- A side note here: As a former Bridgestone engineer, I strongly recommend checking DiscountTire - Treadwell out. This is a tool that DiscountTire dealers use in the store. You can get recommendations based on value, performance, and local favorites.
TRIED & TESTED!
General Grabber ATX and BF Goodrich KO2 are unquestionable stars of the all-terrain tire segment. Both are made in the U.S and offer above-average features in every aspect. Yet, BFG KO2 doesn’t dominate the industry as it did before. Well, we might have a new star in the town! Let me explain what I mean.
At a Glance
| BF Goodrich KO2 | General Grabber AT/X | |
|---|---|---|
| Better for | Dry regions, rock crawling, beach driving | Squishy and snowy regions, camping and hunting, highway driving |
| Pros | Responsiveness, off-road traction | Insane wet and snow traction, long-lasting rubber, off-road traction, P-metric size option for a smoother ride |
| Cons | Wet and winter traction is questionable, doesn’t last long as its competitors, a bit noisy | A bit noisy if you don’t used to drive all-terrain tires |
| Available on | DiscountTire: Check Price TireRack: Check Price SimpleTire: Check Price Amazon: Check Price | DiscountTire: Check Price TireRack: Check Price SimpleTire: Check Price Amazon: Check Price |
As a former Bridgestone engineer, from my standpoint, BF Goodrich KO2 promotes its aggressive look with slightly more durable sidewalls. Hence, it’s a superior pick if you driving in severe off-road conditions. While General Grabber ATX handles wet ground and light snow slightly better, BF Goodrich’s responsiveness is unquestionable. Though worth reminding, both can make some noise due to their aggressive tread designs. However, these designs make them one of the best all-terrain tires in winter conditions.
All-Terrain Tires Cheat Sheet
Finding the most suitable one for you among thousands of tires is very difficult.
My team & I have analyzed 100 different tires and generated this ‘Quick Answer Sheet‘ for those who don’t wanna spend too much time during tire selection.
Before we start, here are the incredibly helpful articles I highly recommend to take a look at;
- How to keep tire noise down?
https://www.discounttire.com/learn/tire-noise - How do all-terrain tires do in the snow?
https://www.discounttire.com/learn/all-terrain-mud-tires-in-snow - Correct tire inflation pressure improves fuel economy
https://www.discounttire.com/learn/air-pressure-fuel-economy - Tire Safety Practices
https://www.discounttire.com/learn/tire-safety
Below the table, you can find my favorite tires that I have classified according to your needs.
If you’re in a hurry, here are the tires worth every penny;
- Toyo Open Country AT3 – Best All-Round & Longevity
- Falken Wildpeak AT3W – Best All-Round & Squishy Regions
- BF Goodrich KO2 – Best All-Round & Off-Road Adventure
- Falken Wildpeak AT Trail – Best All-Round for CUV/SUV & Severe Off-Road
- Nitto Recon Grappler – Best All-Round for CUV/SUV & Smooth and Quiet Ride
- General Grabber ATX – Best All-Round for 3/4-ton or above trucks
- Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac – Best On/Off Road tire for 3/4-ton or above trucks
- Cooper Discoverer 4S XLT – Best Commercial All-Terrain Tire & Hauling and Towing
If you’re looking for something at a bargain price;
- Vredestein Pinza AT – Best All-Round for CUV/SUV & Smooth and Quiet Ride
- Kenda Klever A/T2 – Best All-Round for Medium & Light Duty Usage
- Kenda Klever R/T – Best All-Round for Heavy-Duty Usage
Depending on your needs, also the below articles might help;
- https://tireterrain.com/best-all-terrain-tires/
- https://tireterrain.com/best-3-4-ton-truck-tires/
- https://tireterrain.com/best-mud-terrain-tires/
- https://tireterrain.com/best-rt-tires/
- https://tireterrain.com/best-tires-for-snow-plowing/
I highly recommend checking the below pages out before making any purchase:
- DiscountTire Deals:
https://www.discounttire.com/promotions - TireRack Deals:
https://www.tirerack.com/specialoffers - SimpleTire Deals:
https://simpletire.com/tire-deals
Table of Contents
Off-Road Performance
As we’ve mentioned in our previous articles, BF Goodrich KO2 is a beast for off-road. Yet, General Grabber ATX can easily compete even can beat BF Goodrich KO2.
- General Grabber ATX is a better tire on mud, thanks to alternating shoulders
- BF Goodrich is a slightly better tire on sand
- BF Goodrich KO2 is a significantly better tire on rocks, that does not mean General Grabber ATX is bad.
General Grabber ATX and BF Goodrich KO2 have very similar pattern designs. Therefore, their off-road performance is quite similar. In that case, your driving conditions and behaviors will be a decider.
- A side note here: If you’d like to see the best all-terrain tires by vehicle or usage, this article is GOOOOLD –> https://tireterrain.com/best-all-terrain-tires/
Mud Driving
Despite the fact that your driving skills and right inflation pressure are starring characters. Mud driving can be suffering from bad all-terrain tires.
