What Tyres Are Campervan Owners Choosing For Tow Cars In 2021?

After the last 18 months with extremely restricted travel, it is no surprise that campervan owners are starting to make the most out of their mini motorhomes and road tripping around the UK. We are seeing far more campervans out on the road this summer than previous holidays, purely because travel is still deemed risky to a lot of countries. So which tyres are best for your campervan? Which tyres will stand the test of time and endure these new adventures? In this blog post we are going to be looking at which tyres campervan owners are choosing in 2021. 

Does UK weather affect tyre choices of campervans?

We all know how diverse and unpredictable the English weather can be. One minute it’s scorching hot sunshine, and the next it’s throwing down freezing cold rain or snow. In comparison to other European countries, Britain’s tyre safety isn’t as prominent in our everyday lives. Although yes, we have tyre laws around tread depth which is extremely important, we do not have laws against certain tyre compounds. This means, a large portion of the UK residents are driving around on summer tyres, a lot of the year round. Considering England is a place that experiences short summers, this may not be best, especially for your camper. 

Which tyres are considered the best for tow cars and campervans?

When it comes to choosing your summer tyres vs winter tyres vs all season tyres, you may become overwhelmed and slightly confused more than anything else. Should I always have season specific tyres on my tow car and camper? Or are all season tyres better? When do I change my tyres from summer to winter? Where will I store my spare tyres? All these questions come to mind when choosing your perfect tyre. However, all season tyres are a perfect choice. And here’s why. 

All-season tyres can be used on tow cars and motorhomes as long as they have the correct load index. However, some campervans are required to have specific “light commercial tyres”. This means that as your campervan is generally a lot heavier than your vehicle, the tyres need to support far more weight, whilst still being able to grip the road efficiently in both wet and dry conditions. All season tyres are designed to perform in every condition and therefore present themselves as the safest option. Some campervans and motorhomes however, will come fitted with light commercial tyres, with a load index between 94 & 112. Therefore, all season tyres are generally going to reduce your braking distance more so than a summer tyre. 

When it comes to your tow car, it’s about gross weight. Whilst yes, your campervan breaks will help slow you down, it is the tow car that needs the majority of braking, therefore needing tyres that compliment the ones you have fitted to your campervan. With the extra weight of the camper behind you, you want to ensure that your tow car’s tyres can withstand the weight when braking, reducing the risk of a collision with anyone in front of you. 

Whilst not only improved braking qualities are needed, your steering and being able to quickly avoid obstacles is heavily impacted by the tyres on your campervan and tow car. 

Conclusion of which tyres you should fit to your camper or tow car

As stated above, it is always worth checking which tyres your campervan comes fitted with, but you will most likely find they are either light commercial vehicles, or summer tyres. However, here at etyres, we recommend the Michelin CrossClimate. Although there are other perfectly good all season tyres out there, we believe the Michelin CrossClimate provides the best performance to cost ratio to others on the market. 

To shop the Michelin CrossClimate and other all season tyres for your campervan this summer, head over to our website or contact one of our experts.