A central Newfoundland mechanic says he can’t keep up with the demand for winter tires this year.

Bobby Batson of Professional Tire in Gander believes overall demand is up from years past.

As of Friday, studded tires are also permitted on roads for the winter season.

As for the age-old argument on all-season vs winter tires, Batson says winter tires are ultimately better at gripping cool pavement, even when there’s no snow.

“Winter tires have an aggressive tread pattern that’s designed to bite into the snow and push away slush,” he said.

“In addition to that, the rubber compound of winter tires is designed to stay soft in colder temperatures, which allows a reliable grip when weather reaches around seven degrees Celsius and below.”