All Terrain Tires

BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3 Review

Updated: April 18, 2025 by Emrecan Gurkan 6 Comments

The long-awaited BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3 has landed, and it’s about time! While its sibling, the BF Goodrich KO2, set the off-road all-terrain tire standard, it had its quirks—like occasional rain slip-ups and that highway hum. And with newcomers like Toyo Open Country AT3 and Falken Wildpeak AT3W raising the bar, it’s no surprise the KO3’s tread design seems to tip its hat to them. Stick around as we technically dive into what the BF Goodrich KO3 brings to the off-road table!

As a former Bridgestone engineer, I think that BF Goodrich KO3 can provide great on-road manners. Since it’s only available in OEM sizes, it provides a smooth and quiet ride. Besides that, its wet and winter traction capability is huge. However, due to its narrow pattern, its loose-ground traction capability is slightly behind the competition. Besides that, longevity isn’t something that OEM tires are focused on. So, no great wear until replacement sizes will come up.

All-Terrain Tires Cheat Sheet

Finding the ideal all-terrain tire among the plethora of options available can be overwhelming. But don’t worry, my team and I have taken on this challenge head-on. Besides our hands-on experiences with these tires, we also analyze thousands of customer reviews and test reports.

Please note that: Light-Duty is 1500 series, Medium-Duty is 2500 series and Heavy-Duty is 3500 series. If you do towing or hauling, I recommend considering at least Medium-Duty tires.

Mobile users can scroll the table to the left to see the whole data.

All-Terrain Tires Cheat Sheet
Name	Category	Articles	3PMSF	Road Noise	Mileage	Fuel Economy	Riding Comfort	Responsiveness	Wet Performance	Mild Winter	Severe Winter	Mild Off-Road	Severe Off-Road	Best Fit by Pickup Truck Classification	Warranty (SL or XL)	Warranty (LT)	Product Page
Falken Wildpeak AT3W	Off Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Decent	Decent	Poor	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Elegant	Decent	Average	Light-Duty	55,000 Miles	55,000 Miles	Wildpeak AT3W
Toyo Open Country AT3	Off Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Average	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Medium-Duty	65,000 Miles	50,000 Miles	Toyo Open Country AT3
General Grabber ATX	Off Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Average	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Elegant	Heavy-Duty	60,000 Miles	50,000 Miles	General Grabber ATX
BF Goodrich KO2	Off Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Elegant	Heavy-Duty	N/A	50,000 Miles	BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2
Sumitomo Encounter AT	Off Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Decent	Decent	Average	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Average	Decent	Average	Light-Duty	60,000 Miles	60,000 Miles	Sumitomo Encounter AT
Firestone Destination XT	Off Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Average	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Average	Decent	Decent	Heavy-Duty	N/A	50,000 Miles	Firestone Destination X/T
Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT	On Road All Terrain Tire	Review	No	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Average	Elegant	Average	Heavy-Duty	N/A	60,000 Miles	Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT
Falken Wildpeak AT Trail	On Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Average	Light-Duty	65,000 Miles	N/A	Falken Wildpeak AT Trail
Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S	On Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Elegant	Decent	Elegant	Elegant	Elegant	Elegant	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Fairy Well	Light-Duty	65,000 Miles	N/A	Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S
Firestone Destination AT2	On Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Decent	Elegant	Elegant	Elegant	Elegant	Decent	Elegant	Average	Decent	Average	Light-Duty	55,000 Miles	N/A	Firestone Destination AT2
BF Goodrich Trail Terrain T/A	On Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Elegant	Elegant	Decent	Elegant	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Average	Decent	Average	Light-Duty	60,000	N/A	BF Goodrich Trail Terrain T/A
Toyo Open Country R/T Trail	Rugged Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Heavy-Duty	45,000 Miles	45,000 Miles	Toyo Open Country R/T Trail
Falken Wildpeak R/T	Rugged Terrain Tire	Review	No	Decent	Decent	Average	Average	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Heavy-Duty	50,000 Miles	50,000 Miles	Falken Wildpeak R/T
Pathfinder AT Tire	On Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Average	Average	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Average	Decent	Average	Light-Duty	55,000	50,000	Discount Tire Exclusive Product
Nitto Ridge Grappler	Rugged Terrain Tire	Review	No	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Heavy-Duty	N/A	N/A	Nitto Ridge Grappler
General Grabber APT	On Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Decent	Decent	Average	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Average	Decent	Fairy Well	Medium-Duty	60,000 Miles	60,000 Miles	General Grabber APT
Vredestein Pinza AT	On Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Average	Medium-Duty	70,000 Miles	50,000 Miles	Vredestein Pinza AT
Nitto Recon Grappler	Off Road All Terrain Tire	Review	No	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Average	Elegant	Decent	Medium-Duty	65,000 Miles	55,000 Miles	Nitto Recon Grappler
Michelin Defender LTX M/S	Highway Tire	Review	No	Elegant	Elegant	Elegant	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Fairy Well	Decent	Fairy Well	Heavy-Duty	55,000 – 70,000 Miles	55,000 – 70,000 Miles	Michelin Defender LTX M/S
Kenda Klever R/T	Rugged Terrain Tire	Review	No	Average	Decent	Average	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Fairy Well	Decent	Decent	Heavy-Duty	N/A	N/A	Kenda Klever R/T
Goodyear Wrangler Territory AT	On Road All Terrain Tire	Review	No	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Average	Elegant	Decent	Medium-Duty	N/A	N/A	Goodyear Wrangler Territory AT
Goodyear Wrangler UltraTerrain AT	Off Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Average	Decent	Fairy Well	Medium-Duty	N/A	N/A	Discount Tire Exclusive Product
Continental Terrain Contact H/T	Highway Tire	Review	No	Elegant	Elegant	Elegant	Elegant	Elegant	Decent	Average	Poor	Decent	Poor	Heavy-Duty	70,000 Miles	60,000 Miles	Continental TerrainContact H/T
Patriot R/T	Rugged Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Average	Average	Average	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Medium-Duty	N/A	N/A	Patriot R/T+
Kenda Klever AT2	Off Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Decent	Average	Average	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Average	Decent	Average	Medium-Duty	60,000 Miles	50,000 Miles	Kenda Klever AT2
Yokohama Geolander AT G015	On Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Elegant	Decent	Average	Elegant	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Average	Average	Poor	Light-Duty	60,000 Miles	50,000 Miles	Yokohama Geolandar AT G015
Mickey Thompson Baja Boss AT	Rugged Terrain Tire	Review	Yes (315 or narrower width)	Decent	Decent	Average	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Medium-Duty	50,000 Miles	60,000 Miles	Mickey Thompson Baja Boss AT

BFG KO2 vs KO3: What Changed?

In the intricate world of tire manufacturing, continuity often prevails. If a design proves successful, why reinvent the wheel, right? However, once in a while, a trailblazer like BF Goodrich disrupts the status quo.

Consider this: From the initial idea to a tire’s arrival on store shelves, a staggering three-year period typically passes. It’s quite astounding, isn’t it? You might wonder, “What could possibly take so much time?” Well, a significant chunk of this duration is dedicated to rigorous field-testing. These tires must be prepared to face a multitude of challenges.

There’s some industry buzz that BF Goodrich’s innovative wheels began turning as early as March 2020, perhaps inspired by Toyo’s AT3. In the world of tires, competition is fierce, driving innovation and evolution.

When you put the Toyo AT3 and BF Goodrich KO3 side by side, you’ll notice some parallels. The core of the BF Goodrich KO3, its center section, resembles the Toyo AT3, setting it apart from its predecessor, the KO2.

	BF Goodrich KO3	BF Goodrich KO2
Size	LT285/70R17	LT285/70R17
Tread Depth	15/32″	15/32″
Tire Weight	56 lbs	51 lbs
Section Width	11.5″	11.5″
Tread Width	8.8″	9.4”

One notable trend? The emergence of the ‘S-shape’ lug design. It’s the talk of the town, mainly because it enhances a tire’s biting edges. Think of it as giving your tire extra “teeth” for improved grip. The BF Goodrich KO3 doesn’t just adopt this trend; it refines it. By incorporating these S-shaped lugs, the KO3 creates a more consolidated center section, resulting in a welcome reduction in road noise.

However, no story is without its twists. While the KO3 boasts a host of upgrades, it’s not without its drawbacks. When navigating loose terrains, those horizontally-oriented lugs appear to present a slight challenge. But when comparing the KO2 and KO3, the latter’s horizontal orientation offers improved traction on loose terrain, albeit with potentially faster wear. BF Goodrich’s solution? A narrower tread width on the KO3. Aesthetically inclined folks, take note!

Now, let’s talk weight. The BF Goodrich KO3 is 5 lbs heavier compared to the KO2. Since both tires have the same tread depth, the weight differance is mostly caused by the compactness of BF Goodrich KO3.

In summary, the BF Goodrich KO3 emerges as a formidable contender, showcasing superior on-road finesse and wet grip, with a slight compromise on loose terrains. Particularly for those with towing or hauling needs, the KO3 stands as a compelling choice, if you’re okay with shorter life span.

A word of caution: This assessment primarily applies to the BF Goodrich KO3 specifications available for the sizes LT285/70R17 and LT275/65R20.

Dry Performance

All-terrain tires are built for traction and dry traction is actually the easiest one to achieve.

In that case, more rubber on the ground generally provides superior.

BF Goodrich KO3 has a compact and slightly narrow tread pattern. Even though narrow tread patterns tend to decrease the tire’s grip capability, BF Goodrich KO3 can still provide unique traction on dry surfaces. In fact, this kind of design is way much better for towing, hauling, or relatively heavier vehicles like 3/4 ton trucks.

I don’t have any doubt about its dry traction performance. Moreover, it has a huge advantage regarding cornering stability and responsiveness.

Responsiveness

In this case, a narrow tread pattern is a huge advantage. Besides that, the design of BF Goodrich KO3’s center section is compact and interlocked.

Since BF Goodrich KO3 is only available for OEM sizes, these sizes have different, generally softer compounds than replacement sizes. This is a slight disadvantage for quick steering response. Yet, nothing much to change.

In summary, BF Goodrich KO3 provides a quick steering response as it’s expected from a premium brand tire.

Wet Performance

The wet performance of all-terrain tires is generally questionable because of their stiff compounds.

Since this tire is only available in LT sizes for now, we can’t evaluate its UTQG rating and this reduces the accuracy of our prediction.

For this reason, I’ve contacted with BF Goodrich and asked them about the improvements. They basically said ‘ Overall performance and durability’.

When I combine this information with my tread pattern analysis, I actually expect a bit of a drop in the wet traction.

However, BF Goodrich KO3 is only available in OEM sizes for now. What does that mean? It means it should have decent wet traction and rolling resistance. OEM tires sacrifice from treadwear. Otherwise, they can’t pass homologation tests.

In summary, BF Goodrich KO3 provides decent wet traction.

Hydroplaning Resistance

Hydroplaning is the floating feeling that you feel at high speeds when it rains.

Even though it mostly depends on your driving style and speed, all-terrain tires sometimes do this because of their wide tread pattern.

In this case, BF Goodrich KO3 has an advantage.

Due to its open shoulder slots and narrow pattern, BF Goodrich KO3 provides decent hydroplaning resistance.

Winter Performance

BF Goodrich KO3 is marked with 3PMSF, proof that the rubber of this tire retains its function in cold weather.

Since the compound is okay, we can discuss the tread pattern.

In favor of a very well-siped pattern, BF Goodrich KO3 provides great light-snow traction just like its brother BF Goodrich KO2.

However, due to its relatively less void area, BF Goodrich KO3 might provide slightly inferior deep snow traction.

On the other hand, the ice traction of this tire is going to be better than BF Goodrich KO2 because of its siped and narrow tread pattern. The narrow pattern can create more force on the ground and that increases the ice traction.

Overall, BF Goodrich KO3 is a trustworthy tire regarding winter conditions.

Off-Road Performance

I don’t wanna judge the book by its cover but OEM sizes aren’t great for off-road conditions.

They generally wear so fast in off-road conditions. However, this doesn’t mean they don’t provide traction.

The design of BF Goodrich KO3 is great for gravel and dirt traction because of its sipe density. However, the narrow pattern is a disadvantage regarding mud (I’m talking about thick mud out here) and rock crawling.

So, here is the deal, this tire is going to be great on occasional mud, rock, or dirt. However, if you’re going to severe off-road with them, think twice.

I’m not saying you’ll not get decent traction, I’m saying that you probably observer rapid wear.

Longevity

Just like I told you before, if longevity is your priority, you should skip OEM tires. I don’t think that this one is going to stay short just like other OEM tires, yet, there is no way that you can get the same wear with BF Goodrich KO2.

Conclusion

In my point of view, BF Goodrich KO3 going to be a rockstar for those who need great on-road manners but don’t wanna fail off-road. It’s not going to be superstar on loose ground but it’s going to provide a smoother ride and less road noise than BF Goodrich KO2. For now, if you’re not making too many miles in a year, it’s a great tire for you. Though worth reminding, these are OEM sizes. A lot is going to change when it’s going to be available in replacement sizes.

Note: BF Goodrich KO3 is not interchangeable/mixable with the same size KO2 tires.

I hope the article was helpful, if you need any further questions, please leave them below. Have a safe ride folks!

Pathfinder AT Tire Review

Updated: April 18, 2025 by Emrecan Gurkan Leave a Comment

PathFinder AT is an off-road all-terrain tire that is specially built for Discount Tire. Most people claim that these tires are manufactured by Kumho. Though, I guess people are mistaken because of Kumho Pathfinder S Sport AS. I see this brand as Discount Tire’s solution to the expensiveness of all-terrain tires. So, any issue you have will be directly solved by Discount Tire which is a huge advantage when it comes to warranty issues. Are you gonna have any issues? It depends on your expectations. In this article, I’m going to review Pathfinder AT and explain when it becomes to the best solution. Let’s begin!