Out both tires have a perfect design for mud. Serrated shoulders increase mud evacuation and traction dramatically. Though worth mentioning that mud driving is strongly related to wet performance. We would recommend you to read the wet performance title for better understanding.
- General Grabber ATX has slightly better mud traction and evacuation
- BF Goodrich KO2 has slightly better handling on dirt
These rivals are too close in this section. These little differences can not be a game-changer. You can go either way.
Sand Driving
All-terrain tires performances are mainly dependable on loose surfaces. You will not face slack sand ground so often. Yet, we can confidently say that either General Grabber ATX or BF Goodrich KO2 will satisfy you on the sand.
Both tires have a specific and aggressive shoulder design which is going to help you a lot on traction.
BF Goodrich KO2 takes a lead with a lot of sipes on the shoulder in this section. These sipes exceed your gripping area and increase your traction on loose grounds.
- BF Goodrich KO2 is a slightly better tire on sand
The difference is insignificant in this section. You can go both ways without a doubt. We want to remind you one more time, right inflation pressure is a key for smooth sand driving.
Rock Driving
BF Goodrich KO2 is unstoppable on the rock. BF Goodrich proved their sidewall resistance and extraordinary gripping ability on Baja Race when it takes to take first place.
- BF Goodrich KO2 has a stronger sidewall with a 3-ply design.
- BF Goodrich KO2 has a more gripping ability
Even though General Grabber ATX has less ply on sidewalls, their sidewall thickness is almost the same as BFG KO2 (9.5 for KO2, 8.5 for ATX). Both will meet your expectations. Yet, we prefer to stay on the safe side. BF Goodrich KO2 is the winner in this section.
Highway Performance
On-road performance is a separator for all-terrain tires. These tires are made with off-road intent. This feature sometimes causes a problem on highways. No worries, both tires perform very well on the road.
General Grabber ATX(vs AT2 vs AT3) is a better on-road tire in general. Compare with the BF Goodrich KO2, these tires are very quiet. In addition to that, they have a better response time which gives you full control of your vehicle. Lastly, a specific sipe design on tread provides so much evacuation. That ensures a better wet ground experience.
- General Grabber ATX is a less vocal tire.
- General Grabber ATX has slightly better steering and cornering ability
- General Grabber ATX has significantly superior wet performance
As a result, General Grabber ATX steps ahead in this section. Though worth remembering, these tires are leading their segment. Both will satisfy you and do not let you down.
Noise Comparison
Road noise on the pavement is a common problem for all-terrain tires. Manufacturers mostly try to solve problems with uneven shoulder sections. If you look closely, each section of serrated shoulders of different sizes. That helps it to create acoustic balance.
Both tires have the above feature. In that case, we should look at pattern design. If you look closely, you can clearly see that BF Goodrich KO2 has more close shoulders. Close shoulder always increases noise. So, General Grabber ATX steps ahead.
- General Grabber ATX has less road noise
- BF Goodrich KO2 sometimes has a balance problem. That will increase your road noise.
BF Goodrich KO2 is making some noise for sure. But the level of noise is acceptable for all-terrain tires. Yet, General Grabber ATX is a winner in this section.
A side note here: Even though some tires tend to make noise because of their tread patterns, it’s still possible to keep your tire noise down.
I’m leaving a perfect explanation below from DiscountTire for those who need it;
How to Keep Tire Noise Down? –>
https://www.discounttire.com/learn/tire-noise
Wet Performance
Wet performance is crucial for on-road driving. Special off-road compounds are mainly failed on wet ground. Due to avoid this problem, manufacturers are adding additional sipes on the pattern surface. In that case, the depth of sipes is a game-changer.
We’ve detailly analyzed both patterns. General Grabber ATX has full-depth sipes that are guaranteed wet traction and stability.
- General Grabber ATX has a significantly better grip and biting on wet
- General Grabber ATX has significantly better handling and cornering
BF Goodrich KO2 is not a bad tire for wet surfaces. Yet, General Grabber ATX is known for wet and winter performance. We recommend you to go with General Grabber ATX in splashy regions.
Note: Hydroplaning is vital for a safe ride under the pouring rain. However, it might occur even with the best tire. Maybe you can’t prevent it but if you know what it is and how to deal with it, you can easily stay on the safe side.
Here is an extremely efficient guide about ‘How to Deal with Hydroplaning?‘ –> https://www.discounttire.com/learn/hydroplaning
Riding Comfort
Riding comfort is the hardest challenge for tire makers. Due to increase traction in severe conditions, tire manufacturers use big lugs and aggressive pattern designs.
Both tires look the same at the beginning. If you look sharp, you can see General Grabber ATX has smaller lugs. Lessened lugs and softener compounds significantly increase comfort. Therefore, General Grabber ATX is a true winner in this section.
For all-terrain tire newbies: All-terrain tires wear well. We all know this. Yet, compared to the all-season tires these tires offer a rough ride. If your interest in all-terrain tires is fresh, I highly recommend reading the linked article before making any purchase.
Winter Performance
Winter performance is an important indicator for all-terrain tires. Due to the lug pattern, most all-terrain tires can get the M+S mark easily. Yet, 3-peak mountain snowflake marking is hard to get.
