No, I have no, stock or otherwise, in ether America's Tires (is now Discount tires) or Saf-Tee - Sipe; I'm just a vary happy customer...

It is the small groves that go across the tires, they provide extra biting edges, for grip on the road. There are like what's is found on boat shoes...

 Well,  Some manufacturer provided, real sipes, already; they are usually found in Michelin tires, and sum others.  Most Manufactures Sipes only go (10%) down 1/16 inch. This is because of how they make there tires. Michelin's go all (90%) the way down to the wear bars .  Some day when I have more spare (no tire - pun hear ;=) time, I'll scan-in a document, I have, into my page, about it. Peterson 4x4 - Off Road Magazine, had an article, on this subject (March 1999).
    There is a company, called "Saf-Tee - Sipe", (maybe others) that makes a machine that cuts vary small slices (see below) into tires. A Government agency, found it lowered tire temperature, tires last longer, and provided more traction; During wet and icy conditions...  A link to a web page with pictures on siping, and a better explanation.  Another link of siping,  for more info hears, my Goggle search, on it....

My Michelin LTX's,  stick to the road, in the rain as they are. The first half of the life of my tires, I left them alone. At about 30K mile, I had them Siped - Now, they stick even better...

My conclusion; I will have all the tires I own, Siped.  Or, they will not be on my vehicle!

Who, locally (Santa Cruz, Ca.), can Sipe tires?  America's Tires.  They are near, Ocean St. and Water St., Across from Kregen Auto parts, on Water St.(location use to be Firestone Tires).They moved the machine to the Campbell store, Hwy-17 and Hamilton Ave. (Santa Clara (Silicon) Valley Area (Central California).
And now, Firestone (Jerks) took back over the store in Santa Cruz. Funny thing, the new Fs, is doing vary poorly compared to how America's was doing there. So it NOT just, location, lactation, location;  But also, about having a good business, too. I do not like Firestoned (Bridgstoned, etc.) I have always had problems, with them (before they were helping Exploders roll (pun intended)....

Well, finally, my Michelins LTX's, wore out, and Americas Tires gave me great deal on a new set of four Goodyear Wranglers AT/S.

Now, I have Pirelli's Scorpions AT's.  I like these better than Wranglers, and better the Michelin's, too. More about the comparison between them and the details. And siping them made them better...
 

07-29-2004c