	PathFinder AT
Best for	1/2 ton working trucks that spends most of time on the road, SUV owners that focus on longevity more than comfort & noise reduction, 3/4 ton or above trucks that focus on traction and sidewall durability more than longevity
Pros	Year-round traction, Winter performance, Aggressive appearance, Budget-friendly
Cons	wear out relatively quickly when used extensively for long-term off-road purposes, mainly due to its tendency to heat up rapidly, It’s a mid-grade tire, hence it produce noise and offers slightly rough ride
Vehicle	SUV, Light truck
Available Sizes	15”, 16”, 17”, 18”, 20” (Check if it fits your vehicle)
Made In	United States
Warranty	50,000 – 55,000 miles

Pathfinder AT is a versatile tire designed for both on and off-road adventures. With its exceptional dry performance, thanks to its cavitated design and biting edges, this tire delivers satisfying traction. Responsive and stable, it maneuvers well with interconnected center blocks. The Pathfinder AT shines in cornering stability, with robust sidewalls and beefy shoulder blocks. Its softer compound and zigzag sipes enhance wet traction, while the 3PMSF rating ensures decent winter performance. While road noise may be present, its relatively low tread depth offers a comfortable ride. Designed for durability and off-road performance, it excels on rocky terrains and muddy surfaces. Exclusive to Discount Tire, the Pathfinder AT comes with warranties for added peace of mind. Embark on your next adventure confidently with the Pathfinder AT, a tire that combines traction, stability, and versatility.

All-Terrain Tires Cheat Sheet

All-Terrain Tires Cheat Sheet
Name	Category	Articles	3PMSF	Road Noise	Mileage	Fuel Economy	Riding Comfort	Responsiveness	Wet Performance	Mild Winter	Severe Winter	Mild Off-Road	Severe Off-Road	Best Fit by Pickup Truck Classification	Warranty (SL or XL)	Warranty (LT)	Product Page
Falken Wildpeak AT3W	Off Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Decent	Decent	Poor	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Elegant	Decent	Average	Light-Duty	55,000 Miles	55,000 Miles	Wildpeak AT3W
Toyo Open Country AT3	Off Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Average	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Medium-Duty	65,000 Miles	50,000 Miles	Toyo Open Country AT3
General Grabber ATX	Off Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Average	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Elegant	Heavy-Duty	60,000 Miles	50,000 Miles	General Grabber ATX
BF Goodrich KO2	Off Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Elegant	Heavy-Duty	N/A	50,000 Miles	BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2
Sumitomo Encounter AT	Off Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Decent	Decent	Average	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Average	Decent	Average	Light-Duty	60,000 Miles	60,000 Miles	Sumitomo Encounter AT
Firestone Destination XT	Off Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Average	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Average	Decent	Decent	Heavy-Duty	N/A	50,000 Miles	Firestone Destination X/T
Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT	On Road All Terrain Tire	Review	No	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Average	Elegant	Average	Heavy-Duty	N/A	60,000 Miles	Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT
Falken Wildpeak AT Trail	On Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Average	Light-Duty	65,000 Miles	N/A	Falken Wildpeak AT Trail
Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S	On Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Elegant	Decent	Elegant	Elegant	Elegant	Elegant	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Fairy Well	Light-Duty	65,000 Miles	N/A	Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S
Firestone Destination AT2	On Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Decent	Elegant	Elegant	Elegant	Elegant	Decent	Elegant	Average	Decent	Average	Light-Duty	55,000 Miles	N/A	Firestone Destination AT2
BF Goodrich Trail Terrain T/A	On Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Elegant	Elegant	Decent	Elegant	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Average	Decent	Average	Light-Duty	60,000	N/A	BF Goodrich Trail Terrain T/A
Toyo Open Country R/T Trail	Rugged Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Heavy-Duty	45,000 Miles	45,000 Miles	Toyo Open Country R/T Trail
Falken Wildpeak R/T	Rugged Terrain Tire	Review	No	Decent	Decent	Average	Average	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Heavy-Duty	50,000 Miles	50,000 Miles	Falken Wildpeak R/T
Pathfinder AT Tire	On Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Average	Average	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Average	Decent	Average	Light-Duty	55,000	50,000	Discount Tire Exclusive Product
Nitto Ridge Grappler	Rugged Terrain Tire	Review	No	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Heavy-Duty	N/A	N/A	Nitto Ridge Grappler
General Grabber APT	On Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Decent	Decent	Average	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Average	Decent	Fairy Well	Medium-Duty	60,000 Miles	60,000 Miles	General Grabber APT
Vredestein Pinza AT	On Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Average	Medium-Duty	70,000 Miles	50,000 Miles	Vredestein Pinza AT
Nitto Recon Grappler	Off Road All Terrain Tire	Review	No	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Average	Elegant	Decent	Medium-Duty	65,000 Miles	55,000 Miles	Nitto Recon Grappler
Michelin Defender LTX M/S	Highway Tire	Review	No	Elegant	Elegant	Elegant	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Fairy Well	Decent	Fairy Well	Heavy-Duty	55,000 – 70,000 Miles	55,000 – 70,000 Miles	Michelin Defender LTX M/S
Kenda Klever R/T	Rugged Terrain Tire	Review	No	Average	Decent	Average	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Fairy Well	Decent	Decent	Heavy-Duty	N/A	N/A	Kenda Klever R/T
Goodyear Wrangler Territory AT	On Road All Terrain Tire	Review	No	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Average	Elegant	Decent	Medium-Duty	N/A	N/A	Goodyear Wrangler Territory AT
Goodyear Wrangler UltraTerrain AT	Off Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Average	Decent	Fairy Well	Medium-Duty	N/A	N/A	Discount Tire Exclusive Product
Continental Terrain Contact H/T	Highway Tire	Review	No	Elegant	Elegant	Elegant	Elegant	Elegant	Decent	Average	Poor	Decent	Poor	Heavy-Duty	70,000 Miles	60,000 Miles	Continental TerrainContact H/T
Patriot R/T	Rugged Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Average	Average	Average	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Medium-Duty	N/A	N/A	Patriot R/T+
Kenda Klever AT2	Off Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Decent	Average	Average	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Average	Decent	Average	Medium-Duty	60,000 Miles	50,000 Miles	Kenda Klever AT2
Yokohama Geolander AT G015	On Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Elegant	Decent	Average	Elegant	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Average	Average	Poor	Light-Duty	60,000 Miles	50,000 Miles	Yokohama Geolandar AT G015
Mickey Thompson Baja Boss AT	Rugged Terrain Tire	Review	Yes (315 or narrower width)	Decent	Decent	Average	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Medium-Duty	50,000 Miles	60,000 Miles	Mickey Thompson Baja Boss AT

Dry Performance

The dry performance of all-terrain tires is generally pretty satisfying. This is because of the nature of these tires.

All-terrain tires are cavitated and have a lot of biting edges due to increasing traction capability.

The equation is similar for Pathfinder AT also. It provides pretty well dry traction. It’s expected because this tire is marked with 3PMSF.

I know 3PMSF rates the winter performance. However, 3PMSF tires have a 30% softer compound which leads them to better gripping ability.

In summary, Pathfinder AT provides decent dry performance. I’m saying decent because dry performance isn’t only dry traction. Responsiveness and cornering stability are a huge part of it.

Let’s talk about them in another section.

Responsiveness

Responsiveness of all-terrain tires related to the tread design and compound stiffness.

To provide more precise output, I prefer the analyze responsiveness by load range.

I know most of you reading this review because you want an aggressive look and looking for a budget-friendly tire.

Here are a couple of things to know before making any purchase,

If you’re changing from the all-season tires, there is no way this tire make you happy regarding responsiveness
If you’re changing from an all-terrain tire, I kindly ask you to define your needs properly. This is a concept, medium-duty tire. It’s not going to be the same as your premium brand tire (Hello Toyo AT3 of BFG KO2 owners)

Let’s get a bit more technical.

The game changer regarding responsiveness is a center rib. If the center rib is continuous or at least interlocked, the tire provides superior and quick responsiveness. As you can see Pathfinder AT has neither. Yet, its center blocks are interconnected which leads to satisfying responsiveness. However, this makes it hard to balance it might cause slight vibration at high speed.

If you’re not an aggressive driver and have an SUV or CUV, Pathfinder AT gonna make you happy for sure.

Let’s talk about 3/4 ton or above pickup owners. If you’re pulling a trailer, I think you should stay away from this tire. Interconnected tread design mostly causes a slight drift while driving. Too much danger for me. However, if you’re not pulling a trailer, it probably put you on top of the world.

If you’re not pulling a trailer, Pathfinder AT might be a good option for you. However, this design generally causes uneven wearing. So, rotation time is key for you.

Note: Pathfinder AT has relatively low tread depth which is a great advantage for superior responsiveness.

Cornering Stability

Cornering stability is where Pathfinder AT shines.

As I’ve mentioned before, this is a medium-duty tire. You can’t do severe off-road with this tire but it has a beefy and strong sidewall to provide decent stability.

Pathfinder AT has a B-rated heat resistance for p-metric sizes. This is good for cornering stability but bad for longevity.

Its robust and beefy shoulder blocks help the tire to keep its shape and provide great cornering stability.

Pathfinder AT has a unique cornering stability.

Wet Performance

The wet performance of all-terrain tires is generally questionable because of their robust compounds. These tires face severe external effects. So, they should have cut&chipping resistance.

Pathfinder AT has a slight advantage out here. While most all-terrain tires have at least a 600 UTQG rating for p-metric sizes, this dude has 500. That basically means it has a softer compound which is great for wet traction.

Well, is it enough? Not much.

Besides the soft compound, Pathfinder AT has zigzag sipes on the shoulder blocks and lateral full-depth sipes on the center section. While zigzag one increases the wet traction and decreases the aquaplaning capability, lateral ones on the center blocks prevent heel and toe-type uneven wearing.

Overall, Pathfinder AT is an alpha plus wet performance tire that also provides unique hydroplaning resistance because of its open shoulder blocks.

Winter Performance

Winter performance of all-terrain tires is generally poor if the tire doesn’t mark with 3PMSF.

Luckily, Pathfinder AT has this labeling. The label is proof that the compound of Pathfinder AT stays sticky when the weather gets cold.

Due to its soft compound and extra biting edges, Pathfinder AT provides decent traction on light snow and bare pavement.

Though, Pathfinder AT’s tread design is shining when it comes to deep or moderate snow. Its interconnected design and staggered tread block edges increase the Pathfinder AT’s self-cleaning capability. If you keep the tread clean and have that much void area in the tread, there is no way you get poor deep snow traction.

The only concern is on the ice which I don’t recommend to ride any all-terrain tire.

Overall, Pathfinder AT is a great winter tire.

Road Noise

As the tread gets cavitated, the tires get noisier. Hence, most premium tire brand prefers interlocked tread design.

Pathfinder AT has a disadvantage out here. The tire itself has tons of void area. Moreover, its center section is way much sectional and that causes too much air movement when it’s rolling. Air movement is the main reason for the road noise.

The only advantage of Pathfinder AT is its relatively low tread depth. Yet, Pathfinder AT tends to produce road noise.

If you’re changing from a mud-terrain tire, it may make you happy. For the rest, Pathfinder AT is a slightly noisy tire.

Riding Comfort

Riding comfort is highly related to an internal structure and tread pattern.

For instance, when you use e-rated tires instead of C-rated ones, you’re going to feel bumps because the internal structure is too stiff. On the other hand, if you use SL tires instead of C-rated ones, you’re going to have way much smooth riding. This doesn’t mean you can use any tire you want. First, your tires should match the minimum load and speed requirements of your vehicle.

Let’s go back to the point. Pathfinder AT has a stiff internal structure. Its beefy sidewalls and multiple-ply sidewalls are proof of that. Yet, its relatively low tread depth is a good sign for a comfortable ride.

Overall, if you’re looking for a street tread, this isn’t your tire and it will provide a rough ride. If you need something for your working truck, please welcome a smooth ride.

Tread Life

Even though Discount Tire claims that this tire is a long-lasting one. I strongly believe that it highly depends on your use conditions and vehicle.

SUV owners,

If you’re okay with a slightly rough ride and road noise, this tire will provide decent tread life.

1/2 ton truck owners,

I think these tires are a great fit for you. Pathfinder AT is a definition of a mid-grade AT tire.

3/4 ton or above truck owners,

It might make you feel in heaven regarding traction. Though, your vehicle will eat up its fluffy compound. It’s still a great option if you don’t drive too many miles.

Getting maximum wear life from a tire is related to you as well as your tire,

If you’d like to learn how to get maximum tread life:

https://tireterrain.com/how-to-make-tires-last-longer/

Off-Road Performance

The main features of Pathfinder AT are durability and lose ground traction. As it is seen, there are great features for off-road performance.

Due to its beefy and durable sidewalls, Pathfinder AT performs pretty well on rocky terrains. However, you should keep your usage time limited because this tire heats up very quickly and that causes quick wearing.

Moreover, its voided tread is great for muddy surfaces. Besides that, its self-cleaning capability is a huge advantage.

Because of its soft compound, the tire has a unique gripping capability which is great for dirt and gravel traction.

Overall, Pathfinder AT is a great off-road tire for short-term use. So, it’s great for construction sites. Yet, I don’t recommend this tire for long-distance off-road usage or adventurous usage like rock crawling or deep mud crawling.

Warranty

Discount Tire offers different warranties depending on the size.

For P-metric tires: Discount Tire offers 55,000 miles treadwear warranty

For LT sizes: Discount Tire offers 50,000 miles treadwear warranty.

