Just thinking ahead for next winter...what do you all think? Really don't want to run a dedicated snow tire which I find are too soft, expecially with all the lava rock in my area. Probably gonna mount them up on the factory rubi wheels, but i am not opposed to picking up something cheap like soft 8s either.

 

Check out Goodyear duratrac. I've got 45k on them and still going. Ready for snow studs and well off/on road

 

I only about 20,000 KM on mine (12,000 miles or so), but I agree with that 100%. Mine are studded - they a re rock solid as my DD snow/ice tire while I'm commuting, and run circles around non-studded MT's when the going gets tough for winter wheeling.

They won't do as well as a big-lugged MT when the snow gets super deep and you need to chew through it...but all things considered, I think that they're an outstanding winter tire for both road use and winter wheeling.