88
/ 100
Objective (60%)
77/100
1 professional test
User signal (40%)
86/100
17 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
General Grabber Arctic vs Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 — Compared (September 2026)
Our Relative Score blends 60% objective test data with 40% owner-review signal — so any two tires can be compared even if they were never tested on the same day.
VS
77
/ 100
Objective (60%)
58/100
5 professional tests
User signal (40%)
83/100
5 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: General Grabber Arctic — better dry, comfort and wet. Pick the Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 if noise and treadwear matter most to you.
Read full
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Category breakdown
7 categories, side by side
Each bar is the Relative Score for that category. Expand a tile to see the test results and owner ratings behind it.
Dry
Score (0–100)
Grabber Arctic leads by 60
Why this score
| Source | Grabber Arctic | Winter i*pike RS2 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 1 |
| Tire Rack owners | 88 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 80 | 70 |
| SimpleTire owners | 92 | – |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Grabber Arctic leads by 9
Why this score
| Source | Grabber Arctic | Winter i*pike RS2 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 82 |
| Tire Rack owners | 91 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 80 | 82 |
| SimpleTire owners | 94 | – |
Snow
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | Grabber Arctic | Winter i*pike RS2 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 84 | 83 |
| Tire Rack owners | 91 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 95 | 95 |
| SimpleTire owners | 98 | – |
| Snow Braking (% of best) | 100% | 99% |
| Snow Handling (% of best) | 89% | 95% |
| Snow Traction (% of best) | 100% | 95% |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Grabber Arctic leads by 31
Why this score
| Source | Grabber Arctic | Winter i*pike RS2 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 100 | 56 |
| Tire Rack owners | 83 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 90 | 76 |
| SimpleTire owners | 91 | – |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Winter i*pike RS2 leads by 9
Why this score
| Source | Grabber Arctic | Winter i*pike RS2 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 89 |
| SimpleTire owners | 87 | – |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
Winter i*pike RS2 leads by 5
Why this score
| Source | Grabber Arctic | Winter i*pike RS2 |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 85 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | – | 90 |
| SimpleTire owners | 93 | – |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Grabber Arctic leads by 9
Why this score
| Source | Grabber Arctic | Winter i*pike RS2 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | – | 80 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | General Grabber Arctic | Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 88 | 77 |
| Dry | 89 | 29 |
| Wet | 91 | 82 |
| Snow | 88 | 88 |
| Comfort | 95 | 64 |
| Noise | 80 | 89 |
| Treadwear | 85 | 90 |
| Handling | 89 | 80 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
Personalize
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.
Neutral
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Important
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Neutral
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Neutral
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Neutral
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Important
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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score
88
/ 100
Tire A
77
/ 100
Tire B
Test data
The professional test results behind the scores
Each result is shown as % of the best tire in that test. “Same test” rows are the strictest comparison: both tires were measured side by side.
| Discipline | Category | Tire A | Tire B | Δ | Both? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Braking | Ice | 100% #1/5 · HT vs AT vs MT vs Winter Tyres on Snow | 91% #5/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test | +9.2 | Different tests |
| Overall Ranking | Overall | 100% #1/5 · HT vs AT vs MT vs Winter Tyres on Snow | 8% #13/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test | +92.3 | Different tests |
| Snow Braking | Snow | 100% #1/5 · HT vs AT vs MT vs Winter Tyres on Snow | 99% #7/20 · 2020 Nordic and Studded Winter Tyre Test | +1 | Different tests |
| Snow Handling | Snow | 89% #1/5 · HT vs AT vs MT vs Winter Tyres on Snow | 95% #4/8 · 2020 Studded Winter Tyre Test | -6.4 | Different tests |
| Snow Traction | Snow | 100% #1/5 · HT vs AT vs MT vs Winter Tyres on Snow | 95% #6/8 · 2019 Studded Winter Tyre Test | +5.2 | Different tests |
| Subj. Comfort | Subj | 100% #1/5 · HT vs AT vs MT vs Winter Tyres on Snow | 80% #2/8 · 2023 Studded Tyre Test | +20 | Different tests |
| Subj. Noise | Subj | 90% #2/5 · HT vs AT vs MT vs Winter Tyres on Snow | 60% #14/16 · 2021 Studless and Studded Winter Tyre Test | +30 | Different tests |
From owners
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
The General Grabber Arctic is widely regarded as a high-performance winter tire that offers exceptional traction on snow and ice at a competitive price point. While some users note increased road noise and a slight impact on fuel economy, the consensus highlights its reliability and superior stopping power compared to all-season alternatives.
Pros
- Excellent traction on packed snow, ice, and unplowed surfaces
- Significant improvement in braking performance and vehicle stability
- High value-for-money proposition compared to premium competitors
- Effective performance when studded for heavy-duty or commercial plowing applications
Cons
- Noticeable road noise on dry or wet pavement
- Potential for decreased fuel economy
- Some users desire a more aggressive tread pattern for extreme conditions
Observations
- Heavy-duty truck owners (Chevy 2500, F-150) report significant improvements in winter capability, particularly when used for plowing.
- Users note that the tires can be a tight fit on stock rims for certain full-size trucks, though they maintain a good seal in cold temperatures.
The Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 is widely regarded as a high-value, performance-oriented winter tire that excels in severe ice and snow conditions. Users consistently praise its robust stud retention and predictable handling, positioning it as a competitive alternative to premium European brands.
Pros
- Exceptional traction and braking performance on ice and packed snow
- High-quality stud retention and long-term durability
- Predictable side grip and cornering stability
- Excellent value-to-performance ratio
Cons
- Vague steering feedback on dry tarmac
- Noticeable understeer when driving on dry road surfaces
- Performance on dry pavement does not match the precision of premium summer-oriented winter tires
Observations
- Long-term users report that the rubber compound remains malleable and effective even after multiple seasons of harsh Nordic winters.
- The tire maintains consistent performance characteristics across various vehicle types, including those with higher horsepower outputs.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · General Grabber Arctic | B · Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Winter Premium Touring tires | Premium Touring Winter tire |
| Vehicle type | SUV and 4x4 | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 6 | — |
| Rim diameters | 16″ – 20″ | — |
| Tread depth | 12/32″ | — |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | — |
| Max pressure | 51 psi | — |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
88
/ 100
General
77
/ 100
Hankook
Winner: General Grabber Arctic — better dry, comfort and wet. Pick the Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 if noise and treadwear matter most to you.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
General Grabber Arctic scores 89 vs 29 on dry.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
General Grabber Arctic scores 95 vs 64 on comfort.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
General Grabber Arctic scores 91 vs 82 on wet.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
General Grabber Arctic scores 89 vs 80 on handling.
Tire A · General Grabber Arctic
Tire B · Hankook Winter i*pike RS2
More comparisons
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Hankook Winter i*pike RS2 also compared with
How do we compare tires?
Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements) normalized against the best tire in each test and weighted toward recent tests. 40% comes from thousands of owner reviews collected from retailers and review sites. When a tire has only one of the two, we use what exists and say so.
Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.