For Flotation Sizes: There is no treadwear warranty

Sizes

15” Wheels	16” Wheels	17” Wheels	18” Wheels	20” Wheels
31/10.5R15 C-Rated	245/70R16 SL	265/70R17	285/65R18	275/55-R20
30/10.5R15 C-Rated	265/75R16 E-Rated	315/70R17	275/70R18	275/60R20
	265/75R16 SL	265/65R17	295/70R18
	245/75R16 SL	285/70R17	265/70R18
	285/75R16 E-Rated		255/70R18

Note: Available sizes can change from time to time. I highly recommend Discount Tire – PathFinder AT product page for a piece of certain information.

Size Selection

Before we dive into selecting the right tire size, it’s essential to understand the tire standards that manufacturers follow.

Technical Standards & Regulations

In Europe, the tire standardizing organization is called ETRTO. In the United States, it’s The Tire and Rim Association (TRA), while in Japan, it’s the Japanese Automobile Tire Manufacturers Association (JATMA). Although there may be other organizations, they generally align with one of these three.

When it comes to passenger car tires, TRA designates them by placing the letter “P” in front of the size to indicate conformity to the TRA standard. On the other hand, ETRTO and JATMA do not use any letters, which can sometimes be confusing when determining which standard is being used.

For light truck tires, TRA uses the letters “LT” in front of the tire size, while JATMA places the letters “LT” after the size. ETRTO, however, uses the letter “C” after the size to indicate tires of this type.

In the realm of medium truck tires, ETRTO uses the letter “C” after the size to designate tires designed according to their standard. In contrast, TRA and JATMA do not use any letters in this context.

Now, here’s what’s essential: Tires with the same dimensions (size) may have different maximum load capacities depending on the standard being followed. So, it’s crucial to consider the relevant standard when choosing tires.

When it comes to load capacity designations, “SL” (Standard Load) and “XL” (Extra Load) are used for all passenger car tires, regardless of which standard is being followed. In the ETRTO standard, “Reinforced” is also used as an alternative to “XL.”

Load Range, on the other hand, is specific to TRA. ETRTO and JATMA use the term “Load Index.” While TRA references Load Indexes, it’s important to note that the values provided are approximate.

To sum it up, understanding the tire standards and designations is vital as they play a significant role in determining the right tire size and load capacity. By considering the appropriate standards, you can make an informed decision when selecting tires that meet your vehicle’s requirements.

Here are two great articles if you wanna dive deeper:

Load Range vs Load Index: https://www.discounttire.com/learn/load-range-load-index

Tire Sizing System: https://www.discounttire.com/learn/euro-vs-pmetric-tires

How to Select the Right Tire Size Based on Your Requirements?

When it comes to selecting tire sizes for your vehicle, it’s important to keep in mind that most vehicles offer more than one original equipment size. Let’s take the 2019 Ford F-150 Lariat Crew Cab 4WD as an example. You have three different tire size options: 275/55R20 SL, 275/65R18 Load Range C, or 275/65R18 SL.

Note: I use Toyo Open Country AT3 for an example tire. You can use this link to see tire options for your vehicle and then make a comparison between the sizes:
https://www.discounttire.com/fitment/vehicle

If you don’t know your tire size: https://tireterrain.com/find-tires-by-vin-number/

Let’s focus on comparing the 275/65R18 SL and 275/65R18 Load Range C options for a more detailed comparison. Your decision should be based on your priorities. If you prioritize a smooth ride and better handling, the SL option is the way to go. On the other hand, if you value hauling or towing performance and tire longevity, the Load Range C option would be a better fit.

As a tire engineer, my perspective often revolves around load-carrying capacity. Generally, tires with higher load capabilities tend to provide a stiffer ride. However, there’s a bit of an illusion to consider. When you compare the two tires in the same size, the SL-rated tire may initially appear to have a higher load capability. But here’s the catch: P metric tires, like the SL option, need to be derated by a factor of 1.1 when used on a truck. Crunching the numbers reveals that the SL option actually has a lower maximum load capability. Additionally, it boasts a lower tread depth, which translates to better responsiveness.

The same principles I mentioned earlier also apply when comparing XL and E Load range tires. In summary, if your vehicle allows for Passenger Car or LT (Light Truck) tires, going with a passenger option will provide you with better on-road manners. However, if you find yourself venturing off-road frequently, own a working truck, or regularly engage in towing and hauling heavy loads, then LT tires are generally the better choice for your needs.

Couple of tips for towing;

Even though the load index of passenger car tires fits, when it comes to towing, sidewall stability is the issue. Hence, LT tires with Load Range C, D, or E provide better stability.
Generally, a load index higher than 119 is recommended for towing
Proper loading is important for even wearing. 60/40 rule should be followed. 60% of the weight should be on the front axle and 40%of weight should be applied rear axle of the trailer. Besides that, try to center load. Start with heavier ones if you gonna stack them up.

To wrap it up, selecting the right tires comes down to choosing the ones that align with your driving preferences and specific requirements.

Price

The tire market has a dynamic price policy. Hence, in my point of view, sharing tire prices is pointless.

Besides that, Pathfinder AT is a Discount Tire exclusive tire. Hence, Instead of sharing the price, I would like to talk about the advantages of Discount Tire.

DiscountTire

Biggest dealer in the US. Founded in 1960
1000 stores in 35 states. You most probably find one on your parallel street
Free rotation and balancing
5% off for DiscountTire cardholders on online purchases
Highest-rated online tire dealer in Consumer Affairs
Almost all brands are available
Delivery takes 2-4 days (30% shorter average waiting time when you book online)
Frequent discounts and promotions

PathFinder AT: https://www.discounttire.com/buy-tires/pathfinder-at

Conclusion

Pathfinder AT is a mid-grade tire that can be described as a “Jack of all trades, master of none.” From my perspective, it performs well as a tire suitable for both off-road (50%) and highway (50%) driving. However, it may not excel in terms of reducing road noise and providing optimal comfort. On the other hand, it offers excellent durability. Whether it becomes your best or worst tire depends on your specific expectations. I have provided a summarized overview in the table below, tailored to different types of vehicles.

	PathFinder AT
Best for	1/2 ton working trucks that spends most of time on the road, SUV owners that focus on longevity more than comfort & noise reduction, 3/4 ton or above trucks that focus on traction and sidewall durability more than longevity
Pros	Year-round traction, Winter performance, Aggressive appearance, Budget-friendly
Cons	wear out relatively quickly when used extensively for long-term off-road purposes, mainly due to its tendency to heat up rapidly, It’s a mid-grade tire, hence it produce noise and offers slightly rough ride
Vehicle	SUV, Light truck
Available Sizes	15”, 16”, 17”, 18”, 20” (Check if it fits your vehicle)
Made In	United States
Warranty	50,000 – 55,000 miles

I hope the article was helpful. If you need any further support, please leave a comment below. Have a safe ride folks!

Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S Review

Updated: April 18, 2025 by Emrecan Gurkan Leave a Comment

Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S is an on-road all-terrain tire mainly developed for SUVs, CUVs, and pickup trucks. Since Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S is a comfort-driven and handsome tire, it’s a good option for mall crawlers, rookie off-roaders, and especially for full-size SUV owners who isn’t the casual off-road driver but love being on the dirt when they have time. In this article, I’m going to expose Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S. Let’s see if it’s a good option for you!

	Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S
Best for	Mostly on-road driving, Winter traction, Below 5,000 lb vehicles
Pros	Smooth & quiet ride, Light-snow and deep snow traction, Occasional off-road traction
Cons	Wears fast on long-time gravel usage, Half-depth sipes, Wears fast on warm-weather hauling & towing applications
Vehicle	SUV, CUV, 1/2 ton light trucks
Test Report	Read the full test report (July 11, 2022)
Available Sizes	15”, 16”, 17”, 18”, 20”, 22” (Check if it fits your vehicle)
Made In	United States
Warranty	65,000 miles

As a former Bridgestone engineer, from my standpoint, Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S is a reliable on-road tire that offers excellent handling and 4-season traction. Since it has a soft compound, it doesn’t provide decent tread life for over 5,000 lb pickups. Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S has a mild tread pattern that provides a deaf ride. However, this feature limits its rocky terrain performance. Moreover, it wears quickly on gravel and rock. For this reason, it’s not suitable for an extended period of time for gravel and rock usage. On the other hand, Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S has strong sidewalls that work perfectly on the occasional off-road conditions.

All-Terrain Tires Cheat Sheet

All-Terrain Tires Cheat Sheet
Name	Category	Articles	3PMSF	Road Noise	Mileage	Fuel Economy	Riding Comfort	Responsiveness	Wet Performance	Mild Winter	Severe Winter	Mild Off-Road	Severe Off-Road	Best Fit by Pickup Truck Classification	Warranty (SL or XL)	Warranty (LT)	Product Page
Falken Wildpeak AT3W	Off Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Decent	Decent	Poor	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Elegant	Decent	Average	Light-Duty	55,000 Miles	55,000 Miles	Wildpeak AT3W
Toyo Open Country AT3	Off Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Average	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Medium-Duty	65,000 Miles	50,000 Miles	Toyo Open Country AT3
General Grabber ATX	Off Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Average	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Elegant	Heavy-Duty	60,000 Miles	50,000 Miles	General Grabber ATX
BF Goodrich KO2	Off Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Elegant	Heavy-Duty	N/A	50,000 Miles	BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2
Sumitomo Encounter AT	Off Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Decent	Decent	Average	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Average	Decent	Average	Light-Duty	60,000 Miles	60,000 Miles	Sumitomo Encounter AT
Firestone Destination XT	Off Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Average	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Average	Decent	Decent	Heavy-Duty	N/A	50,000 Miles	Firestone Destination X/T
Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT	On Road All Terrain Tire	Review	No	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Average	Elegant	Average	Heavy-Duty	N/A	60,000 Miles	Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT
Falken Wildpeak AT Trail	On Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Average	Light-Duty	65,000 Miles	N/A	Falken Wildpeak AT Trail
Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S	On Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Elegant	Decent	Elegant	Elegant	Elegant	Elegant	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Fairy Well	Light-Duty	65,000 Miles	N/A	Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S
Firestone Destination AT2	On Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Decent	Elegant	Elegant	Elegant	Elegant	Decent	Elegant	Average	Decent	Average	Light-Duty	55,000 Miles	N/A	Firestone Destination AT2
BF Goodrich Trail Terrain T/A	On Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Elegant	Elegant	Decent	Elegant	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Average	Decent	Average	Light-Duty	60,000	N/A	BF Goodrich Trail Terrain T/A
Toyo Open Country R/T Trail	Rugged Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Heavy-Duty	45,000 Miles	45,000 Miles	Toyo Open Country R/T Trail
Falken Wildpeak R/T	Rugged Terrain Tire	Review	No	Decent	Decent	Average	Average	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Heavy-Duty	50,000 Miles	50,000 Miles	Falken Wildpeak R/T
Pathfinder AT Tire	On Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Average	Average	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Average	Decent	Average	Light-Duty	55,000	50,000	Discount Tire Exclusive Product
Nitto Ridge Grappler	Rugged Terrain Tire	Review	No	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Heavy-Duty	N/A	N/A	Nitto Ridge Grappler
General Grabber APT	On Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Decent	Decent	Average	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Average	Decent	Fairy Well	Medium-Duty	60,000 Miles	60,000 Miles	General Grabber APT
Vredestein Pinza AT	On Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Average	Medium-Duty	70,000 Miles	50,000 Miles	Vredestein Pinza AT
Nitto Recon Grappler	Off Road All Terrain Tire	Review	No	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Average	Elegant	Decent	Medium-Duty	65,000 Miles	55,000 Miles	Nitto Recon Grappler
Michelin Defender LTX M/S	Highway Tire	Review	No	Elegant	Elegant	Elegant	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Fairy Well	Decent	Fairy Well	Heavy-Duty	55,000 – 70,000 Miles	55,000 – 70,000 Miles	Michelin Defender LTX M/S
Kenda Klever R/T	Rugged Terrain Tire	Review	No	Average	Decent	Average	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Fairy Well	Decent	Decent	Heavy-Duty	N/A	N/A	Kenda Klever R/T
Goodyear Wrangler Territory AT	On Road All Terrain Tire	Review	No	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Average	Elegant	Decent	Medium-Duty	N/A	N/A	Goodyear Wrangler Territory AT
Goodyear Wrangler UltraTerrain AT	Off Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Average	Decent	Fairy Well	Medium-Duty	N/A	N/A	Discount Tire Exclusive Product
Continental Terrain Contact H/T	Highway Tire	Review	No	Elegant	Elegant	Elegant	Elegant	Elegant	Decent	Average	Poor	Decent	Poor	Heavy-Duty	70,000 Miles	60,000 Miles	Continental TerrainContact H/T
Patriot R/T	Rugged Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Average	Average	Average	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Medium-Duty	N/A	N/A	Patriot R/T+
Kenda Klever AT2	Off Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Decent	Average	Average	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Average	Decent	Average	Medium-Duty	60,000 Miles	50,000 Miles	Kenda Klever AT2
Yokohama Geolander AT G015	On Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Elegant	Decent	Average	Elegant	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Average	Average	Poor	Light-Duty	60,000 Miles	50,000 Miles	Yokohama Geolandar AT G015
Mickey Thompson Baja Boss AT	Rugged Terrain Tire	Review	Yes (315 or narrower width)	Decent	Decent	Average	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Medium-Duty	50,000 Miles	60,000 Miles	Mickey Thompson Baja Boss AT

Dry Traction

If I’m writing about all-terrain tires, I generally start my analysis with dry traction.

The reason is simple. These tires are made for traction and dry traction is the easiest one you can get.

Unlike wet and dry traction, more rubber on the ground means better dry traction.

Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S is a compact tire that has relatively less void area than its competitors. That basically means this tire can put more rubber on the ground. Moreover, the tire is built for winter. For this reason, it has a fluffy compound and notched tread that offers excellent traction capability.

Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S provides unique dry traction. Yet, I still recommend considering below points out;

This is a nimble tire, it’s a good option for quick starting
Since it has a soft design, its rolling resistance is low and which means better acceleration
I like the stopping distance on dry, we’ll talk about wet later

Steering Response

Steering response is an issue for all-terrain tires.

The slow steering response is natural for all-terrain tires because of their heavy structure and cavitied tread. So, if you’re not familiar to use this tire category, you’ll probably swear never to buy all-terrain tires again. Even Cooper Discover AT3 4S.

I said even Discoverer AT3 4S because, in my point of view, this tire offers one of the best handling in its category.

The steering response is mostly related to the weight of the tire and the center section design.

First of all, Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S doesn’t have an interlocked center section which is bad for traction but great for responsiveness.

In that case, a rib-type design works best. Even though Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S doesn’t have a full rib type design, its design is similar to all-weather tires. I like to call this design ‘hybrid’.

Due to its half lug – half rib design and relatively continuous center rib (compared to other all-terrain tires, this is way much more continuous) Cooper Discover AT3 4S offers alpha plus steering response.

Note: Cooper Discover AT3 has a similar weight to its competitors. While I’m making this comparison, I only put P-rated tires into consideration.

Cornering Stability

Cornering stability sometimes can be an issue for all-terrain tires.

All-terrain tires can be used on CUVs, SUVs, and pickup trucks. In fact, this is the reason some of them have poor cornering stability on heavy vehicles.

Cornering stability is related to strong sidewalls and inner structure. So, here is the deal.

If you make the sidewall and inner structure too stiff, due to aggressive tread, you notice bumps/cracks/uneven pavement pretty strong.

Because of the above reasons, manufacturers start to classify all-terrain tires.

For instance,

Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S – SUV, CUV, 1/2 ton trucks
Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT – Hauling, towing, above 1/2 ton trucks

Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S’s inner structure contains an extra nylon reinforcement that helps the tire to keep its shape at high velocity. Besides that, this tire has a B-rated heat resistance which means it has thick sidewalls.

Due to its robust shoulder blocks and inner structure, Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S offers exceptional cornering stability. It may even give you a rough ride for a while. I’m gonna talk about it in the next section.

Ride Comfort

Since all-terrain tires should work air-down conditions also, these tires have a robust but flexible inner structure which generally provides decent ride comfort.

Riding comfort is mostly related to the inner structure. I’ve already talked about it. So, I’m gonna keep it short.

First of all, Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S is only available in p-metric sizes which makes it a kinda comfort driven tire.

Secondly, this tire has a soft and compact design. This is great for a smooth ride. Especially if you combine this with a fluffy compound like Cooper did.

As a result of the above items, Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S offers a smooth ride. Though worth reminding, when this tire is new, you may feel a bit bumpy. Especially if you have CUV or a relatively smaller SUV. No worries, this is totally expected. That happens on the tires with strong beads.

Road Noise

All-terrain tires tend to make noise because of their voided patterns.

In that case, if you decrease the void area on the center section, you can get a deaf tire. However, it isn’t always possible for all-terrain tires.

Most manufacturers use the interlocked center section due to decrease void areas.

Since Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S is somewhere between highway terrain and all-terrain tire, it has a rib-like type pattern that decreases the center section void area.

The disadvantage of this kind of pattern is if you want decent loose-ground traction, you should make an aggressive shoulder design.

That’s what Cooper did on Discoverer AT3 4S. This tire has differently sized and robust shoulder blocks. When you make differently-sized shoulder blocks, you should give them some space the work better. Like Toyo Open Country AT3, Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S have a wide space between two shoulder blocks.

Because of the above reasons, you can find Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S a bit noisy if you’re changing from all-season tires. For others, this tire is quite as a church mouse compare to its competitors.

Wet Performance

The wet performance of all-terrain tires sometimes can be tricky.

Even though these tires are made for traction and have tons of biting edges (edges of lugs, shoulder blocks, etc.), they sometimes fail on wet traction.

So, why do these tires spin on wet surfaces?

Because these tires have stiff and generally cut & chipped resistant compounds that have a huge issue on the wet grip.

In order to avoid this manufacturers should use sipes and notches that increase the number of biting edges and provide a decent wet grip. However, this also causes an increase in rolling resistance and decrease your MPG.

Besides the wet traction, hydroplaning resistance is also a huge game-changer in the wet performance. Luckily, all-terrain tires have an advantage out here, well at least not flotation-size ones.

Now that we have the necessary information, let’s talk a little bit about Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S. I’m going into particulars at bottom booms.

Wet Traction

As I’ve mentioned before, wet traction is related to sipe density and compound stiffness.

In that case, the easiest way to understand the compound and sipe density combinations is by checking the UTQG rating.

Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S’s UTQG rating is 620 A B for all sizes. That basically means this tire has A-rated wet traction and B-rated heat resistance and the number means it lasts 6.2 times more than the test tire ( doesn’t mean anything for longevity).

These metrics are great for decent wet traction. Besides that, the micro-gauge sipes on the blocks are creating tons of biting edges and provide excellent wet traction. The only problem is these sipes are increasing fuel consumption. In fact, that was the reason Cooper changed the sipe density of the Cooper Discoverer AT3 and released three different versions of this tire.

Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S has more sides than Cooper Discoverer AT3 and has bigger lugs. This is actually a huge sign of the building intent of this tire. This tire is more pavement-driven. Hence, its loose-ground performance isn’t satisfying as the old Cooper Discoverer AT3. Yet, this is a huge update for wet and light snow traction.

The only issue is the extra sipes aren’t full-depth. That actually means that this tire has different compound layers. Not an issue for wet traction but regarding longevity it’s an issue. I’ll talk about it later on.

Due to its sipe density and relatively soft compound, Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S provides excellent wet traction. One of the best in its segment.

Hydroplaning Resistance

Hydroplaning resistance is basically the water evacuation capability of the tires. In that case, circumferential grooves and shoulder slots do most of the job.

Since all-terrain tires should provide loose ground traction, these tires have a sufficient amount of void area for reliable hydroplaning resistance.

The issue out here is the size of all-terrain tires. Wider tires always tend to hydroplane more. For this reason, mud tires are flotation-size tires that sometimes cause this issue.

Luckily, Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S has a 5-rib design that contains 4 circumferential grooves. Cooper calls them Aqua Vac Channels. Besides that, its open shoulder blocks evacuate the water with ease.

Moreover, this tire is only available in p-metric sizes. Hence, hydroplaning isn’t an issue for this tire.

Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S provides trustworthy hydroplaning resistance.

Winter Performance

Winter performance of all-terrain tires is inconsistent because of their stiff compounds.

In fact, the tread design and sipe density are generally good enough to provide decent winter performance.

However, due to the stiff compound, not all winter conditions are suitable for these tires.

For this reason, I prefer to divide this section into three by weather conditions.

Light Snow Traction

Light snow traction is similar to wet traction because this condition doesn’t require a self-cleaning capability.

The first thing you have to pay attention to out here is the 3PMSF label.

This label means that Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S’s compound doesn’t lose traction capability under 7 Celcius degrees.

If the tire doesn’t have this label, the compound gets stiffer in cold weather and it causes a decrease in the grip capability.

Due to its winter-specified compound and sipe density, Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S provides decent light snow traction. I’m not going to say it’s excellent because I strongly believe that halfway through sipes isn’t gonna work for a long time.

Deep Snow Traction

Deep snow traction is part of loose ground traction. For this reason, the void area ratio is highly important.

Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S is a great deep snow tire because it has a deep tread, soft compound, independent lug design, and most importantly sawtooth snow grooves that increase the snow grip significantly.

Ice Traction

Even though Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S has a 3PMSF marking, it isn’t a dedicated winter tire. For this reason, trusting this tire on the ice is a bit utopic for me.

Actually, its tread design is perfect for ice traction. But I keep coming back to sipes and compound stiffness.

Even though this tire has a relatively soft compound compared to its competitors, it’s still way behind for a decent ice performance.

Luckily, Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S is a narrow tire because it’s only available in p-metric sizes. Narrow tires work better on snow and slush.

I can’t say it provides trustworthy ice performance, yet, it can take you out of unexpected situations.

Treadwear

I know most of you wonder why people have different ideas about the tread life of this tire.

I’m going to say to same things I said before, I don’t like the promoting way of the manufacturers.

First of all, even though Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S is an all-terrain tire that mostly focuses on on-road driving. For this reason, its compound is fluffy and its design is soft.

Besides everything I said, because of the halfway-through sipes, this tire has two different compound layers. As you can guess, the second layer is fluffier.

I strongly believe that you should know what to expect from this tire regarding longevity. I recommend putting the below items into consideration.

This isn’t a tire for hauling or towing
If you gonna use this tire mostly on gravel, there is no way that you get a decent tread life
Since this tire has B-rated heat resistance, I don’t recommend this tire for over 5,000 lb vehicles

Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S can provide a decent life for trucks if you mostly drive on the streets.

Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S can provide a decent tread life for SUVs and CUVs.

Getting maximum wear life from a tire is related to you as well as your tire,

If you’d like to learn how to get maximum tread life:

https://tireterrain.com/how-to-make-tires-last-longer/

Warranty

Cooper offers 65,000 miles and 6 years treadwear warranty for this product
They also offer 45 days road test guarantee (meanless to me, different compound layers perform differently)
Free to exchange for other Cooper brand tires (most of you will need an LT tire, so go with Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT in that case)

If you need a piece of additional information;

Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S Warranty Document:

https://www.tirerack.com/images/pdf/warranty/CP0122.pdf

Off-Road Performance

When I first time this tire, I was pretty sure that the intent of this tire isn’t off-road.

Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S has a mild design that doesn’t have enough void area for relatively severe off-road conditions.

If you need a tire for hunting, rock crawling or etc, this isn’t your tire.

On the other hand, if you do only drive off-road occasionally, this’s a great tire for you.

The good thing is Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S has strong sidewalls and bead construction. For this reason, it isn’t vulnerable to outside effects. In my point of view, this is way much more important for a mostly city driving tire.

From now on, I’m going to evaluate the performance of Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S for different off-road conditions.

Gravel

Gravel and dirt traction are what most of you want. Well, Cooper knows that and that’s why they’re actually limiting the off-road performance of this tire.

Regarding gravel, the sipe density and the fluffy compound work perfectly. Well, at least if we are talking about only traction.

Besides that, Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S has differently sized shoulder lugs that increase the rocky terrain traction significantly.

However, because of the fluffy compound and the too many sipes, Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S will wear fast at the beginning of its tread life.

Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S is great for occasional gravel, yet, if you have to drive on gravel for a while, especially if you’re living in a warm region, it can’t provide you decent tread life.

Dirt

Dirt traction is the easiest one the reach. It is mostly related to the number of biting edges. For this reason, even the worst all-terrain tire provides decent dirt traction.

Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S actually has an advantage out here. This tire has a fluffy compound. For this reason, it’s stickier than its competitors.

Dirt isn’t abrasive. Hence, driving on the dirt will not decrease the tread life of Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S.

Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S is an excellent option for dirt driving. Besides the traction, due to the amount of rubber on the ground, it provides way much better handling than its competitors.

Sand

Sand driving is where this tire shines.

Unlike most people think, the best tire on the sand is the mildest one.

The aggressive design tires dig too deep and cause a stuck. In fact, that’s the reason that all-terrain or mud-terrain tires are more expansive than passenger tires.

In that case, the most crucial thing is self-cleaning capability. Even though the independent lugs sometimes cause a lack of self-cleaning, Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S’s staggered groove walls do this job.

Cooper Discoverer AT4 4S is an excellent tire for sand driving. I strongly recommend it.

Mud

Even though this kind of tire isn’t suitable for mud adventure, they’re okay for occasional mud.

In that case, the essential thing is self-cleaning capability.

The issue with Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S is its self-cleaning capability isn’t good enough for deep mud. Relatively deeper of a long distance mud conditions fill the tread with mud and because of the narrow shoulder slots, evacuating this mud is almost impossible.

If you face mud often, I don’t recommend Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S, however, it’s great for half muddy – half smooth road conditions.

Sizes

15” Wheels	16” Wheels	17” Wheels	18” Wheels	20” Wheels	22” Wheels
225/70R15 100T SL	215/70R16 100T SL	215/65R17 99T SL	255/70R18 113T SL OWL	255/50R20 109H XL	275/45R22 112H XL
235/75R15 105T SL	225/70R16 103T S	225/65R17 102H SL	265/60R18 110T SL OWL	265/50R20 111T XL	285/45R22 114H XL
235/75R15 109T XL	225/75R16 104T SL	235/60R17 102T SL	265/65R18 114T SL	275/55R20 117T XL
255/70R15 108T SL	235/70R16 106T SL	235/65R17 108H XL	265/70R18 116T SL	275/60R20 115T SL
265/70R15 112T SL	235/75R16 108T SL	235/70R17 109T XL	275/65R18 116T SL
265/75R15 112T SL	245/70R16 111T XL	235/75R17 109T SL
	245/70R16 107T SL	245/65R17 111T XL
	245/75R16 111T SL	245/70R17 110T SL
	255/70R16 111T SL	255/65R17 110T SL
	265/70R16 112T SL	255/70R17 112T SL
	265/75R16 116T SL	255/75R17 115T SL
		265/65R17 112T SL
		265/70R17 115T SL
		P 285/70R17 117T SL

Price

The tire market has a dynamic price policy. Hence, in my point of view, sharing tire prices is pointless.

Though, I’ve analyzed the top 10 brands of most popular tire brands.

