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Head-to-head Updated

General Altimax Arctic vs Continental PureContact LS — Compared

Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.

PureContact LS is ahead, 70–58

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Category by category

Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.

  1. 57

    Dry

    PureContact LS +15
    72
    Why this score
    SourceAltimax ArcticPureContact LS
    Reviews found online5174
  2. 62

    Wet

    PureContact LS +10
    72
    Why this score
    SourceAltimax ArcticPureContact LS
    Reviews found online5974
  3. 60

    Snow

    PureContact LS +7
    67
    Why this score
    SourceAltimax ArcticPureContact LS
    Reviews found online5365
  4. 60

    Comfort

    PureContact LS +5
    65
    Why this score
    SourceAltimax ArcticPureContact LS
    Reviews found online5162
  5. 62

    Noise

    PureContact LS +8
    70
    Why this score
    SourceAltimax ArcticPureContact LS
    Reviews found online5473
  6. 57

    Treadwear

    PureContact LS +11
    68
    Why this score
    SourceAltimax ArcticPureContact LS
    Reviews found online5170
  7. 50

    Handling

    PureContact LS +23
    73
    Why this score
    SourceAltimax ArcticPureContact LS
    Reviews found online5073
Scores at a glance
CategoryGeneral Altimax ArcticContinental PureContact LS
Relative Score 58 70
Dry 57 72
Wet 62 72
Snow 60 67
Comfort 60 65
Noise 62 70
Treadwear 57 68
Handling 50 73

Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.

Weight the categories that matter to you

Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.

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Recomputed
Headline score

Altimax Arctic

PureContact LS

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A Altimax Arctic

Pros

  • Exceptional grip and traction in deep snow, slush, and ice
  • High value and affordable price point compared to premium competitors
  • Reliable wet and dry handling during cold weather months

Cons

  • Handling and responsiveness drop off compared to dedicated summer or all-season tires
  • Some users report accelerated wear once the tire reaches 50% tread life
  • Minor tendencies toward understeer during hard cornering
All owner themes in the Altimax Arctic review

Tire B PureContact LS

Pros

  • Good dry and wet handling
  • Enhanced treadlife compared to sportier alternatives
  • Comfortable ride with good vibration isolation

Cons

  • Poor winter traction, particularly on snow and ice
  • Morning flat-spotting causing noticeable vibrations for the first few miles
  • Loud road noise and constant hum reported by certain drivers
All owner themes in the PureContact LS review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · General Altimax Arctic B · Continental PureContact LS
CategoryWinter Touring tiresAll Season
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Tread depth—10/32″
UTQG—700 A A
Treadwear warranty—70,000 mi
Sidewall—Black Side Wall
Max pressure—51 psi

Which one should you actually buy?

General Altimax Arctic

Continental PureContact LS

Winner: Continental PureContact LS — better handling, dry and treadwear. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Continental PureContact LS scores 73 vs 50 on handling.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Continental PureContact LS scores 72 vs 57 on dry.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Continental PureContact LS scores 68 vs 57 on treadwear.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Continental PureContact LS scores 72 vs 62 on wet.

Tire A · General Altimax Arctic
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Tire B · Continental PureContact LS
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How do we compare tires?

Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements), each result compared with every other tire in the same test and newer tests counting more. 40% comes from owner reviews found online, adjusted for how generously each site rates. Both use one scale: the average tested tire gets 70, the best 100. When a tire has only one of the two, the missing half is estimated from the other and the score stays closer to average; with no road test and fewer than five owner reviews it gets no score yet.

Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.

70

Leads

PureContact LS

Amazon