BFG KDWS aren't bad, not too noisy, but only ~6K on them so far. Stock Gatorbacks weren't bad, just get really noisy as they wear, IMHO.
FWIW, the KDWS tires are OK for winter traction, but no snow tire. Far better than the KDW, but that's not saying much (KDW sucks in even an inch). If I buy tires for winter again, I'd just buy a snow tire and the KDW's. If you drive all year but don't see more than a couple inches of snow/plowed roads, the KDWS will be good. If you ever might need to navigate a foot or more, snow tires. If you never see snow, KDW's. Nothing to say about how other brands compare.
FWIW, the KDWS tires are OK for winter traction, but no snow tire. Far better than the KDW, but that's not saying much (KDW sucks in even an inch). If I buy tires for winter again, I'd just buy a snow tire and the KDW's. If you drive all year but don't see more than a couple inches of snow/plowed roads, the KDWS will be good. If you ever might need to navigate a foot or more, snow tires. If you never see snow, KDW's. Nothing to say about how other brands compare.