Here are the dealers with a reasonable price range,

TireRack

Fast and Free shipping
Usually delivered in 1 day
Joint venture with DiscountTire(their installers and dealers are on your service)
Tons of installer options, and they also help you to choose the best one
Mobile installers in many areas, your tires will be replaced while you’re working in the office
Tire test results and comparisons can be found on the most product page
4.6/5 points on Google rate

Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S: https://www.tirerack.com/tires/cooper-discoverer-at3-4s

DiscountTire

Biggest dealer in the US. Founded in 1960
1000 stores in 35 states. You most probably find one on your parallel street
Free rotation and balancing
5% off for DiscountTire cardholders on online purchases
Highest-rated online tire dealer in Consumer Affairs
Almost all brands are available
Delivery takes 2-4 days (30% shorter average waiting time when you book online)
Frequent discounts and promotions

Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S: https://www.discounttire.com/buy-tires/cooper-discoverer-at3-4s

SimpleTire

Free shipping
Delivered in 2 days
Verified shops near you(for mount and balance)
Mobile installation option
7 million customers since 2021
4.7/5 points on Google rate
Top-notch customer service, you may even request a price match

Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S: https://simpletire.com/brands/cooper-tires/discoverer-a-t3-4s

Amazon

Fast and free shipping (mostly in a day)
Get your tires shipped to a selected service center or get them installed at home or work (how does it work?)
Installation on Mavis Discount Tire (15$ per tire)
Installing new stem valves supplied by pro
Balancing your tires
Road/safety test
Since Amazon provides wholesale and affordable prices, they don’t offer a road hazard warranty

Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=cooper+discoverer+at3+4s&ref=nb_sb_noss

While choosing dealers, I especially pay attention to reliability. All of the dealers on this list have 15-20 years of experience in the online tire business. Therefore, I can guarantee a smooth and fast tire-buying process.

Conclusion

Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S is a comfort-driven all-terrain tire that provides great handling, reliable winter traction, and trustworthy mild off-road traction. It’s a good option for its price. Yet, you better put the below points into consideration before making any purchase.

	Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S
Best for	Mostly on-road driving, Winter traction, Below 5,000 lb vehicles
Pros	Smooth & quiet ride, Light-snow and deep snow traction, Occasional off-road traction
Cons	Wears fast on long-time gravel usage, Half-depth sipes, Wears fast on warm-weather hauling & towing applications
Vehicle	SUV, CUV, 1/2 ton light trucks
Test Report	Read the full test report (July 11, 2022)
Available Sizes	15”, 16”, 17”, 18”, 20”, 22” (Check if it fits your vehicle)
Made In	United States
Warranty	65,000 miles

I hope the article was helpful. If you need any further support, please leave them in the below section. Have a safe ride folks!

Sumitomo Encounter AT Review

Updated: April 18, 2025 by Emrecan Gurkan Leave a Comment

Sumitomo Encounter AT is a medium-duty off-road all-terrain tire that is mainly built for 4-season driveability as well as smooth & quiet highway driving. This tire can be used on SUVs, CUVs, and pickup trucks. Due to its affordable price, people like this tire a lot. However, this is a concept tire. You should definitely know what to expect and what to not expect from this article. In this article, I’m going to help you with it. Let’s move on!

	Sumitomo Encounter AT
Best for	4 season performance driven riding, Smooth & quiet driving, Aggressive appearance, Winter performance,
Pros	4-season traction, Winter beast, Affordable, Reliable off-road traction
Cons	Since it’s performance-driven, its tread life is average Handling capability isn’t perfect
Vehicle	SUV, CUV, Light Trucks
Test Report	vs Wildpeak AT3W & General Grabber ATX (September 30, 2021)
Available Sizes	17”, 18”, 19”, 20”, 21”, 22” (Check if it fits your vehicle)
Made In	Thailand
Warranty	60,000 miles

As a former Bridgestone engineer, from my standpoint, Sumitomo Encounter AT offers reliable traction even on deep snow. So, wet and dry highway and city driving isn’t an issue for it. Since it has a fluffy compound and aggressive pattern, its tread life is slightly behind the premium brands. However, it’s because of its traction capability. Therefore, it also works perfectly on dirt, gravel, and rock. Its mud performance is limited because of its deep tread. Besides that, that feature decreases its responsiveness slightly. Yet, Sumitomo Encounter AT is a great option for hauling and towing because of its strong sidewalls.

All-Terrain Tires Cheat Sheet

All-Terrain Tires Cheat Sheet
Name	Category	Articles	3PMSF	Road Noise	Mileage	Fuel Economy	Riding Comfort	Responsiveness	Wet Performance	Mild Winter	Severe Winter	Mild Off-Road	Severe Off-Road	Best Fit by Pickup Truck Classification	Warranty (SL or XL)	Warranty (LT)	Product Page
Falken Wildpeak AT3W	Off Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Decent	Decent	Poor	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Elegant	Decent	Average	Light-Duty	55,000 Miles	55,000 Miles	Wildpeak AT3W
Toyo Open Country AT3	Off Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Average	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Medium-Duty	65,000 Miles	50,000 Miles	Toyo Open Country AT3
General Grabber ATX	Off Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Average	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Elegant	Heavy-Duty	60,000 Miles	50,000 Miles	General Grabber ATX
BF Goodrich KO2	Off Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Elegant	Heavy-Duty	N/A	50,000 Miles	BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2
Sumitomo Encounter AT	Off Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Decent	Decent	Average	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Average	Decent	Average	Light-Duty	60,000 Miles	60,000 Miles	Sumitomo Encounter AT
Firestone Destination XT	Off Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Average	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Average	Decent	Decent	Heavy-Duty	N/A	50,000 Miles	Firestone Destination X/T
Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT	On Road All Terrain Tire	Review	No	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Average	Elegant	Average	Heavy-Duty	N/A	60,000 Miles	Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT
Falken Wildpeak AT Trail	On Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Average	Light-Duty	65,000 Miles	N/A	Falken Wildpeak AT Trail
Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S	On Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Elegant	Decent	Elegant	Elegant	Elegant	Elegant	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Fairy Well	Light-Duty	65,000 Miles	N/A	Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S
Firestone Destination AT2	On Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Decent	Elegant	Elegant	Elegant	Elegant	Decent	Elegant	Average	Decent	Average	Light-Duty	55,000 Miles	N/A	Firestone Destination AT2
BF Goodrich Trail Terrain T/A	On Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Elegant	Elegant	Decent	Elegant	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Average	Decent	Average	Light-Duty	60,000	N/A	BF Goodrich Trail Terrain T/A
Toyo Open Country R/T Trail	Rugged Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Heavy-Duty	45,000 Miles	45,000 Miles	Toyo Open Country R/T Trail
Falken Wildpeak R/T	Rugged Terrain Tire	Review	No	Decent	Decent	Average	Average	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Heavy-Duty	50,000 Miles	50,000 Miles	Falken Wildpeak R/T
Pathfinder AT Tire	On Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Average	Average	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Average	Decent	Average	Light-Duty	55,000	50,000	Discount Tire Exclusive Product
Nitto Ridge Grappler	Rugged Terrain Tire	Review	No	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Heavy-Duty	N/A	N/A	Nitto Ridge Grappler
General Grabber APT	On Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Decent	Decent	Average	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Average	Decent	Fairy Well	Medium-Duty	60,000 Miles	60,000 Miles	General Grabber APT
Vredestein Pinza AT	On Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Average	Medium-Duty	70,000 Miles	50,000 Miles	Vredestein Pinza AT
Nitto Recon Grappler	Off Road All Terrain Tire	Review	No	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Average	Elegant	Decent	Medium-Duty	65,000 Miles	55,000 Miles	Nitto Recon Grappler
Michelin Defender LTX M/S	Highway Tire	Review	No	Elegant	Elegant	Elegant	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Fairy Well	Decent	Fairy Well	Heavy-Duty	55,000 – 70,000 Miles	55,000 – 70,000 Miles	Michelin Defender LTX M/S
Kenda Klever R/T	Rugged Terrain Tire	Review	No	Average	Decent	Average	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Fairy Well	Decent	Decent	Heavy-Duty	N/A	N/A	Kenda Klever R/T
Goodyear Wrangler Territory AT	On Road All Terrain Tire	Review	No	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Average	Elegant	Decent	Medium-Duty	N/A	N/A	Goodyear Wrangler Territory AT
Goodyear Wrangler UltraTerrain AT	Off Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Average	Decent	Fairy Well	Medium-Duty	N/A	N/A	Discount Tire Exclusive Product
Continental Terrain Contact H/T	Highway Tire	Review	No	Elegant	Elegant	Elegant	Elegant	Elegant	Decent	Average	Poor	Decent	Poor	Heavy-Duty	70,000 Miles	60,000 Miles	Continental TerrainContact H/T
Patriot R/T	Rugged Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Average	Average	Average	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Medium-Duty	N/A	N/A	Patriot R/T+
Kenda Klever AT2	Off Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Decent	Average	Average	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Average	Decent	Average	Medium-Duty	60,000 Miles	50,000 Miles	Kenda Klever AT2
Yokohama Geolander AT G015	On Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Elegant	Decent	Average	Elegant	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Average	Average	Poor	Light-Duty	60,000 Miles	50,000 Miles	Yokohama Geolandar AT G015
Mickey Thompson Baja Boss AT	Rugged Terrain Tire	Review	Yes (315 or narrower width)	Decent	Decent	Average	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Medium-Duty	50,000 Miles	60,000 Miles	Mickey Thompson Baja Boss AT

Dry Traction

Dry traction isn’t an issue for all-terrain tires because of their blocky pattern.

The blocky pattern creates tons of biting edges and these edges increase the grip of all-terrain tires.

Sumitomo Encounter AT offers reliable dry traction just like most all-terrain tires in the market.

Even though dry traction isn’t an issue for Sumitomo Encounter AT, this tire can’t offer a sporty driving feeling because its center block isn’t interlocked.

Sumitomo Encounter AT offers great dry traction, though, the real discussion point is its on-road refinement.

Responsiveness

Responsiveness is related to pattern design, tire weight, and tread depth.

In fact, that’s the reason that P-metric tires have wider tread but lower tread depth.

So, Sumitomo Encounter AT has one of the highest tread depths in the market. Because of its soft compound, manufacturers increase the tread depth for better longevity. However, increasing tread depth always decreases the handling capability.

Well, this isn’t the only disadvantage of Sumitomo Encounter AT.

The center rib of Sumitomo Encounter AT is built with small lugs. This is actually isn’t the preferred design for all-terrain tires. However, using a highly sectional center rib increase the winter performance which Sumitomo aims for this tire.

Due to its sectional center rib and deep tread, Sumitomo Encounter AT is slightly behind the competition. However, it’s still reliable for non-aggressive drivers.

Cornering Stability

All-terrain tires generally have a strong internal structure which let them stay stable while cornering at high velocity. However, this isn’t valid for all vehicles.

3/4 ton or above pickup trucks sometimes have an issue with cornering stability because these vehicles are way much heavier than others.

So, if you have an SUV or CUV, this section could be a waste of time for you. Well, of course, things change if we are talking about the full-size SUVs.

Sidewall stiffness of the tires is the game-changer out here and it’s related to the inner structure.

So, when I first time started to analyze this tire, I had doubts about its cornering stability. Well, affordable tires are generally affordable because of their poor inner structure.

However, I have to admit that Sumitomo quite surprised me in this case.

Sumitomo Encounter AT has a 2-ply polyester casing that offers high tension casing which helps the tire to keep its shape even at the highest speeds. Besides that Sumitomo Encounter AT has a robust bead that supports the sidewall and offers better cornering stability. On the other hand, this hard bead heats up so quickly and this feature kinda decreases Sumitomo Encounter AT’s tread life.

Sumitomo Encounter AT offers decent cornering stability. You can confidently use this tire even on your 1-ton truck.

Riding Comfort

After the latest developments in the tire industry, it’s kinda hard to kind rough ride tires because it’s not that hard to build a tire that offers a smooth ride. Also, it’s also an easy task to use it as marketing material.

First of all, Sumitomo Encounter AT has a 5 rib design that optimizes riding stability. Well, Sumitomo doesn’t use interlocked center lugs on this tire. For this reason, its load distribution is way much easier than the other tires.

Besides the above feature, Sumitomo Encounter AT also has a perfect inner structure as I’ve mentioned before. Tire keeps its shape and in this way, the optimized tread works better.

Sumitomo Encounter AT offers a smooth riding experience.

Road Noise

Road noise is mostly related to the void area on the center section and the robust shoulder blocks.

Well, Sumitomo Encounter AT’s design tends to make some noise. Since this tire doesn’t have interlocked center section, it has tons of void area out there.

Regarding the shoulder section, as I’ve mentioned before, Sumitomo Encounter AT has stiff sidewalls and beads. This kind of design should have robust shoulder blocks. If not, the difference between the sidewall stiffness and shoulder stiffness causes sidewall cracks. For this reason, Sumitomo Encounter AT has a robust shoulder that creates some noise on wavy roads.

Sumitomo Encounter AT’s design is great for highway and city driving. Yet, if we’re talking about the jumble-gut lanes, Sumitomo Encounter AT will definitely make some noise.

Wet Performance

The wet performance of all-terrain tires is always questionable. These tires should have durability. For this reason, they need a stiff compound and stiff compound doesn’t work pretty well on wet surfaces.

On the other hand, the wet performance can’t be evaluated only with the traction.

The real game changer is the hydroplaning resistance which is related to different features.

So, I’m going to divide this section into two and explain them one by one.

Wet Traction

The wet traction is mostly related to compound stiffness. In this case, fluffy compounds work best.

The easiest way to define wet traction capability is by checking the UTQG.

UTQG rating standards are created by the US Department of Transportation (DOT). It contains 3 digit number and two letters.

While the 3-digit number stands for longevity, the first letter stands for wet traction and the second letter stands for heat resistance.

Sumitomo Encounter AT has a 640 A B UTQG rating which means it has A-rated wet traction.

So, according to DOT, this tire offers excellent wet traction. But why? Here is the deal.

According to my previous experiences, if the tire has more than 700 UTQG, it tends to slide. So, this number actually defines the grip/traction capability of the tire and the lower number offers better traction.

