The Ultimate Guide to the Best Skid Steer Tires for Mud and Snow (2024-2025 Edition)
If you’ve ever sat in a freezing cab, wheels spinning helplessly in a slushy mix of mud and ice while deadlines tick away, you know the truth: your skid steer is only as good as its tires.
When winter hits or the spring thaw turns your job site into a soup bowl, standard “all-terrain” tires often turn into “all-slip” tires. You lose traction, you lose fuel, and worst of all, you lose time.
Whether you’re plowing snow in commercial lots, feeding cattle in a muddy feedlot, or managing a construction site that looks more like a swamp, this guide is for you. We’re cutting through the jargon to help you find the best skid steer tires for mud and snow—so you can keep working when everyone else is stuck.
The Big Debate: Pneumatic vs. Solid vs. Tracks
Before we name names, we have to talk about the technology. The “Air vs. Solid” debate changes completely when you add freezing temperatures and deep mud to the equation.
1. Pneumatic (Air-Filled) Tires: The Traction Kings
Let’s be honest: for pure traction in sloppy mud and soft snow, air-filled tires are still the champs.
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Why they win: They have a “footprint” that can flex. When the tire hits soft ground, the sidewall bulges slightly, creating a wider surface area that grabs onto the terrain.
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The downside: Flats. There is nothing worse than changing a tire in 10-degree weather. Also, if you spin them too much on hard ice, you’ll chew the tread right off.
2. Solid (Airless) Tires: The Durability Beasts
Years ago, solid tires were terrible for snow—they were too stiff and acted like hockey pucks on ice. But technology has changed.
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Why they win: Zero downtime. You can run over rebar hidden in the snow without a care. New designs use softer rubber compounds and massive “aperture holes” (those cutouts in the sidewall) to mimic the squish of air tires.
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The downside: They are heavy. In super deep, soup-like mud, that extra weight can sink you faster if you don’t have enough floatation.
3. What About Tracks?
If you have a CTL (Compact Track Loader), you’re already ahead of the game in mud. But for wheeled machines, over-the-tire (OTT) tracks are a game-changer.
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The Verdict: If you are constantly in deep mud or snow (more than 50% of your time), stop looking at tires and buy a set of OTT tracks. But for mixed use (plowing lots + driving on road), stick to tires.
Top 6 Best Skid Steer Tires for Mud and Snow
Based on operator feedback, tread design analysis, and real-world performance, here are the heavy hitters for the 2024-2025 season.
1. Evolution Wheel EWRS-SNOW (The Snow Specialist)
- Best For: Dedicated snow removal professionals.
- Type: Segmented Solid.
If your primary job is clearing snow—commercial lots, driveways, municipal work—this is arguably the best tire on the market right now.
- The “Human” Take: You know that feeling when you hit a patch of ice and your machine slides sideways? These tires fight that. They are designed specifically for cold weather, meaning the rubber stays soft and “sticky” even at sub-zero temps.
- Killer Feature: They are studdable. You can insert studs directly into the tread for insane grip on ice. Plus, they are segmented, so if you damage one chunk, you just unbolt it and replace that piece, not the whole tire.
2. Camso SKS 753 (The Versatile Workhorse)
- Best For: Mixed terrain (Mud, Snow, Concrete, Gravel).
- Type: Pneumatic (Bias).
This is the tire you buy if you need to plow snow on Tuesday, dig a muddy foundation on Wednesday, and drive on asphalt on Thursday.
- The “Human” Take: It’s the “Goldilocks” tire. It has a non-directional tread pattern, which is great because it gives you equal traction moving forward and reversing. The lugs are stepped, which helps them “clean out” mud so you don’t turn into a racing slick after one rotation.
- Why we love it: It has excellent rim protection. In mud and snow, you often can’t see curbs or rocks; the sidewall on the 753 is built to take those hidden hits.
3. Galaxy Muddy Buddy (The Deep Mud Monster)
- Best For: Deep mud, manure, and soft farm fields.
- Type: Pneumatic.
The name says it all. If you are working in feedlots or construction sites with sticky, deep clay, you need “voids” (the space between the lugs).
- The “Human” Take: Standard tires pack up with mud instantly. The Muddy Buddy has extra-deep lugs and huge spaces between them. It’s like wearing cleats instead of sneakers.
- Warning: Do not use these primarily on asphalt or concrete. The deep lugs will wobble and wear down fast on hard surfaces. These are for the soft stuff.
4. Michelin X MCL (The Radial King)
- Best For: High-speed travel and operator comfort.
- Type: Radial Pneumatic.
