Originally Posted by
CliftonGK1
I got 3 winters out of my Innovas. Sure, the studs get a bit rusty and they wear quicker than carbide and I lost a few from poor seating, but they still worked fine even with 2 or 3 missing from each wheel. I got mine from Nashbar, because their house brand studdies are either Kendas or Innovas (depending on what they get cheaper.)
I had a somewhat similar experience, but the 3rd winter really didn't give me much comfort. I got some Nokian M&G and this will be my 2nd winter on them. They still look new after the first winter. If its a budget concern, I wouldn't worry about going with the cheaper tires. When you need to replace them, maybe consider an upgrade, but they'll do you fine for quite some time based on my experience also.