The Encounter HT is Sumitomo's Highway All-Season tire developed for drivers of pickups and SUVs. It is designed to provide long life in on-road service while combining dry handling and wet braking with all-season traction, even in light snow.A durable, all-season compound is molded into a five rib symmetric tread pattern featuring a continuous center rib to aid straight-line, dry road traction, while independent intermediate and shoulder tread blocks promote handling stability.The symmetric tread design allows for easy cross rotation patterns to improve usable tire life by resisting irregular wear. Four wide, circumferential grooves evacuate water from the contact patch, increasing hydroplaning resistance for enhanced wet handling and control in standing water, and zigzag lateral sipes increase traction in light snow by providing additional biting edges.The Encounter HT's internal construction consists of a two-ply (three-ply in LT sizes) polyester casing beneath two wide steel belts. A spirally wound polyamide reinforcement adds increased support for enhanced stability and ride comfort.