Best Track Pattern for Snow
Wanting to use your skid steer for snow removal but not sure what track pattern is best? There are numerous rubber track tread patterns available and selecting the correct pattern will lead to a longer life expectancy for your rubber track. Choose the wrong tread pattern and you’ll likely be opening your wallet sooner than you expected.
Let’s discuss the terrain you’ll likely be facing during snow removal. The terrain will probably consist of icy, snowy and otherwise slippery surfaces that will both impede your productivity and safety. Utilizing the right tread patterns can make all the difference in the world. Equipping your machine with the proper tracks for the winter will keep you and your equipment safe.
There are three main options to choose from when dealing with snow, ice and slippery conditions.
C-Lug Track Pattern
- The C-Lug pattern offers excellent traction in the snow and slippery conditions. This tread pattern is easily recognizable by its district C-shaped lugs.
- This tread works well for snow because it has a deeper than normal tread design which will increase the grip of the tracks, thus preventing your machine from slipping and helping with the stability on icy surfaces.
Zigzag Track Pattern
- Identified by its alternating, zig-zag pattern, this track does well in both snow and mud. If you’re removing snow while its above freezing, you will likely encounter mud as well as your strip away the snow and the soil begins to thaw out.
- The jagged edges of the zigzag pattern provide superior traction, biting into snow and preventing skidding.
Multi-Bar Track Pattern
- Multi-Bar tread patterns are great for using in snow because they feature linear edges rather than deep lugs. Since they have a greater area of linear tread that grips the snow and ice, these are an excellent choice to use in snow and slippery conditions.
- The number 1 thing to avoid in snow is sinking deep. Once your sunk deep in the snow, call it a day. The evenly spaced bars of the multi-bar pattern helps distribute the weight more effectively which helps prevent you and your machine from sinking deep into the white stuff.
Overall Winner
For a skid steer or compact track loader, the most popular style of rubber tracks to use in the snow would be the Multi-Bar pattern or Zig Zag. If I had to chose only one, I would go with the multi-bar pattern.
While a multi-bar tread pattern will also work great in the mud, it is not the one we recommend. Check out our guide on what tread pattern works best in the mud.