What's up with snow type tires on new trailers?

Just for curiosity, I've looked a little in the Internet for this type of tire and haven't found any for sale in places like e-trailer, Amazon, etc.  

What is not clear to me is what the the specifics are for the aggressive tread pattern tires that seem to be showing up on single axle lightweight travel trailers.  Do they actually qualify for the winter driving snow flake or mountain snow flake designation that makes them qualify as winter driving tires in places like Quebec, where winter driving tires with softer rubber compounds and aggressive tread designs are required?  Or are they just another version of all season M&S tire with a "gnarly" tread that looks cool.  Are they bias or radial ply?  What is the logic for putting on tires that look like winter snow tires when it is not very likely that many people will be using them in the snow for reasons other than the thrill of pulling a trailer on icy, slippery, snow covered roads?  (With black ice, chains or studs are the only thing that helps much.)  It would seem to me that regular all season M&S ST rated tires would be a better all around choice for rain wet pavement, dry pavement, and dirt roads that one would likely traverse when camping in the boondocks.  The reduction in the total surface contact with the pavement from the super aggressive tires would seem to reduce traction in rain wet or dry pavement conditions, especially with strong winds putting lateral loads on the trailer and tires.  For the few occasions where you have to drive in snow (unless you are a regular snow camper) it might be all around safer to carry chains and use them if required.

Bottom line, is this a marketing ploy to add to the temptation to buy a travel trailer that looks like it could go anywhere or is there a real advantage to this type of tire.  My suspicion, is that it's the former.

I looked up the Chain requirement CADOT link and in the notes (#3) it says,

 

"• Trailers with brakes must have chains on one axle." The diagrams don't show this.

I worked in Tahoe for two years and drove out to Kirkwood with a trailer every day while building homes there. Got denied on Luther Pass and bought cable chains and all was good. Only had to use them 2 other times. I now carry them in the pod during the winter just in case. But most likely I would wait it out somewhere.

It makes sense to me that if your towing a trailer with brakes without chains, and your TV has chains and you hit the brakes on an icy corner, the trailer will slide out to the side if the trailer brakes lock up on the snow.

 And to attempt to answer Lostagain's original question. Aggressive tread tires do not hydroplane as easily as street tires when there is lots of water on the road.  

The principle factor in hydroplaning, assuming you have properly inflated tires that have adequate tread depth, is excessive speed for conditions.  Granted hydroplaning can occur at speeds as low as about 35 or 40, it is usually the front wheels that are most affected as they are the first wheels to hit the water, are controlling direction of travel.  The following tires have the benefit of the water being somewhat pushed out of the way by the leading tires.  Thus, when towing in inclement weather, especially with slick road conditions, the first thing one would want to do is slow down to a speed consistent being able to safely transit though the conditions encountered.  

In addition, since a trailer is being pulled, as opposed to controlling the direction of travel, it seems to me that it should be less susceptible to the adverse effects of any degree of hydroplaning that may occur, unless you are going so fast around a curve that the centrifugal force., combined with the loss of traction on the pavement, allows the trailer to whip out from behind the TV.  Again, that would suggest that someone is driving a lot faster than is safe for conditions.

I looked all over for ST rated "off road" tires and found none, at least not in any relevant sizes for r-Pods.  What I did find was that it appears that many manufactures are offering "off-road" tires as an option, but they appear to be standard LT design that have a lower load capacity, less sturdy side walls and lower air pressure, thus do not provide the benefits designed into ST rated tires.  

I think Keith is right that the real "off road" factor for a trailer is in axle ground clearance.  All the cool diamond plating, big gnarly all terrain tires and such are more for appearance than function.  Even with the 2 inch OEM lift I put into our Pod so I wouldn't scrape the driveway, I would never take the trailer out in true off road conditions no matter what tires I had on it.  Without raising the axel out of harm's way, the tires aren't going to make any difference.  

I keep coming back to the conclusion that it is a marketing strategy that has nothing to do with performance.  If, as I suspect, trailer manufacturers are selling trailers with LT tires, some smart lawyer is going to nail them big time for a "design defect" when his/her client has an accident that can be shown to have been avoidable had the proper ST tires had been installed.