Tire Review: Hankook i*Pike RW11 Studded Snow Tires

We have been testing these tires out for the past 1000 miles this winter and wanted to share some immediate thoughts about them. So far this isn’t really intended to be a long term test, as we use studded snow tires sparingly throughout even the winter months let alone throughout the year.

First, you have to ask yourself, do you drive in snowy conditions enough to justify a dedicated snow tire. If the answer is yes, then ask yourself another question, do you need studs? Studs are amazing for icy and snowy conditions but they do wear on the public roads. And many states have laws forbidding you to drive on the roads with studs or get a hefty fine.

In California studded snow tires are permitted from November 1 until April 30 each year. During this time, studded tires are permitted in any location within the state. Studded snow tires are not considered tire traction devices and may not be used in lieu of chains. Meaning that even though you have these tires on a 2WD Sprinter the chain control WILL make sure your drive tires (rear tires) have chains or cables installed.

You should be aware that also in California even if you have 4 wheel drive you “must have a set of chains” (for one drive axle) for your vehicle in your possession. It’s stated that if conditions worsen or you have trouble controlling your vehicle, you must stop and install the chains even on a 4x4. We personally have never seen this happen and even with these massive storms this year you’ll read that we didn’t need them.

General specs

The 245/75R16 make this a little larger then a 30” Tire. We had these mounted on stock Sprinter Steel Wheels, but the tires are designed to fit up to a 8” wide wheel.

Load Rating is E making it a 10 ply sidewall allowing for a max load of: 3,042 lbs. per tire (12,000lbs+ total)
Max PSI: is 80 lbs. but we typically would run this tire at 55psi Front and 65psi Rear
Speed Rating: Q meaning it’s only rated up to 100mph - no big deal with a Sprinter Van as they all have top speed limited at 80-85mph
Weight is 46.1 lbs per tire which is actually lighter then a BFG KO2 (48.74 lbs)

Base pressure

We are running Load Range E tires as you always should with a Sprinter Van. This allows for you to run higher pressures to handle heavier loads like a built van and all your winter gear. while we typically run 54psi front and 74psi rear, with these snow tires we aired them down to 46psi front and 56psi rear since we had a lighter load and wanted to see how the traction would be at this medium air pressure. Scroll down to see how lower pressures handled.

Road Noise

First off, these tires are generally pretty quiet. Very noticeable over the Cooper ATP or BFG KO2 which have a very audible highway tread noise. At highway speeds, these i*Pike tires are pretty quiet. At slow speeds with the windows rolled down, you can hear the tip tap of the studs touching the asphalt. But at highway speeds you don’t really notice.

The tire design has this center tread block without any studs This is likely how it stays quiet and reduces the road noise. As an E load rated tire running above 50 psi the van can ride this center tread keeping the studs and outer tread intact. The tire has a ton of siping and the design seems to be consistent with other winter tires (little zigzags).

Handling (Dry)

What makes true snow tires (3PMSF) different from typical tires or even AT (all terrain) tires is the rubber compound that the tires is made from. Rubber typically gets harder at lower temperatures and therefore won’t grip as well as it should. The rubber won’t deflect as much and in turn won’t grip as well as it could. The i*Pike is designed to stay soft and flexible at low temperatures. The downside is that it will wear much more quickly than a typical tire if driven long distances in warm or hot weather. The studs are aluminum with tungsten carbide pin which makes them hard yet lightweight.

In the wet

We have had some massive rains which gave us a good idea on how these tires handle wet and rainy conditions. We spent about 200 miles driving through a rainstorm and about 50 miles of that through very heavy rain. Heavy enough to cause pooling on the road and even some shallow streams to develop. Driving at 55mph we felt very confident in the ability of these tires during these heavy downpours. No signs of hydroplaning or slipping. Simply outstanding and really surprised us on how well they really performed.

In the Snow

We easily drove 150 miles over icy and snow roads without every touching pavement on our first day alone. The tires felt very confident. When accelerating hard from a dead stop (in 4WD) the tires never showed signs of slipping. The showed exceptional traction gripping the road. California doesn’t use salt on the roads. Just gravel. The snow on the roads quickly compacts and creates a bulletproof ices layer. Gravel gives a bit of grip, but even AT (all terrain) tires tend to slip on the ice and snow-covered road surfaces when pushed. This is the difference, these seem to keep gripping when pushed. The special winter weather tire compound keeps the tire soft allowing for the tread to flex providing that additional grip.

The design, that allowed for the amazing water performance translates to great grip in slushy conditions too. Seems that design is really good at pushing moisture out of the there tire’s path. We spent a few days in Reno, Nevada where the snow was quite heavy and wet. The tires performed as expected.

As the studs are on the tire’s shoulders, we found this was a smart way for the tire designers to increase the ice road gripping ability during cornering. We did break loose a few times coming through corners climbing up Hwy 431 when we intentionally tried to break them loose some they can break grip if driven erratically. But smooth and steady controlled driving felt extremely confident. The real test was coming to a complete stop heading up on a 12% grade and then starting the climb again without any tire spin. It just felt great.

