Why there is no “best” All-Terrain Tire,… (1 Viewer)

[Heritage 2020]

Greetings All,

Even though for my biases the BFG KO2 and Falken AT3W are the best current AT tires, and Michelin is the only brand for sports car tires—this EE video discusses the AT segment in a clear manner.

It is worth the view.

Looks aren’t important for some—thus why some prefer the Michelin LTX, and others simply like their OEM P Series.

Thank goodness we all have differing priorities and are demanding consumers, or we’d have been stuck with the Ford Model A or T—in any color as long as it is black long ago.

 

[Tex68w]

Looks matter to most, hence why the LTX isn't what everyone is running, it's also not nearly as rugged as a lot of the other options on the market either. We all have differing needs and desires in a tire and I can tell you that the areas where I drive my Cruiser in hunting season likely wouldn't fare well with the LTX's and I simply don't like the looks of them either, they are far too road tread looking. I am a big BFG KO2 fan, likely will love the KO3's as well, but I am open to others and have owned tires from Toyo and Nitto in the recent past as well. Honestly, there are a lot of great options out there today at varying price points and levels of ruggedness, it's a great time to be a tire consumer.

 

[TeCKis300]

Great video. Highlights the vast array of concerns. Best is all so often the balance of qualities that an individual is seeking for their priorities and use case. Not the least of which is brand and looks.

I'm a Michelin junkie and use them on 2 of my 3 cars. As much as I like the LTX, I use mine off-road a bit more aggressively so have looked elsewhere.

Lesser known but Falken puts out some serious sports car tires too which I have run on the track. It's an enthusiast segment they attacked first before off-road tires. They're often assumed to be the new kid, but they hail from the large Japan Sumitomo Rubber Industries that owns multiple other major tire brands. Saying this because IMO, I still hold Falken AT3Ws as one of my top 2 in the spirit of "all" terrain.

 

[Heckraiser]

Yep, I used to run Falkens on my autocross Honda 20+ years ago. Established brand along with the big boys in my view.

I also had a set of Hankook Dynapro on my 80 at one point that took HEAVY sidewall damage from a tree root and didn't fail. I wish I could find the picture--massive chunks torn from sidewall, but the structure held. I actually drove them for a while (like on the highway) before I could get a replacement. I was pretty impressed by that. The tread chunked a lot offroad and were definitely better suited for mild/moderate wheeling.

 

[Madtiger]

I only stick to the big well-established brands...and only their flagship lines of those brands. I feel that the smaller brands either lack R&D or cut corners in places I don't like.

 

[RTaylor]

The new Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 has more sidewall lug than its predecessor. We just put them on my wife’s LC and they’re excellent. The ride is similar (great) but they look much better.