Driven by the resounding success of the Goodyear Duratrac as a year round all weather tire, the major tire manufacturers are flooding the market with new entrants targeting consumers who want tough year round tires that offer significant winter performance.
The common theme is that these are "hybrid" tires with a tighter "all terrain" inner tread pattern with an open lug "mud terrain" outer tread pattern with more siping and grooving than traditionally found on this type of tire. Most sizes are offered in lighter duty p-metric passenger versions as well as heavier duty light truck versions. All of these tires bear the mountain snowflake symbol and some carry 50K+ treadlife warranties.
Despite some significant flaws, Goodyear has pretty much owned the light truck hybrid tire market for several years with Duratrac, which receives consistently high ratings in snow and ice and is studdable.
Goodyear caught BFG resting on its laurels with the old school BFG AT ko, and BFG (a Michelin brand) has taken a major step to reclaim its spot with the 2014 release of the AT ko2. While bearing resemblance to the old tire, the outer lugs are opened up and the classic interlocking inner tread has more channeling to the outside. Michelin has clearly gone technology forward as this is a thoroughly modern tire that has regained its standing as the benchmark in the class. It has been stated on some forums that on certain tire retailer sites, the ko2 is the best reviewed tire ever, of any class, for across the board performance.
Cooper released its mundane looking AT3 a few years ago and won tire test competition after tire test competion. Seizing on this it came out with the ATW, a winter oriented version of the AT3 that has also won in some independent winter testing for SUV tires. Cooper found the mountain snowflake rating to be so low with the ATW that it has apparently lobbied for changes to the standard.
Entrants over the past year include the Falken AT3W and Nitto Exo Grappler AWT. The Falken is getting rave reviews on 4x4 forums and seems to be an emerging player given its comparative price point.
Falken
Nitto
Kumho has also released the seriously budget priced Road Venture AT51, which was designed to a greater extent with all weather and winter performance in mind.
I own a set of ko2 and having hated its predecessor, this tire is delivering on the promise of year round traction in all terrain with very solid treadlife.
I have a set of Falken AT3W on the way for the new to us Sequoia. Deep snow, packed snow and ice, slush, heavy rain, offroad...is the OTQ here?
The common theme is that these are "hybrid" tires with a tighter "all terrain" inner tread pattern with an open lug "mud terrain" outer tread pattern with more siping and grooving than traditionally found on this type of tire. Most sizes are offered in lighter duty p-metric passenger versions as well as heavier duty light truck versions. All of these tires bear the mountain snowflake symbol and some carry 50K+ treadlife warranties.
Despite some significant flaws, Goodyear has pretty much owned the light truck hybrid tire market for several years with Duratrac, which receives consistently high ratings in snow and ice and is studdable.
Goodyear caught BFG resting on its laurels with the old school BFG AT ko, and BFG (a Michelin brand) has taken a major step to reclaim its spot with the 2014 release of the AT ko2. While bearing resemblance to the old tire, the outer lugs are opened up and the classic interlocking inner tread has more channeling to the outside. Michelin has clearly gone technology forward as this is a thoroughly modern tire that has regained its standing as the benchmark in the class. It has been stated on some forums that on certain tire retailer sites, the ko2 is the best reviewed tire ever, of any class, for across the board performance.
Cooper released its mundane looking AT3 a few years ago and won tire test competition after tire test competion. Seizing on this it came out with the ATW, a winter oriented version of the AT3 that has also won in some independent winter testing for SUV tires. Cooper found the mountain snowflake rating to be so low with the ATW that it has apparently lobbied for changes to the standard.
Entrants over the past year include the Falken AT3W and Nitto Exo Grappler AWT. The Falken is getting rave reviews on 4x4 forums and seems to be an emerging player given its comparative price point.
Falken
Nitto
Kumho has also released the seriously budget priced Road Venture AT51, which was designed to a greater extent with all weather and winter performance in mind.
I own a set of ko2 and having hated its predecessor, this tire is delivering on the promise of year round traction in all terrain with very solid treadlife.
I have a set of Falken AT3W on the way for the new to us Sequoia. Deep snow, packed snow and ice, slush, heavy rain, offroad...is the OTQ here?