TireRack AT tire comparison (1 Viewer)

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If you need severe weather traction, decent mud and loose dirt traction, good towing manners and don't mind a slightly more aggressive tire, the Cooper ST Maxx is really hard to beat. Quieter than a MT, they're the best option Ive found between AT and MT tires.

I first tried them after all the local Forest Service rigs switched from Toyo, as well as the fish cops. I now run them on my 200, my F350 and the old plow truck.
 
Wow, TireRack is on a roll these days with testings! But this time, you have the ”small” brands competing. The winner is a total unknown to me…but in LT form, it has 3-ply sidewall!! :)


August 11, 2021

Tires Tested​

Cooper Discoverer Rugged Trek (On-/Off-Road All-Terrain, 265/70R17 116T)
  • What We Liked: The steering and ride quality are both satisfying for the daily drive.
  • What We'd Improve: It's a little loud compared to the competition here. Wet traction is just mid-pack.
  • Conclusion: It straddles the line between "aggressive" and "mild" all-terrain.
Goodyear Wrangler Workhorse AT (On-/Off-Road All-Terrain, 265/70R17 115T)
  • What We Liked: It's civilized and nice to drive on the road.
  • What We'd Improve: It needs a substantial improvement in wet traction.
  • Conclusion: A nice A/T option if there's no rain in the forecast.
Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus (On-/Off-Road All-Terrain, 265/70R17 115T)
  • What We Liked: The wet grip feels stronger than we remember.
  • What We'd Improve: We would like some added refinement on the road.
  • Conclusion: A great choice for many drivers.
Vredestein Pinza AT (On-/Off-Road All-Terrain, 265/70R17 115T)
  • What We Liked: It does everything at a very high level.
  • What We'd Improve: Any request would be pretty unrealistic for an A/T tire.
  • Conclusion: It swept the test.
 
Cooper Discoverer AT3 LT(On-/Off-Road All-Terrain, LT265/70R17 E 121/118S)
  • What We Liked: Confident traction in the wet, test-leading dry traction, and reasonable noise comfort.
  • What We'd Improve: The ride is very firm, and the steering is just acceptable.
  • Conclusion: A solid all-around option that performs where it counts.

What I didn’t like: how the tires quickly failed in rain and almost lost control of our heavy Cruiser when everyone else was passing us.

These tires are horrible. Do NOT put them on your vehicles.
 
What I didn’t like: how the tires quickly failed in rain and almost lost control of our heavy Cruiser when everyone else was passing us.

These tires are horrible. Do NOT put them on your vehicles.
Good to know, these were originally on my shortlist before I got AT3s.
 
Toyo Open Country A/T III(On-/Off-Road All-Terrain, LT265/70R17 E 121/118S)
  • What We Liked: The steering feels natural.
  • What We'd Improve: It's loud on the road and needs a substantial increase in wet traction.
  • Conclusion: We're looking forward to testing it in the snow.
Had a chance to drive these in the downpour that SoCal got this post Monday. Was very impressed with the wet traction. Not sure what tire rack is referencing.
 
I had the Firestone Destination X/T's on my 100 Series for about six months before it was totaled, and now I've had them on my 200 for a couple of months. They have been really great. There was not much info out there about them back then, and really still isn't. I'm not sure why. 🤷‍♂️
 
Good to know, these were originally on my shortlist before I got AT3s.
Consider Yokohama Geolander G015 A/T. Great in rain, good enough for snow, and reliable on the trail. Very quiet on the highway. Great longevity. If you are looking for a real trail tire, the KO2’s have a huge following here.
 
What I didn’t like: how the tires quickly failed in rain and almost lost control of our heavy Cruiser when everyone else was passing us.

These tires are horrible. Do NOT put them on your vehicles.
The problem with most (if not all) tire test is that they test brand-new tires. Some of the lower end tires will wear out very quickly the initial tread compound, resulting in poor performance over time. I had that experience with my General tires on my minivan…first 5000 miles or so, they lived up to their Consumer Reports stellar rating…then went to hell shortly after.
 
Consider Yokohama Geolander G015 A/T. Great in rain, good enough for snow, and reliable on the trail. Very quiet on the highway. Great longevity. If you are looking for a real trail tire, the KO2’s have a huge following here.
Yeah, one of these days, i will try the Yoko G015. I keep on hearing fantastic praises of them! I was in a rural town once in North Texas and literally, EVERY pickup truck had them on! I asked one of the owners why he has them on…and he said that they are great for the farmers and lasts a long time.