Even though this tire is a 245/75R16 it seems the tire is a tad wider and purportedly has a footprint that is 8% wider than other (Hankook) winter tires.

Braking (snow/ice)

We consistently conducted brake checks to test the surface and again, were surprised by the grip. The tire acted as if it were on dry pavement. This is where the sipping and tire compound helped to deform the tire and create friction to help you safely slow down. The shorter braking distance makes the tire’s use safer in snow and on ice.

We did however have one moment when we had hard braking behind another car in the Mt Rose parking lot and found our ABS working overtime as the tires skidded a little on the ice. Not enough to get out of control or really slide but enough to keep us on our toes.

Off-Road

Rocks stuck in the tread from dirt road driving.

We haven’t done extensive off-roading with these tires yet but will updating this section when we do. If they’re anything like the Continental VanConnect Winter tires they should perform extremely well.

The technical write up on the tire boast about the internal structure and how it’s got a reinforced casing with two steel belts for a more positive steering and handling characteristic off-road. It also talks about the width of the steel belts allowing for a broader distribution tread and the support for heavier vans.

The one thing we have noticed in our minimal off-roading with these tires is that the tire tread pattern picks up a lot of rocks. I was amazed on how many small rocks we had stuck and stayed in the tread after some dirt road driving. This shows how soft and pliable the rubber compound can be.

Also, the technical write up goes into how the i*Pike RW11 is “damage resistant” because of the “reinforced base-tread that helps prevent internal damage from rocks or other off-road obstacles.”

**From Hankook - i*Pike RW11 Features**

“All terrain traction meets winter performance in the Hankook Winter I Pike RW11. Winter weather can make any drive a challenge, whether it’s your commute or a supply run, but you can be ready for the worst with a set of studdable Hankook Winter I Pike snow tires.

There’s no need to worry when the powder piles up because the RW11 features variable stepped grooves, which leverages snow-on-snow traction to grip the road no matter what.

But the benefits of the Hankook I Pike offers don’t stop there.

Because it’s optimized for light trucks and SUVs, the I Pike RW11 features a wide tread pattern that ensures stability in all winter driving conditions, even under load. This optimized footprint ensures precise handling response, and for added stability, its zigzag center rib creates constant contact with the road while also increasing its biting edges for grip in frigid dry and wet roads, as well as in slush and snow.”

Other performance features of the I Pike RW11 from the Hankook marketing:

Interlocking sipes across the tread pattern create thousands of biting edges that dig into snow and ice.
For grip no matter what the weather is, this tire features cliff grooves.
6 rows of stud pins allow for the next level of traction if you have to face roads slicked over in ice.
Stone ejectors in the center and shoulder grooves add durability and puncture resistance for dependable all-terrain performance.

Hankook I Pike RW11 Treadwear and Warranty

“Hankook designed the I Pike RW11 to carry your light truck or SUV through unpredictable winter weather. Because of its wider footprint and optimized construction, it maintains its shape under pressure. This serves two functions: it gives you the confident performance you need to handle winter weather, and it helps reduce the risk of uneven treadwear for a long-lasting tread life.

Engineered for winter performance, the Hankook I Pike isn’t backed by a manufacturer mileage warranty. But you can still hit the pavement with peace of mind by investing in our exclusive Certificates.

From the moment you roll out of our parking lot to 2/32’’ of tread, your tires will be protected against road hazards. New Hankook winter tires damaged beyond repair? No problem! We’ll get you back on the road with a brand new replacement.”

Running lower pressures

43psi on the rear creates what might seem like a slightly wider track/contact patch.

While most of our test ran the tires at 54psi front and 64psi rear for optimal mileage and highway use. We did air down one morning right after a large snow storm putting the tires at 33psi front and 43psi rear. While not a massive reduction in tire pressure compared to what we might do if the snow was really deep and untracked, it did give us an idea on how the tires felt and wether or not the grip would increase or not.

33psi on the front shows how it rolls over bumps in the road.

The biggest difference really was around the ride quality. at slower speeds under 45mph the tires felt very comfortable. Not real noticeable grip difference as the tires already performed very well. As our test was limited to a couple hours at this pressure we felt the grip was still impressive but what you really felt was the reduced vibrations when hitting the snow chain ice rumbles or large chucks of ice you might drive over. It just felt smoother. We stayed below 50mph for the most part with the lower pressure. But there was a little more of a sloppy feeling when going through corners. The tires gripped the corners but the van felt like it was swaying much more. With a KO2 the sidewalls felt a bit more stout then these. This feeling was very much expected and didn’t surprise us at all.

Deep Snow

This is where the tire really felt like it was different. Many times you can keep your van going with simply keeping the RPMs up and the momentum going. That’s just a good way to drive in deep snow. With these RW11’s we found that in 8” of fresh snow, we could easily get moving again with minor tire spin. With other tires in the past, like the KO2s, we’ve found that you will sink and spin if you can’t keep the momentum up. The RW11’s just felt different. You could feel them connect, even with a heavy loaded up van.