Types of winter tires "KAMA": pros and cons, owner reviews
Content
"Classic" option for winter. All reviews of the Kama-505 rubber (aka Irbis) agree on one thing: the model is a “strong middling”, for such a cost nothing better can be found. Experienced buyers advise running 130-200 km. Then you won't have to stud the tires again.
Since the cold in most of Russia is at least half a year, heated discussions between car owners relate to the choice of suitable tires. Road safety directly depends on this. Consider reviews of Kama winter tires to understand how suitable it is for use in snow and ice conditions.
Advantages and disadvantages of Kama winter tires
After analyzing the opinions of buyers, we found out what consumers like about the tires of the Nizhnekamsk plant and what they don’t, by compiling a brief overview in the form of a table:
| Positive characteristics | Disadvantages |
| Budget, strength, durability, prevalence. Drivers like the behavior of tires on ice, slush and asphalt | Complaints about balancing, the durability of the spikes, the optimal selection of the rubber mixture |
Types of winter tires "KAMA"
The Nizhnekamsk manufacturer did not always indulge buyers with variety. Even 10-15 years ago, owners' reviews of Kama winter tires concerned a maximum of two or three spike models. But the quality and range have improved.
Studded
The most popular tires for the Russian winter. Such a frequent choice of car owners is not accidental:
- stability on an icy road;
- sizes including r12 and r13 up to r16 and larger;
- low cost.
Kama winter tires
The reviews also highlight the shortcomings - not on all models, the spikes survive more than three winters and provide a mediocre level of acoustic comfort.
Studded
Studding in the city is needed less and less. Reviews about tires "Kama" "winter" of the friction type reveal all their advantages: "naked" Russian-made rubber behaves predictably on ice, and also takes the car out of the snow porridge and does not make noise.
Rating of the best winter tires "Kama"
In this review, we have included popular tires that Russian motorists choose most often. Consumer reviews will help buyers make a choice.
Car tire "Kama Euro" -519 winter studded
Common and cheap tires. All reviews of winter tires "Kama" -519 prove the characteristics declared by the manufacturer.
| Advantages | Disadvantages | Popular size |
| Toe on ice, in slush. Inexpensive, common, shock resistant at speed | Requires running-in (at least 150 km), otherwise the spikes may fly out by the second season | 205 / 75 16 |
Kama -519
In this case, reviews of Kama studded tires only confirm the above. Not every imported model demonstrates such stability on an icy road.
Car tire "Kama"-505 winter studded
"Classic" option for winter. All reviews of the Kama-505 rubber (aka Irbis) agree on one thing: the model is a “strong middling”, for such a cost nothing better can be found.
| Positive characteristics | Disadvantages | Popular size |
| Behavior on ice, high snow flotation. Cheap and common, durable | Moderate directional stability, floating quality of the rubber compound, possible difficulties with balancing, noise on asphalt | 175 / 65 13 |
Old tires can not be studded, but used as an ersatz for MT models (mud tires). They will not make an SUV out of an ordinary passenger car, but they will allow you to drive along a washed-out dirt road without any problems where ordinary highway models are powerless.
Kama -505
As you can see, reviews of Kama Irbis winter tires emphasize their durability, budget, good performance.
Car tire "Kama"-503 135/80 R12 68Q winter studded
Cheap tires, in demand among owners of budget small cars. "Kama" -503 allows their owners to feel confident on snow-covered roads and icy winter climbs.
| Positive characteristics | Disadvantages | Other common sizes |
| The most inexpensive option of this radius. Equal stability on ice, packed snow, asphalt. Good flotation in slush | Noisiness, massive complaints about the rapid departure of spikes (from 14 to 15% in the first season) | 175 65 R13 |
Kama -503
Reviews of winter tires "Kama" only confirm the patency and stability on all types of road surface.
Car tire "Kama Euro" -518 155/65 R13 73T winter studded
Another inexpensive model. Euro-518 in this size is suitable for most small cars common in Russia.
| Advantages | Disadvantages | Other common types |
| Strength, durability of spikes. Passability on snow ruts and porridge | There are cheaper models ("Irbis", type 515), easy slippage on ice, mediocre directional stability, noise | 185/60 R14, 175/60 R14 |
Kama -518
Here you can clearly see how the owners' reviews of the Kama winter tires of this model are "restrained", and what rating they give it. Novice drivers who do not have experience driving on icy roads should not choose a tire.
Tire Kama Euro LCV-520 205/75 R16C 110/108R winter
In the indicated size - a utilitarian, cheap option for the Gazelle, as well as crossovers and SUVs. For owners of the latest tires, the 520 is a way to save money without sacrificing performance.
Also, this winter tire of the 15th radius, like any studded "Kama", reviews of which we have collected, is durable. The motorist does not have to think about expensive "new things" for the vehicle every year.
| Advantages | Disadvantages | Other common types |
| Russian buyers evaluate softness (saves the suspension), tolerable noise, cross-country ability, stability on icy road surfaces | Tendency to lose studs (partially solved by careful running) | 185-195 / 75 R15 and 215/65 R15
|
Kama -520
In this case, reviews of Kama winter tires show that these tires are popular among owners of Gazelles and similar vehicles. They are cheap, practical, not afraid of overloads, which is also proved by tests of automotive publishers.
Reviews of car owners about winter tires "Kama"
Let's summarize the above by collecting the "average" pros and cons of the models. Winter friction and studded tires "Kama", reviews of which we have collected, are pleasantly distinguished by their cost, but budget is not the only reason for the purchase.
General reviews
Motorists unanimously note the favorable price-quality ratio. Reviews of Kama winter tires once again confirm that the products of the Nizhnekamsk plant have no competitors in the budget price segment.