Sumitomo Encounter AT offers unique wet traction because of its zigzag shoulder sipes and fluffy compound. I strongly recommend it for squishy regions.

Hydroplaning Resistance

Hydroplaning resistance is basically the water evacuation capability of the tire.

Due to their building intent, all-terrain tires have tons of void area on the tread which improves the water evacuation capability.

However, this isn’t enough on its own because these tires have a wide tread that enables floatation. In fact, that’s why some sizes are called flotation sizes.

Sumitomo Encounter AT’s 5-rib design creates 4 circumferential grooves which are vital for hydroplaning. Besides that, Sumitomo Encounter AT has wide open shoulder slots that increase the water evacuation significantly.

Sumitomo Encounter AT offers excellent hydroplaning resistance.

Winter Performance

Winter performance of all-terrain tires is also tricky.

Due to their aggressive patterns, these tires can provide decent winter performance. However, this isn’t valid for all kinds of winter conditions.

For a better understanding, I prefer to analyze it for light-snow, deep-snow, and ice separately.

Light Snow Traction

Light snow traction is similar to wet traction.

In this case, soft compound and full-depth sipes work best.

So, Sumitomo Encounter AT has a fluffy compound which is a great advantage for light-snow traction. Besides that this compound with 3PMSF which means that it doesn’t lose its traction capability under freezing temperatures.

Regarding design, Sumitomo Encounter AT has winter-driven zigzag sipes on the shoulder. Moreover, its independent center blocks offer vertical and horizontal biting edges which is excellent for decent light snow traction.

Sumitomo Encounter AT offers one of the best light-snow traction in the market. I strongly recommend it.

Deep Snow Traction

Deep snow traction is the easiest for all-terrain tires.

All-terrain tires are mainly built for loose terrain. For this reason, they have a blocky pattern that has tons of void areas.

Since the deep snow is also loose terrain and Sumitomo Encounter AT’s compound is marked with 3PMSF, Sumitomo Encounter AT is a deep-snow expert.

Sumitomo Encounter AT offers satisfying deep snow traction.

Ice Traction

Ice traction can be evaluated under two different dimensions.

The first one is icy highways which I don’t recommend using all-terrain tires.

The second one is slush which is more important.

So, this tire has a deep tread and independent center blocks. For this reason, its self-cleaning capability is limited.

Due to avoid this defect, Sumitomo uses variable-width shoulder blocks that increase the self-cleaning capability significantly.

Sumitomo Encounter AT is a perfect tire for slush, though, I don’t recommend using it on icy highways.

Tread Life

Longevity is where this tire fall short.

Here are the reasons why this tire offers a relatively short tread life,

Sumitomo Encounter AT has one of the softest compounds on the market
Sumitomo Encounter AT has a heavy internal structure
Sumitomo Encounter AT has a B-rated heat resistance because of its stiff and durable bead

Even though the above reasons are on the table, Sumitomo Encounter AT’s independent blocks tend to wear evenly. For this reason, Sumitomo Encounter AT offers different tread life for different vehicles. Here is the deal,

If you have a CUV or mid-size SUV or 1/2-ton truck this tire will offer decent tread life.
3/4 ton or above trucks should keep their expectations low
Sumitomo Encounter AT’s center blocks are great for towing and hauling, if you’ll tow or haul, this tire is a good option for you

Warranty

Sumitomo offers 5 years and 60,000 miles treadwear warranty
You can try this tire for a month
Sumitomo offers a 2-year free roadside assistance for this tire

Sumitomo Encounter AT Warranty Document:

https://www.tirerack.com/images/pdf/warranty/SU0120RS.pdf

Fuel Efficiency

Fuel efficiency is related to tire rolling resistance. Edgeways, tire weight, sipe density, and compound stiffness.

Unfortunately, Sumitomo Encounter AT is a heavy-weight tire that has a fluffy compound. Besides that, its sipe density is high because it’s a winter-driven tire.

Sumitomo Encounter AT isn’t a good option if fuel efficiency is your priority.

Off-Road Performance

Even though all-terrain tires are evaluated as off-road tires, in fact, these tires are somewhere between off-road and highway terrain tires.

For this reason, their off-road performance is generally focused on 2-3 terrains.

Let’s analyze Sumitomo Encounter AT performance by terrain.

Sand Traction

I would like to start with the bad one.

So, the best tire on the sand is the one that doesn’t aggressive pattern.

In this case, Sumitomo Encounter AT’s independent center lugs are the problem.

Well, if you need decent sand (beach) traction, you should air down your tires. By doing this, you decrease the distance between lugs which is limited for this tire.

Due to its independent center lugs, Sumitomo Encounter AT provides average sand traction.

Mud Traction

Mud performance is related to the void area ratio and compound stiffness. For this reason, most all-terrain tires provide limited mud traction.

Keeping the tread clean is the key to decent mud performance.

So, Sumitomo Encounter AT has open shoulder blocks which can evacuate the mud with ease. Besides that, its independent center lugs increase the void ratio and provide better loose-ground traction.

Moreover, Sumitomo Encounter AT has variable-width shoulder lugs that increase evacuation capability in air-down situations.

On the other hand, Sumitomo Encounter AT has a deep tread. If this was a mud-terrain tire, that was an advantage because of its cavitied tread. However, this becomes a disadvantage when it comes to all-terrain tires. These tires can’t clean themself as well as mud-terrain tires and increasing the tread depth only make it worse. Not a big deal but good to know.

Sumitomo Encounter AT offers decent mud traction. You can’t win the Baja Race with this one but it’s okay for your weekend adventures.

Dirt Traction

Dirt traction is similar to dry traction. It’s easy to do for all-terrain tires.

Regarding Sumitomo Encounter AT, things are quite the same.

Sumitomo Encounter AT has a relatively softer compound compared to the competition. For this reason, its gripping capability is superior.

Besides that, its 3D siped shoulder blocks and independent center blocks offer more biting edges and work like a beast on the dirt.

Sumitomo Encounter AT offers unique dirt traction.

Rock Traction

Rock traction is where this tire shines.

As I’ve mentioned before, Sumitomo Encounter AT has a strong sidewall. In my point of view, these two are the game changers for rock traction.

I prefer the rock traction divided into two sections. Rock crawling and gravel traction.

Regarding rock crawling, I think Sumitomo Encounter AT is a good option. It has strong sidewalls and enough biting edges to provide decent traction. However, the strong bead creates a disadvantage out here because it heats up quickly. Heat is the enemy. In the long term run, it might cause shoulder separation. Again, it’ll provide decent rock crawling performance but I don’t recommend this tire if you’re going to rock crawling often.

Regarding gravel, at the first sight, I was quite sure that this tire will hold the rocks. Things changed when I see the step-downs and staggered edges of the center blocks. These two have only one duty. Clean the tread up. As a result, Sumitomo Encounter AT provides a perfect gravel performance.

Sumitomo Encounter AT is a great tire if you’re looking for a decent rock performance. Though worth reminding, this tire isn’t suitable for long-time rock crawling.

Sizes

15”	16”	17”	18”	20”
235/75R15 105T SL	LT225/75R16 115/112R E	235/75R17 109T SL	255/70R18 113T SL	LT265/60R20 121/118R E
235/75R15 109T XL	235/70R16 106T SL	LT235/80R17 120/117R E	265/60R18 110T SL	275/55R20 117T XL
31X10.5R15LT 109R C	LT235/85R16 120/116R E	245/65R17 107T SL	265/65R18 114T SL	275/60R20 115T SL
	245/70R16 107T SL	245/70R17 110T SL	LT265/70R18 124/121S E	LT275/65R20 126/123S E
	LT245/75R16 120/116R E	LT245/70R17 119/116S E	265/70R18 116T SL	LT285/55R20 121/119R E
	245/75R16 111T SL	LT245/75R17 121/118R E	LT275/65R18 123/120S E	LT305/55R20 121/118S E
	255/70R16 111T SL	255/65R17 110T SL	275/65R18 116T SL	LT325/60R20 121/118S D
	265/70R16 112T SL	255/70R17 112T SL	LT275/70R18 125/122S E	35X12.5R20LT 121Q E
	LT265/75R16 123/120R E	265/65R17 112T SL	LT285/65R18 125/122S E
	265/75R16 116T SL	LT265/70R17 121/118S E	LT325/65R18 127/124R E
	LT285/75R16 126/123R E	265/70R17 115T SL
		P285/70R17 117T SL
		LT285/70R17 121/118S E
		LT315/70R17 121/118S E

If you’d like to see detailed specs,

Sumitomo Encounter AT Spec Details:

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/Spec.jsp?tireMake=Sumitomo&tireModel=Encounter+AT

Size Selection

Before we dive into selecting the right tire size, it’s essential to understand the tire standards that manufacturers follow.

Technical Standards & Regulations

Load Range, on the other hand, is specific to TRA. ETRTO and JATMA use the term “Load Index.” While TRA references Load Indexes, it’s important to note that the values provided are approximate.

Here are two great articles if you wanna dive deeper:

Load Range vs Load Index: https://www.discounttire.com/learn/load-range-load-index

Tire Sizing System: https://www.discounttire.com/learn/euro-vs-pmetric-tires

How to Select the Right Tire Size Based on Your Requirements?

If you don’t know your tire size: https://tireterrain.com/find-tires-by-vin-number/

Couple of tips for towing;

Even though the load index of passenger car tires fits, when it comes to towing, sidewall stability is the issue. Hence, LT tires with Load Range C, D, or E provide better stability.
Generally, a load index higher than 119 is recommended for towing
Proper loading is important for even wearing. 60/40 rule should be followed. 60% of the weight should be on the front axle and 40%of weight should be applied rear axle of the trailer. Besides that, try to center load. Start with heavier ones if you gonna stack them up.

To wrap it up, selecting the right tires comes down to choosing the ones that align with your driving preferences and specific requirements.

Price

The tire market has a dynamic price policy. Hence, in my point of view, sharing tire price is pointless.

Though, I’ve analyzed the top 10 brands of most popular tire brands.

Here are the dealers with a reasonable price range,

TireRack

Fast and Free shipping
Usually delivered in 1 day
Joint venture with DiscountTire(their installers and dealers are on your service)
Tons of installer options, and they also help you to choose the best one
Mobile installers in many areas, your tires will be replaced while you’re working in the office
Tire test results and comparisons can be found on the most product page
4.6/5 points on Google rate

Sumitomo Encounter AT: https://www.tirerack.com/tires/sumitomo-encounter-at

DiscountTire

Biggest dealer in the US. Founded in 1960
1000 stores in 35 states. You most probably find one on your parallel street
Free rotation and balancing
5% off for DiscountTire cardholders on online purchases
Highest-rated online tire dealer in Consumer Affairs
Almost all brands are available
Delivery takes 2-4 days (30% shorter average waiting time when you book online)
Frequent discounts and promotions

Sumitomo Encounter AT: https://www.discounttire.com/buy-tires/sumitomo-encounter-at

SimpleTire

Free shipping
Delivered in 2 days
Verified shops near you(for mount and balance)
Mobile installation option
7 million customers since 2021
4.7/5 points on Google rate
Top-notch customer service, you may even request a price match

Sumitomo Encounter AT: https://simpletire.com/brands/sumitomo-tires/encounter-at

Amazon

Fast and free shipping (mostly in a day)
Get your tires shipped to a selected service center or get them installed at home or work (how does it work?)
Installation on Mavis Discount Tire (15$ per tire)
Installing new stem valves supplied by pro
Balancing your tires
Road/safety test
Since Amazon provides wholesale and affordable prices, they don’t offer a road hazard warranty

Sumitomo Encounter AT: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Sumitomo+encounter+at

Conclusion

Sumitomo Encounter AT is a traction-driven tire that offers unique loose-ground traction. Since this tire has a fluffy compound, its winter and wet performance on the highway is highly satisfying. It is a great option who’d like to combine 4 season highway traction with weekend adventures.

	Sumitomo Encounter AT
Best for	4 season performance driven riding, Smooth & quiet driving, Aggressive appearance, Winter performance,
Pros	4-season traction, Winter beast, Affordable, Reliable off-road traction
Cons	Since it’s performance-driven, its tread life is average Handling capability isn’t perfect
Vehicle	SUV, CUV, Light Trucks
Test Report	vs Wildpeak AT3W & General Grabber ATX (September 30, 2021)
Available Sizes	17”, 18”, 19”, 20”, 21”, 22” (Check if it fits your vehicle)
Made In	Thailand
Warranty	60,000 miles

I hope the article was helpful. If you have any further questions, please leave them in the below section. Have a safe ride folks!

Nitto Ridge Grappler Review

Updated: April 18, 2025 by Emrecan Gurkan Leave a Comment

Nitto Ridge Grappler is a rugged-terrain tire that is developed for SUVs, Jeeps, and pickup trucks. Rugged-terrain tires place somewhere between all-terrain and mud-terrain tires. To be honest, they look fantastic. Does this aggressive appearance have cons? Depends on your expectations. Let’s dig into it and see if it’ll meet your expectations!

	Nitto Ridge Grappler
Best for	Light trucks or Jeeps who prioritize off-road traction but want something fuel-efficient and quiet, Mostly warm regions if your usage is gonna be mostly highway
Pros	Great off-road traction, Durability, Commercial usage
Cons	Rough ride for SUV, Limited winter performance on the highway, P-metric sizes offer poor wearing
Vehicle	SUV, Jeep, Light Truck
Available Sizes	16”, 17”, 18”, 20”, 22”, 24” (Check if it fits your vehicle)
Articles	vs BF Goodrich KO2 vs Toyo Open Country AT3 vs Toyo Open Country RT Where does it stand in Nitto’s all-terrain tire line-up? vs Exo Grappler
Made In	US, Japan
Labels	M+S
Warranty	N/A

As a former Bridgestone engineer, from my standpoint, Nitto Ridge Grappler is if you want mud-terrain tire durability but better on-road manners. Though worth reminding, this isn’t a highway-oriented tire. Since it’s highly durable, Nitto Ridge Grappler is a great option for commercial usage. Moreover, its wet and dry performance is highly acceptable for this aggressive design. Since it has a soft compound, its p-metric sizes don’t last long. However, due to higher tread depth, LT offers long-lasting rubber(better than mud tires, worse than all-terrain tires). On the other hand, Nitto Ridge Grappler’s winter performance is limited. It can take you out of unexpected situations or the deep snow but I don’t find it good on slush.

