (its same great snow tire from euro which OEMed Volvo and Saab's winter tire) and its around the same price as nokian's.

I was debating getting the Nokian Hakka R but went for the Hakka 5 instead.

The Nokian dealer I went to in Montreal was selling both for the same price (188$ installed + tax) but he said that the Hakka R is a much softer tire and I would have a hard time getting more than 3 winters out of it. He recommended the Hakka 5 as it would pretty much get me 4 winters no problem. While the R (which replaces the RSi) is a slightly better tire than the Hakka 5 unstudde on ice (due to the R's softer compond) the difference is almost negligible. So I decided to get the Hakka 5 so I could get the extra mileage out of the tire.

Anyway, I think either tire is KICK ASS, your wife will have no trouble driving around this winter. :)

Cant go wrong with Nokian's.

edit: my mistake, i thought hakka5 only come out SUV version.

yeah it definitely comes in sizes for regular cars...I actually wasn't aware that they made the Hakka 5 for SUV's LOL! I thought they had other models for the SUV's...

I have the blizzaks and they're a marginal improvement over the stock all seasons from toyo. Maybe I was expecting too much of a night and day difference. :pop