Please don't shoot your tires.

Now that we've gotten that request out of the way: Did you know the same fiber found in bulletproof vests is in most of the tires we sell?

You probably know it by its trademarked name, Kevlar. But its actual name is Aramid, and it's a powerfully puncture-resistant material that helps protect tires from damage when they encounter potholes, curbs and other road hazards.

Consumers end up spending unnecessary funds on damage due to potholes. A few years ago, we recognized there was a need to make our tires more durable, and we found Aramid to be a great solution for us.

But how does it work? And what role does it play in the composition of our tires? Here’s some info that'll help the next time you walk into the tire shop.

How Aramid works

Bulletproof vests are built to absorb the energy of a bullet. Aramid fibers reinforce the vest, providing extra strength that intends to keep wearers safe.

Aramid works in much the same way in the products in which we employ the super-strong fiber. We include cut Aramid fiber cords in the sidewall compounds of select products. They’re randomly scattered throughout the compound to help provide that additional strength.

One of the key terms we use is that by adding Aramid, it adds mechanical strength to the sidewall. When tires hit a road hazard, Aramid is able to disperse the energy over a wider footprint, reducing the chance the damage will be catastrophic to the tire and force it to be removed from service.

“All Benefit” from its inclusion

Aramid brings nothing but good things for drivers. The way we use it, the amount of Aramid in the compound reduces another ingredient by the same quantity, so it doesn’t add weight or impact rolling resistance or mileage. It’s quite chemically neutral, so we don’t have to change our recipe for compounding. It’s really all benefit by adding Aramid technology to our tires.

Products that include Aramid

The latest generations of Nokian Tyres’ SUV, light truck and cargo van tires all include Aramid in the sidewalls. With our Nokian Tyres One HT, in LT-metric sizes, we’ve also included the Aramid in the base compound below the tread. That helps with puncture resistance in addition to providing mechanical strength.

And for the first time, we’ve also included Aramid in the sidewalls of a passenger tire the new Nokian Tyres One. We’re so confident in the strength it provides that we offer a Pothole Protection warranty for the Nokian Tyres One – if a tire is damaged beyond repair by a pothole or other road hazard, we’ll replace that tire for free.* Here’s more information about that program.

We’re proud of the strength of our tire lineup – figuratively and literally. The logic is bulletproof: If you want ultimate peace of mind, consider a Nokian Tyres product with Aramid sidewalls.

*Terms and conditions apply