All-Terrain Tires Cheat Sheet

All-Terrain Tires Cheat Sheet
Name	Category	Articles	3PMSF	Road Noise	Mileage	Fuel Economy	Riding Comfort	Responsiveness	Wet Performance	Mild Winter	Severe Winter	Mild Off-Road	Severe Off-Road	Best Fit by Pickup Truck Classification	Warranty (SL or XL)	Warranty (LT)	Product Page
Falken Wildpeak AT3W	Off Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Decent	Decent	Poor	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Elegant	Decent	Average	Light-Duty	55,000 Miles	55,000 Miles	Wildpeak AT3W
Toyo Open Country AT3	Off Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Average	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Medium-Duty	65,000 Miles	50,000 Miles	Toyo Open Country AT3
General Grabber ATX	Off Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Average	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Elegant	Heavy-Duty	60,000 Miles	50,000 Miles	General Grabber ATX
BF Goodrich KO2	Off Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Elegant	Heavy-Duty	N/A	50,000 Miles	BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2
Sumitomo Encounter AT	Off Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Decent	Decent	Average	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Average	Decent	Average	Light-Duty	60,000 Miles	60,000 Miles	Sumitomo Encounter AT
Firestone Destination XT	Off Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Average	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Average	Decent	Decent	Heavy-Duty	N/A	50,000 Miles	Firestone Destination X/T
Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT	On Road All Terrain Tire	Review	No	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Average	Elegant	Average	Heavy-Duty	N/A	60,000 Miles	Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT
Falken Wildpeak AT Trail	On Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Average	Light-Duty	65,000 Miles	N/A	Falken Wildpeak AT Trail
Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S	On Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Elegant	Decent	Elegant	Elegant	Elegant	Elegant	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Fairy Well	Light-Duty	65,000 Miles	N/A	Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S
Firestone Destination AT2	On Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Decent	Elegant	Elegant	Elegant	Elegant	Decent	Elegant	Average	Decent	Average	Light-Duty	55,000 Miles	N/A	Firestone Destination AT2
BF Goodrich Trail Terrain T/A	On Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Elegant	Elegant	Decent	Elegant	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Average	Decent	Average	Light-Duty	60,000	N/A	BF Goodrich Trail Terrain T/A
Toyo Open Country R/T Trail	Rugged Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Heavy-Duty	45,000 Miles	45,000 Miles	Toyo Open Country R/T Trail
Falken Wildpeak R/T	Rugged Terrain Tire	Review	No	Decent	Decent	Average	Average	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Heavy-Duty	50,000 Miles	50,000 Miles	Falken Wildpeak R/T
Pathfinder AT Tire	On Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Average	Average	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Average	Decent	Average	Light-Duty	55,000	50,000	Discount Tire Exclusive Product
Nitto Ridge Grappler	Rugged Terrain Tire	Review	No	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Heavy-Duty	N/A	N/A	Nitto Ridge Grappler
General Grabber APT	On Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Decent	Decent	Average	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Average	Decent	Fairy Well	Medium-Duty	60,000 Miles	60,000 Miles	General Grabber APT
Vredestein Pinza AT	On Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Average	Medium-Duty	70,000 Miles	50,000 Miles	Vredestein Pinza AT
Nitto Recon Grappler	Off Road All Terrain Tire	Review	No	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Average	Elegant	Decent	Medium-Duty	65,000 Miles	55,000 Miles	Nitto Recon Grappler
Michelin Defender LTX M/S	Highway Tire	Review	No	Elegant	Elegant	Elegant	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Fairy Well	Decent	Fairy Well	Heavy-Duty	55,000 – 70,000 Miles	55,000 – 70,000 Miles	Michelin Defender LTX M/S
Kenda Klever R/T	Rugged Terrain Tire	Review	No	Average	Decent	Average	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Fairy Well	Decent	Decent	Heavy-Duty	N/A	N/A	Kenda Klever R/T
Goodyear Wrangler Territory AT	On Road All Terrain Tire	Review	No	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Average	Elegant	Decent	Medium-Duty	N/A	N/A	Goodyear Wrangler Territory AT
Goodyear Wrangler UltraTerrain AT	Off Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Average	Decent	Fairy Well	Medium-Duty	N/A	N/A	Discount Tire Exclusive Product
Continental Terrain Contact H/T	Highway Tire	Review	No	Elegant	Elegant	Elegant	Elegant	Elegant	Decent	Average	Poor	Decent	Poor	Heavy-Duty	70,000 Miles	60,000 Miles	Continental TerrainContact H/T
Patriot R/T	Rugged Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Average	Average	Average	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Medium-Duty	N/A	N/A	Patriot R/T+
Kenda Klever AT2	Off Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Decent	Average	Average	Decent	Decent	Decent	Decent	Average	Decent	Average	Medium-Duty	60,000 Miles	50,000 Miles	Kenda Klever AT2
Yokohama Geolander AT G015	On Road All Terrain Tire	Review	Yes	Elegant	Decent	Average	Elegant	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Average	Average	Poor	Light-Duty	60,000 Miles	50,000 Miles	Yokohama Geolandar AT G015
Mickey Thompson Baja Boss AT	Rugged Terrain Tire	Review	Yes (315 or narrower width)	Decent	Decent	Average	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Decent	Decent	Elegant	Decent	Medium-Duty	50,000 Miles	60,000 Miles	Mickey Thompson Baja Boss AT

Dry Performance

Rugged terrain tires are a bit more aggressive in design than all-terrain tires.

Their main duty is traction. Hence, dry traction is easy-peasy for them.

Due to its interlocked and robust tread blocks, Nitto Ridge Grappler can put too much rubber on the ground which is the key to dry traction.

Due to its optimized pattern, Nitto Ridge Grappler offers elegant dry traction.

Handling

The handling capability of rugged-terrain tires is questionable to me.

Well, that might be my fault because I prefer to divide handling capability into two.

While one of the is cornering stability which mud-terrain tires are great, the other one is steering response which all-terrain tires are better.

Let’s analyze them one by one for a better understanding.

Cornering Stability

Cornering stability is related to the toughness of the inner structure.

While talking about this inner structure, I mostly talk about the sidewall strength.

In fact, this section is why Nitto Ridge Grappler is the explanation of why Nitto Ridge Grappler should call a rugged-terrain tire instead of an all-terrain tire.

Normally, all-terrain tires have a 1-ply polyester casing to increase durability and high-speed stability which is almost the same as cornering stability.

Nitto Ridge Grappler has a 2-ply polyester casing that helps the tire to keep its shape even under the 1-ton for above trucks. For this reason, Nitto Ridge Grappler offers excellent cornering stability.

Steering Response

Steering response is related to pattern design and compound stiffness.

If you ever drive a mud-terrain tire, you probably know that these tires aren’t responsive as your highway terrain or even all-terrain tire.

Well, mud-terrain tires have a fluffier compound and they need tons of void area to provide a decent level of loose ground traction.

In fact, Nitto Ridge Grappler is similar to mud-terrain tires. But it has one advantage. Reinforced block foundation.

This reinforced block foundation increases the rigidity of the tread and reduces flex which is a key to quick steering response.

Normally, Nitto Ridge Grappler’s highly blocky center section decreases its steering response slightly. However, its variable tread pitch design decreases this effect slightly.

If you’ll change from mud-terrain tires, you’ll have way much responsive tires.

If you’ll change from all-terrain tires, you’ll feel a bit dropped regarding responsiveness.

Wet Performance

All-terrain and mud-terrain tires generally fail on wet ground.

While mud-terrain tires have a low hydroplaning resistance due to their wide tread patterns, all-terrain tires have a stiff compound that sometimes causes a lack of traction on wet surfaces.

Well, rugged terrain tires are a bit different.

Let me explain these two via Nitto Ridge Grappler!

Wet Traction

Wet traction is related to compound stiffness and sipe density of the tread.

Even though Nitto Ridge Grappler’s sipe density is low, this tire has a fluffy compound that offers highly satisfying wet traction.

Nitto Ridge Grappler’s p-metric sizes have a 500 UTQG rating which is one of the lowest in its segment. Besides that Nitto Ridge Grappler get an A-rated wet traction grade.

Besides all of these, this tire has tons of biting edges because of its center section design. The design contains alternating tapered edges and steps block edges that increase any kind of traction.

In my point of view, Nitto Ridge Grappler’s wet traction is the maximum you can get from this aggressive tread pattern. I strongly recommend it if the wet traction is your priority.

Note: Since Nitto Ridge Grappler doesn’t mark with 3PMSF, its wet traction will decrease under the 7 Celcius degrees

Hydroplaning Resistance

Hydroplaning resistance is the water evacuation capability of the tread.

Since off-road tires have tons of void areas, they don’t have an issue with water evacuation. However, since mud-terrain tires have wide treads, they tend to hydroplane.

Let’s be honest, people prefer rugged-terrain tires to all-terrain tires mostly because of their appearance. So, we all know wider tires look better.

In this case, compared to mud-terrain tires, Nitto Ridge Grappler’s tread is slightly narrower. For this reason, it looks smaller.

Well, this is a must for manufacturers. These tires should have better highway performance than mud terrain tires.

Regarding Nitto Ridge Grappler, expect a slightly narrow tread, due to its 2 wide circumferential grooves and open shoulder blocks, Nitto Ridge Grappler doesn’t tend to hydroplane at all.

Winter Performance

You may see tons of different reviews about Nitto Ridge Grappler’s winter performance.

The weird thing is some people claim that this tire performs great, the other says this tire sucks.

This is completely normal because most people don’t know how to evaluate winter performance.

Besides that, it’s highly important to changing from which tire.

For instance, if you have a 3/4 ton above pickup truck or Jeep, you probably gonna love these tires’ winter performance because this is one of the best you can get.

On the other hand, if you have an SUV, you’ll probably feel unsafe with these tires because you need a different kinds of winter traction.

To explain myself better, I’m going to divide this section into three.

Light-Snow Traction

Even though it seems the opposite, light-snow traction is the hardest one.

The light snow can easily turn to slush and this is one of the most slippery conditions you might get.

So, in this case, compound stiffness and sipe density is important.

However, there is something more important, the 3PMSF label.

3PMSF label is becoming more crucial if the tire doesn’t have enough sipe on it.

3PMSF actually means the compound stays fluffy even under freezing conditions and doesn’t lose grip. Well, Nitto Ridge Grappler doesn’t have 3PMSF.

So, due to its soft compound, Nitto Ridge Grappler can perform on the light-snow. However, this isn’t a dedicated winter tire. You need to warm it up before expecting decent light snow traction.

Deep Snow Traction

Deep snow traction is actually what you can expect more from Nitto Ridge Grappler.

Due to its blocky pattern and staggered shoulders, Nitto Ridge Grappler has tons of biting edges that help it to provide traction on loose ground like deep snow.

So, here is the deal, this can take you out of unexpected situations, and can provide you good level o traction on the deep snow. I can accept that. However, I’m pretty sure that if you wake up in a 4-5 inch of snow. You can take yourself out of your garage.

Nitto Ridge Grappler is a great tire for snowy adventures. However, expecting decent highway or street performance is a bit never-never for me.

Ice Traction

I don’t recommend using non-3PMSF off-road tires on icy surfaces. Yet, Nitto Ridge Grappler has a slight advantage in this case.

Nitto Ridge Grapplers’ rigid block foundations decrease the flex. Hence, the tire can grip the icy surface with its biting edges without sliding. Advantage but doesn’t have something to trust with.

Due to its soft compound and variable pitch design, it provides average ice performance. Yet, I still don’t recommend this tire as a dedicated winter tire.

Riding Comfort

Regarding riding comfort, Nitto Ridge Grappler is closer to mud terrain tires.

As I’ve mentioned before, Nitto Ridge Grappler’s sidewalls and inner structure are tough. Well, this is a piece of bad news, at least for SUV owners.

Besides that, Nitto Ridge Grappler has a fluffy compound. For this reason, Nitto uses a reinforced block foundation which reduces the flex significantly.

Since the flex is reduced, Nitto Ridge Grappler offers a bit rough ride.

However, this equation is only valid for relatively lighter vehicle owners, in a word, p-metric tire users.

Nitto Ridge Grappler offers a rough ride for p-metric sizes, yet, LT sizes offer a smooth ride for light-truck and jeep owners.

Road Noise

Road noise is where Nitto Ridge Grappler shines, well, at least if you’re changing from the mud-terrain tire.

Nitto Ridge Grappler is a rugged terrain tire which actually means that this tire doesn’t have the same on-road manners as your former all-terrain tire has.

Nitto Ridge Grappler is built for traction, hence, it has a blocky pattern that tends to make noise.

So, the main target group is the people who wanna change from mud-terrain tires and want something more efficient and quiet.

I think Nitto make a great job out here. The variable pitch design is a great way to decrease road noise. However, there is another trick they use.

The tread section of Nitto Ridge Grappler is narrow. The narrow tread is easier to optimize and the airflow inside it is more predictable.

In summary, Nitto Ridge Grappler is a quiet tire for its aggressive design. If you’re changing from mud-terrain tires, you’ll love it. If you’ll change from all-terrain tires, you’ll be okay with it. If you’ll change from highway-terrain or all-season tire, you’ll hate it.

Longevity

Tread life is related to a couple of features.

