Dumb tire question... not a brand recommendation
 

Need to replace the tires on my Carrera... stock 16" sizes, nothing fancy. Atlanta area, drive year round but typically rarely in rain, no track days. Tires will get a fair amount of miles on them but will likely dry rot / "age out" before getting worn out.

So I'm debating between two styles... one has a directional pattern and the other does not. My current tires are not directional and occasionally I will swap them from side to side to "rotate" and balance out the wear. With the staggered sizes a traditional rotation is a non-issue. Obviously I can't swap sides with a directional pattern.

So question is... does anyone else have a preference on "directional" vs "non-directional" and like to swap sides like I've done?

My preference is directional after 50 years of driving. For these reasons:

1. Water evacuation (hydroplane less)
2. Cornering (better grip)
3. General handling (a subjective opinion)

I've noticed that, in general, directional tires do tend to cost a bit more and may come with softer rubber compounds leading to shorter tread/tire life.

But, in the end this issue seems to veer into a "tomato" vs. "tomahto", for each individual's needs and experience tend to steer one toward a particular choice.