General Grabber ATX and BF Goodrich KO2 both are trustworthy options with a 3-peak mountain snowflake marking. Another feature that makes them unique is evacuation capability. These tires can evacuate snow from grooves smoothly. That will bring consistency on traction.
You can go either way with confidence.
You can also click here to see my best pick for severe winter conditions!
Durability, Wear Life, Fuel Efficiency
Durability for all-terrain tires mainly depends on sidewall structure. As we’ve mentioned before, General Grabber ATX does not have a 3-ply sidewall. That is a huge handicap for them. At the same time, it has a direct effect on load range. Compare with BF Goodrich KO2, General Grabber ATX has a limited commercial application range.
Wear life is directly related to even wearing. If you will decide to use BF Goodrich KO2 you must pay attention to your rotation timing. These tires can be affected by uneven wearing and that will decrease your wear life significantly.
General Grabber ATX has transparently better wear life. General also gives you 60000 Miles tread warranty to prove their performance. BF Goodrich does not have any warranty qualification.
Lastly, fuel efficiency. That feature is strongly related to tire weight. General Grabber ATX is lighter than BF Goodrich KO2. That means it will affect your gas mileage less than BF Goodrich KO2.
Specs
| General Grabber ATX | BF Goodrich KO2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | All-Terrain Tire | All-Terrain Tire |
| Vehicle | Light Truck, SUV | Light Truck, SUV |
| Available Sizes (Rim) | 14”, 15”, 16”, 17”, 18”, 20” | 15’’, 16’’, 17’’, 18’’, 20’’, 22’’ |
| Weight | 28 – 75 lbs | 34 – 78 lbs |
| Made In | Mt. Vernon, Illinois, USA | Opelika, AL, USA |
| Severe Snow Rated (3PMSF) | Yes | Yes |
| Warranty (P-metric) | 50,000 Miles | 50,000 Miles |
| Warranty (LT Sizes) | 50,000 Miles | 50,000 Miles |
| Prices | Check price section to see best possible prices | Check price section to see best possible 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 purchase
- 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
General Grabber ATX: https://www.discounttire.com/buy-tires/general-grabber-atx
BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2: https://www.discounttire.com/buy-tires/bfgoodrich-all-terrain-t-a-ko2
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, 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
General Grabber ATX: https://www.tirerack.com/tires/general-grabber-a-tx
BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2: https://www.tirerack.com/tires/bfgoodrich-all-terrain-t-a-ko2
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
General Grabber ATX: https://simpletire.com/brands/general-tires/grabber-a-tx
BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2: https://simpletire.com/brands/bfgoodrich-tires/all-terrain-t-a-ko2
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
We’ve detailly analyzed both tires in every approach. General Grabber ATX and BF Goodrich KO2 are reliable and well-rounded tires. You will be overjoyed with them.
Verdict,
- General Grabber ATX has weaker sidewalls than BF Goodrich KO2. BF Goodrich is a better choice for severe applications.
- General Grabber ATX has huge wet and dry ground performance. If you spend most of your time on the highway and pavement, it is your tire
- BF Goodrich KO2 is a heroic all-terrain tire. Off-road is its expertise. Yet, General Grabber ATX will meet your expectations on mild and severe applications Both are incredibly trustworthy.
- Both have equally good choices for severe winter conditions.
- General Grabber ATX has better wear life than BF Goodrich KO2. You will not face balance problems like BF Goodrich KO2.
| BF Goodrich KO2 | General Grabber AT/X | |
|---|---|---|
| Better for | Dry regions, rock crawling, beach driving | Squishy and snowy regions, camping and hunting, highway driving |
| Pros | Responsiveness, off-road traction | Insane wet and snow traction, long-lasting rubber, off-road traction, P-metric size option for a smoother ride |
| Cons | Wet and winter traction is questionable, doesn’t last long as its competitors, a bit noisy | A bit noisy if you don’t used to drive all-terrain tires |
| Available on | DiscountTire: Check Price TireRack: Check Price SimpleTire: Check Price Amazon: Check Price | DiscountTire: Check Price TireRack: Check Price SimpleTire: Check Price Amazon: Check Price |
Take-Home Points,
- LT sizes have stronger sidewalls. That feature makes them more durable. Yet, these tires offer a rougher ride. (LT vs P-Metric tires)
- XL sizes tend to carry more load and offer better handling. Hence, if you’ll go with p-metric sizes, they might be a better pick for hauling and towing( XL vs SL tires)
- Please pay attention to the load range and speed index. These metrics are essential if you expect decent tread life
- There isn’t a bad tire in the market right now, you should just know what to expect from tires
A side note here: If you’d like to get local advice and find the best fit for your driving habits, location, and road conditions DiscountTire – Treadwell Tire Guide can give you masterpiece recommendations.
Hope you guys enjoy this article. If you have any further questions, please write them below. We will answer it ASAP!
Guide Me Bruh!
This section contains my research and top picks. Depending on your need, you may choose a category and easily find the best fit for yourself. Remember, nobody knows your driving conditions and requirements better than yourself. You’re in the charge out here.
Start Here:
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