Most skid steer tires are “Bias ply” (stiff sidewalls). The Michelin X MCL is a “Radial,” similar to your truck tires.
- The “Human” Take: If you spend 8 hours a day in the cab, your back knows the pain of a bumpy ride. Radials act like a suspension system. In snow, that radial flex allows the tire to flatten out like a pancake, giving you a massive contact patch for grip.
- The Trade-off: They are expensive. But the fuel savings and lack of back pain often make them worth the investment.
5. Carlisle Guard Dog HD (The Value Pick)
- Best For: General owners who want performance without breaking the bank.
- Type: Pneumatic.
Not everyone has the budget for premium Michelins or solid tires. The Guard Dog HD is a legendary “bang for your buck” tire.
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The “Human” Take: It’s a classic R-4 tread pattern. It’s not specialized for snow, and it’s not specialized for deep mud, but it does a “good enough” job in both to get you through the day. It’s tough, widely available, and cheap enough to replace if you shred one.
6. Wolf Paws (The Snow Plowing Standard)
- Best For: Pure pavement snow plowing (JetBlue, Airports, Malls).
- Type: Narrow Pneumatic.
You’ll see these on machines that do nothing but plow malls and airports. They look different—skinnier and taller.
- The Science: Wide tires “float” on top of snow (which is bad for plowing). Narrow tires like Wolf Paws cut through the fluff to bite the pavement below.
- The “Human” Take: If you put these on, you will feel like you have 4WD for the first time. But do not take them into deep mud; they are too skinny and you will sink.
Buying Guide: The “Secret Sauce” of Winter Traction
Don’t just look at the brand name. Look at these three factors to know if a tire will actually work in your conditions.
1. The Void Ratio (The “Self-Cleaning” Factor)
Look at the space between the lugs.
- Low Void (Blocks close together): Great for concrete wear, terrible for mud. They will pack full of snow/mud and become smooth slicks.
- High Void (Big gaps): The tire spins, and centrifugal force throws the mud out. For mud and snow, you want High Void.
2. Tread Depth (Lugs)
Standard tires have an R-4 tread. For mud, look for “L-5” or “Deep” tread.
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Note: Deeper isn’t always better for ice. On ice, you want more rubber touching the ground (siping), not giant lugs. But for snow and mud, depth is your friend.
3. The Compound (Cold Weather Rubber)
This is the hidden spec. Standard “mining” tires use hard rubber to resist cutting. In winter, that rubber freezes and becomes slippery plastic.
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If you buy a solid tire, ask specifically: “Is this a winter compound?” Soft rubber conforms to the ice; hard rubber slides over it.
Maintenance: Don’t Let Them Rot
Winter and mud are brutal on rubber. Here is how to make your investment last.
- Check Pressure in the Cold: For pneumatic tires, air pressure drops when the temp drops. A tire set to 50psi in October might be 40psi in January. Low pressure = rim slips and blowouts.
- Clean the “Donuts”: If you work in freezing mud, clean your tracks/tires at the end of the day. If that mud freezes overnight, your tires will be unbalanced concrete blocks in the morning, shaking your machine (and your teeth) apart.
- Rotate Them: You skid steer spins… a lot. The rear tires usually wear faster than the fronts (or vice versa depending on your counterweight). Rotate them mid-season to get an extra year out of the set.
FAQ: Common Operator Questions
Q: Can I just use tire chains? A: Yes, and they are cheap and effective. But, they are a nightmare to put on in the cold, they can damage asphalt driveways (angry customers), and if a link snaps, it can whip around and destroy your hydraulic lines. Use them as a last resort, not a permanent solution.
Q: Are wider tires better for snow? A: Generally, no. Wide tires float. You want to cut down to the hard surface. Narrow tires increase the “ground pressure” (PSI) which improves traction on hard-packed snow and ice. Wide tires are only better if you are trying not to sink in a bottomless swamp.
Q: Why is my skid steer bouncing so much in the winter? A: Frozen ground is hard as rock. If you are running solid tires or over-inflated pneumatics, you are feeling every divot. Lower your air pressure slightly (within specs) or switch to a radial tire for a smoother ride.
Final Verdict
There is no single “magic tire” that does everything perfectly.
- Choose the Evolution Wheel EWRS-SNOW if you are running a snow removal business and can’t afford flats.
- Choose the Galaxy Muddy Buddy if you are knee-deep in feedlot muck or clay.
- Choose the Camso SKS 753 if you are the “do-it-all” contractor who needs one set of tires to survive the whole year.
Don’t wait until the first blizzard hits to think about your rubber. Your machine makes you money only when it’s moving. Invest in the right shoes, and you’ll leave the competition spinning their wheels.