While one of them is tread life, the other one is sipe density.

Nitto Ridge Grappler’s sipe density is great for long-lasting rubber.

Nitto Ridge Grappler has a 500 A B UTQG rating.

The second letter B rates the heat resistance of the tire.

Even though B is the second-best rate, it actually means that the tire has a thick, tough, and durable inner structure which makes it heavier.

If I have to sum it up, Nitto Ridge Grappler has deep tread but its compound is soft and it’s a relatively heavy tire.

Because of the above reason, Nitto Ridge Grappler offers average tread life if you’re changing from the all-terrain tire. Yet, if you’re changing from mud-terrain, you’re gonna love it!

Getting maximum wear life from a tire is related to you as well as your tire,

If you’d like to learn how to get maximum tread life:

https://tireterrain.com/how-to-make-tires-last-longer/

Off-Road Performance

I’ve repeated it a couple of times but Nitto Ridge Grappler is built for this section.

As a purpose-oriented tire, Nitto Ridge Grappler is a great option if you’re looking for a tire that can handle your off-road trips or severe working conditions. The best side is it can do it without sacrificing MPG.

But, how can Nitto Ridge Grappler do it? There are a couple of reasons behind this.

Let’s categorize the off-road conditions for a better understanding.

Dirt

Dirt traction is the main duty of any off-road tire.

For this reason, even light-duty all-terrain tires can handle dirt with ease.

In this case, the biting edges do the work.

Due to its lateral Z grooves that provide tons of biting edges, Nitto Ridge Grappler offers excellent dirt traction.

Gravel

Gravel could be tricky.

Even though it’s easy to handle for off-road tires, the real game changer out here is the continuity of this traction.

To achieve these, there are two important features.

The first one is the self-cleaning capability of the tread.

To achieve this, Nitto placed stone ejectors on the shoulder grooves.

The second one is sidewall durability.

Nitto Ridge Grappler has great sidewall durability because of its 2-ply reinforced nylon cap. In fact, that’s the reason this tire is highly usable for commercial usage.

Nitto Ridge Grappler is a great tire for gravel usage.

Rock Crawling

The center section of the all-terrain tires is called the step block.

If you can look closely, you can see that 4 of these blocks generate a rectangle.

All of these 4 blocks have differently angled biting edges that provide great traction for rock crawling.

More importantly, Nitto Ridge Grappler is extremely durable. Besides, reinforced block foundations reduce the flex and provide extra grip for tough rigid surfaces like rock or highways.

Nitto Ridge Grappler is a great option for rock crawling.

Mud

The mud traction is mostly related to self-cleaning capability.

Nitto Ridge Grappler has differently-sized shoulder blocks that increase the self-cleaning capability significantly and maintain traction.

Besides that its staggered shoulder blocks work perfectly on soft and challenging surfaces like mud.

So, Nitto Ridge Grappler provides great traction in the mud. Though worth reminding, this isn’t your regular mud-terrain tire. The below video will help you to set your limits.

Sizes

16”	17”	18”	20”	22”	24”
265/70R16 116T XL BSW 500 A B	245/65R17 111T XL BSW 500 A B	255/55R18 109T XL BSW 500 A B	265/50R20 111T XL BSW 500 A B	285/45R22 114Q XL BSW 500 A B	LT 315/45R24 123Q F BSW
265/75R16 116T SL BSW 500 A B	LT 255/80R17 121/118Q E BSW	255/70R18 116T XL BSW 500 A B	LT 265/60R20 121/118Q E BSW	LT 285/50R22 121/118Q E BSW	LT 315/50R24 127/124Q F BSW
LT 265/75R16 123/120Q E BSW	265/65R17 116T XL BSW 500 A B	265/60R18 114S XL BSW 500 A B	275/55R20 117T XL BSW 500 A B	LT 285/55R22 124/121Q E BSW	LT 37X13.50R24 124Q F BSW
LT 285/75R16 126/123Q E BSW	265/70R17 115T SL BSW 500 A B	265/65R18 116T XL BSW 500 A B	LT 275/55R20 120/117Q E BSW	LT 295/50R22 122/119Q E BSW	LT 38X13.50R24 127Q F BSW
LT 295/75R16 128/125Q E BSW	LT 265/70R17 121/118Q E BSW	LT 265/65R18 122/119Q E BSW	275/60R20 116T XL BSW 500 A B	LT 295/55R22 125/122Q E BSW
LT 305/70R16 124/121Q E BSW	LT 265/70R17 112/109S C BSW	265/70R18 116S SL BSW 500 A B	LT 275/60R20 123/120Q E BSW	305/45R22 118T XL BSW 500 A B
LT 315/75R16 127/124Q E BSW	LT 275/70R17 121/118Q E BSW	LT 265/70R18 124/121Q E BSW	LT 275/65R20 126/123Q E BSW	LT 315/45R22 121/118Q F BSW
	285/70R17 116Q SL BSW 500 A B	275/65R18 116T XL BSW 500 A B	285/50R20 116Q XL BSW 500 A B	LT 325/50R22 127Q F BSW
	LT 285/70R17 121/118Q E BSW	LT 275/65R18 123/120Q E BSW	LT 285/55R20 122/119Q E BSW	LT 33X12.50R22 114Q F BSW
	LT 285/70R17 116/113Q C BSW	LT 275/70R18 125/122Q E BSW	LT 285/60R20 125/122Q E BSW	LT 35X12.50R22 121Q F BSW
	LT 285/75R17 117/114Q C BSW	285/60R18 120T XL BSW 500 A B	LT 285/65R20 127/124Q E BSW	LT 37X12.50R22 127Q F BSW
	LT 285/75R17 121/118Q E BSW	LT 285/60R18 122/119Q E BSW	LT 295/55R20 123/120Q E BSW	LT 37X13.50R22 128Q F BSW
	LT 295/70R17 121/118Q E BSW	LT 285/65R18 125/122Q E BSW	LT 295/60R20 126/123Q E BSW	LT 38X13.50R22 126Q E BSW
	LT 305/70R17 121/118Q E BSW	LT 285/70R18 127/124Q E BSW	LT 295/65R20 129/126Q E BSW
	LT 315/70R17 121/118Q E BSW	LT 285/75R18 129/126Q E BSW	305/50R20 120Q XL BSW 500 A B
	LT 33X12.50R17 120Q E BSW	LT 295/70R18 129/126Q E BSW	305/55R20 116Q XL BSW 500 A B
	LT 35X11.50R17 128Q E BSW	305/60R18 116Q SL BSW 500 A B	LT 305/55R20 125/122Q F BSW
	LT 35X12.50R17 121Q E BSW	LT 305/65R18 128/125Q F BSW	LT 325/60R20 126/123Q E BSW
	LT 37X12.50R17 124Q D BSW	LT 325/60R18 124/121Q E BSW	LT 33X11.50R20 118Q E BSW
	LT 37X13.50R17 121Q E BSW	LT 325/65R18 127/124Q E BSW	LT 33X12.50R20 119Q F BSW
	LT 38X12.50R17 118Q C BSW	LT 33X12.50R18 122Q F BSW	LT 35X11.50R20 124Q E BSW
		LT 35X12.50R18 128Q F BSW	LT 35X12.50R20 125Q F BSW
		LT 37X11.50R18 127Q D BSW	LT 35X13.50R20 126Q F BSW
		LT 37X12.50R18 128Q E BSW	LT 37X11.50R20 128Q E BSW
		LT 37X13.50R18 124Q D BSW	LT 37X12.50R20 126Q E BSW
			LT 37X13.50R20 127Q E BSW
			LT 38X13.50R20 128Q E BSW

Size Selection

Before we dive into selecting the right tire size, it’s essential to understand the tire standards that manufacturers follow.

Technical Standards & Regulations

Load Range, on the other hand, is specific to TRA. ETRTO and JATMA use the term “Load Index.” While TRA references Load Indexes, it’s important to note that the values provided are approximate.

Here are two great articles if you wanna dive deeper:

Load Range vs Load Index: https://www.discounttire.com/learn/load-range-load-index

Tire Sizing System: https://www.discounttire.com/learn/euro-vs-pmetric-tires

How to Select the Right Tire Size Based on Your Requirements?

If you don’t know your tire size: https://tireterrain.com/find-tires-by-vin-number/

Couple of tips for towing;

Even though the load index of passenger car tires fits, when it comes to towing, sidewall stability is the issue. Hence, LT tires with Load Range C, D, or E provide better stability.
Generally, a load index higher than 119 is recommended for towing
Proper loading is important for even wearing. 60/40 rule should be followed. 60% of the weight should be on the front axle and 40%of weight should be applied rear axle of the trailer. Besides that, try to center load. Start with heavier ones if you gonna stack them up.

To wrap it up, selecting the right tires comes down to choosing the ones that align with your driving preferences and specific requirements.

Spec

	Nitto Ridge Grappler
Vehicle	SUV, Jeep, Light Truck
Available Sizes	16”, 17”, 18”, 20”, 22”, 24”
Articles	vs BF Goodrich KO2 vs Toyo Open Country AT3 vs Toyo Open Country RT vs Terra Grappler G2 & Trail Grappler vs Exo Grappler
Made In	US, Japan
Labels	M+S
Warranty	N/A
Prices	Check Price Section to See Possible Best Prices

Price

The tire market has a dynamic price policy. Hence, in my point of view, sharing tire price is pointless.

Though, I’ve analyzed the top 10 brands of most popular tire brands.

Here are the dealers with a reasonable price range,

DiscountTire

Biggest dealer in the US. Founded in 1960
1000 stores in 35 states. You most probably find one on your parallel street
Free rotation and balancing
5% off for DiscountTire cardholders on online purchases
Highest-rated online tire dealer in Consumer Affairs
Almost all brands are available
Delivery takes 2-4 days (30% shorter average waiting time when you book online)
Frequent discounts and promotions

Nitto Ridge Grappler: https://www.discounttire.com/buy-tires/nitto-ridge-grappler

TireRack

Fast and Free shipping
Usually delivered in 1 day
Joint venture with DiscountTire(their installers and dealers are on your service)
Tons of installer options, and they also help you to choose the best one
Mobile installers in many areas, your tires will be replaced while you’re working in the office
Tire test results and comparisons can be found on the most product page
4.6/5 points on Google rate

Nitto Ridge Grappler: https://www.tirerack.com/tires/nitto-ridge-grappler

SimpleTire

Free shipping
Delivered in 2 days
Verified shops near you(for mount and balance)
Mobile installation option
7 million customers since 2021
4.7/5 points on Google rate
Top-notch customer service, you may even request a price match

Nitto Ridge Grappler: https://simpletire.com/brands/nitto-tires/ridge-grappler

Amazon

Fast and free shipping (mostly in a day)
Get your tires shipped to a selected service center or get them installed at home or work (how does it work?)
Installation on Mavis Discount Tire (15$ per tire)
Installing new stem valves supplied by pro
Balancing your tires
Road/safety test
Since Amazon provides wholesale and affordable prices, they don’t offer a road hazard warranty

Nitto Ridge Grappler: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=nitto+ridge+grappler

Conclusion

Nitto Ridge Grappler is a great tire if you’d like to avoid the disadvantages of the mud-terrain tire but wanna keep the off-road traction capability.

Even though manufacturers offer this tire to SUVs also, it’s not a good option unless your vehicle uses LT or flotation metric tires.

	Nitto Ridge Grappler
Best for	Light trucks or Jeeps who prioritize off-road traction but want something fuel-efficient and quiet, Mostly warm regions if your usage is gonna be mostly highway
Pros	Great off-road traction, Durability, Commercial usage
Cons	Rough ride for SUV, Limited winter performance on the highway, P-metric sizes offer poor wearing
Vehicle	SUV, Jeep, Light Truck
Available Sizes	16”, 17”, 18”, 20”, 22”, 24” (Check if it fits your vehicle)
Articles	vs BF Goodrich KO2 vs Toyo Open Country AT3 vs Toyo Open Country RT Where does it stand in Nitto’s all-terrain tire line-up? vs Exo Grappler
Made In	US, Japan
Labels	M+S
Warranty	N/A

I hope the article was helpful. If you need any further support, please leave a comment below. Have a safe ride folks!

All Terrain Tires

All-Terrain Tires Cheat Sheet

Table of Contents

BFG KO2 vs KO3: What Changed?

Dry Performance

Responsiveness

Wet Performance

Hydroplaning Resistance

Winter Performance

Off-Road Performance

Longevity

Conclusion

All-Terrain Tires Cheat Sheet

Table of Contents

Dry Performance

Responsiveness

Cornering Stability

Wet Performance

Winter Performance

Road Noise

Riding Comfort

Tread Life

Off-Road Performance

Warranty

Sizes

Size Selection

Technical Standards & Regulations

How to Select the Right Tire Size Based on Your Requirements?

Price

Conclusion

All-Terrain Tires Cheat Sheet

Table of Contents

Dry Traction

Steering Response

Cornering Stability

Ride Comfort

Road Noise

Wet Performance

Wet Traction

Hydroplaning Resistance

Winter Performance

Light Snow Traction

Deep Snow Traction

Ice Traction

Treadwear

Warranty

Off-Road Performance

Gravel

Dirt

Sand

Mud

Sizes

Price

Conclusion

All-Terrain Tires Cheat Sheet

Table of Contents

Dry Traction

Responsiveness

Cornering Stability

Riding Comfort

Road Noise

Wet Performance

Wet Traction

Hydroplaning Resistance

Winter Performance

Light Snow Traction

Deep Snow Traction

Ice Traction

Tread Life

Warranty

Fuel Efficiency

Off-Road Performance

Sand Traction

Mud Traction

Dirt Traction

Rock Traction

Sizes

Size Selection

Technical Standards & Regulations

How to Select the Right Tire Size Based on Your Requirements?