And although the G015 sidewall is not KO2 level, the previous version of G015 sidewall strength was pretty good for a highway tire: https://www.4x4community.co.za/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=449956&d=1497265431
 
Yeah, one of these days, i will try the Yoko G015. I keep on hearing fantastic praises of them! I was in a rural town once in North Texas and literally, EVERY pickup truck had them on! I asked one of the owners why he has them on…and he said that they are great for the farmers and lasts a long time.

And although the G015 sidewall is not KO2 level, the previous version of G015 sidewall strength was pretty good for a highway tire: https://www.4x4community.co.za/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=449956&d=1497265431
On the highway my mpg is 19-22. But I also drive conservatively. We've never had an issue with these tires on the CO trails, and we done a lot. One good thing about these tires is they will improve your tire placement skills :doh:. They are not soft like Michelins, so they will not wear fast. Hard to beat the price too.
 
On the highway my mpg is 19-22. But I also drive conservatively. We've never had an issue with these tires on the CO trails, and we done a lot. One good thing about these tires is they will improve your tire placement skills :doh:. They are not soft like Michelins, so they will not wear fast. Hard to beat the price too.
Do you have the P-metric or LT version of it?
 
What I didn’t like: how the tires quickly failed in rain and almost lost control of our heavy Cruiser when everyone else was passing us.

These tires are horrible. Do NOT put them on your vehicles.
How many miles did you have on the tires before they failed? I am looking at the AT3 4s (which appears to have a different compound) and want to make sure it's a good choice.
 
How many miles did you have on the tires before they failed? I am looking at the AT3 4s (which appears to have a different compound) and want to make sure it's a good choice.
The tires had about 5,000-9,000 more miles on them. They were on the cruiser when we purchased it. I'm not a fan of Cooper tires. I think they are sub-average. We took those tires on the trail. Yeah, there was not much tread remaining. But they were not firm at all, slide a lot, and had zero grip on an incline/decline. The Yokos are definitely a much better tire.
 
The tires had about 5,000-9,000 more miles on them. They were on the cruiser when we purchased it. I'm not a fan of Cooper tires. I think they are sub-average. We took those tires on the trail. Yeah, there was not much tread remaining. But they were not firm at all, slide a lot, and had zero grip on an incline/decline. The Yokos are definitely a much better tire.
Appreciate it. I'm wondering if the 4s would be better since it has the softer compound. I'm between the AT3 4s, Wildpeaks, Geolandars, and just plain Michelin Defenders. My brain says Defenders, but I like the more aggressive AT look...
 
Appreciate it. I'm wondering if the 4s would be better since it has the softer compound. I'm between the AT3 4s, Wildpeaks, Geolandars, and just plain Michelin Defenders. My brain says Defenders, but I like the more aggressive AT look...
Look at Conti TerrainContact ATs if not regularly in ice & moderate snow. Perfect for my usage in and around SC.

*edited model name post brain fart
 
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Appreciate it. I'm wondering if the 4s would be better since it has the softer compound. I'm between the AT3 4s, Wildpeaks, Geolandars, and just plain Michelin Defenders. My brain says Defenders, but I like the more aggressive AT look...
Keep in mind Michelins are very soft tires. They will wear faster than comparable tires. Of course my local Discount Tire guys sell them, but the counter managers told me privately they don't recommend them.
 
Do you have the P-metric or LT version of it?
I spoke with my local Discount Tire today. I have the P-metric. The counter agent told me the difference in this tire between the P and LT is the LT is designed to handle more weight but the tread is the same.
 
I spoke with my local Discount Tire today. I have the P-metric. The counter agent told me the difference in this tire between the P and LT is the LT is designed to handle more weight but the tread is the same.

Curious what size they are and what pressure youre running? Im getting a set of these for my sisters GX.
 
Curious what size they are and what pressure youre running? Im getting a set of these for my sisters GX.
285/60 R18 SL. Between 38-43 psi on the highway, 25-30 psi on the trail. Rotations every 3,500-5,000 miles. They've handled well when the rig was fully loaded and not loaded.
 

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