- 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!
Nitto Terra and Ridge Grappler are tires that serve the same intention. Both have very satisfying on and off-road manners. On the other hand, Nitto Trail Grappler is a mud-terrain tire. It overperforms Terra and Ridge Grappler due to off-road performance. Yet, it doesn’t have good on-road manners as its brothers have. Let’s see how Nitto classifies these tires!
At a Glance
| Nitto Terra Grappler G2 All-Terrain | Nitto Ridge Grappler Rugged-Terrain | Nitto Trail Grappler Mud-Terrain | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Better for | Squishy and snowy regions, working trucks, hauling & towing, mostly highway driving | Lifted vehicles and wider aftermarket wheels, appearance, mild & severe off-road traction | Off-road lovers, if you need long-lasting mud-terrain tire |
| Pros | Insane wet and snow traction, long-lasting rubber | Satisfying wet and dry traction, can handle mild and severe off-road, quiet for its design | Satisfying wet and dry traction, great off-road traction, long-lasting rubber, decent snow performance |
| Cons | Can’t handle off-road very well | The ride is a bit stiff, P-Metric sizes are providing average tread life | Can be noisy if you’re not used to mud-terrain tires |
| Available on | DiscountTire: Check Price SimpleTire: Check Price Amazon: Check Price | DiscountTire: Check Price TireRack: Check Price SimpleTire: Check Price Amazon: Check Price | DiscountTire: Check Price SimpleTire: Check Price Amazon: Check Price |
As a former Bridgestone engineer, Nitto Ridge Grappler is my favorite pick of these three. It’s quiet on the road and aggressive off the road. Moreover, the application range overwhelms others. However, Nitto Trail Grappler is extremely quiet for a mud-terrain tire. It has one of the best on-road manners among competitors. Let’s say it is a mud-terrain that can perform like an all-terrain.
As a bonus pick, I strongly recommend Nitto Terra Grappler for those who have a limited budget and need a tire that can perform on mild off-road applications as well as under on-road 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
General Comparison Table
Mud-terrain and rugged-terrain tires have different pattern designs.
Mud-terrain tires mostly have bigger lugs and wider void areas. Hence, their design is significantly more aggressive than regular all-terrain or rugged terrain tires.
On the other hand, due to achieving better on-road manners; rugged-terrain tires have narrower void areas and less aggressive tread patterns.
In fact, these features bring some advantages and disadvantages to themself. Let’s check the below table to make it clear!
| Nitto Terra Grappler | Nitto Ridge Grappler | Nitto Trail Grappler M/T | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Segment | All-Terrain | Rugged-Terrain | Mud-Terrain |
| Design | Less Aggressive | Aggressive | More Aggressive |
| Tread Life | Average | Good | Perfect |
| Dry Traction | Good | Good | Good |
| Comfort | Good | Good | Average |
| Noise Reduction | Good | Good | Poor |
| Fuel-Efficiency | Good | Good | Poor |
| Durability | Average | Good | Good |
| Wet Performance | Good | Good | Good |
| Winter Performance | Average | Good | Good |
| Off-Road Traction | Average | Above Average | Good |
| Air-Down Performance | Average | Above Average | Good |
According to the above table, Nitto Ridge Grappler is slightly better than Nitto Terra Grappler. Worth reminding that, this difference reflects to price tag.
I like to call Nitto Terra Grappler an Immature Ridge Grappler.
Please note that the above ratings describe their status within their segments.
On-Road Comparison
On-road manners are crucial for all-terrain and rugged-terrain tires. Well, I can’t say the same thing for mud terrains. I see customer expectations are beyond this comment. Yet, in real life, it is almost impossible to reach this level.
The battle is between Ridge Grappler and Terra Grappler in this section. Yet, I would like to give Trail Grappler credit for its good manners. It is way ahead of most of its competitors.
Comfort
Ridge Grappler and Terra Grappler are very close rated due to comfort. Yet, the price difference is getting into the game again. Ridge Grappler is the most smooth tire in this competition.
Terra Grappler is slightly behind Ridge Grappler. Nevertheless, this gap is quite acceptable if you put the price in the equation.
The surprising fact is Trail Grappler is also very smooth. It is almost as comfy as Terra Grappler.
If I have to sort them out,
- Nitto Ridge Grappler (comparison)
- Nitto Terra Grappler (comparison)
- Nitto Trail Grappler (comparison)
Noise Reduction
Noise reduction comparison is similar to comfort. The take-home point is Ridge Grappler and Terra Grappler are equal.
Noise reduction is mostly about the void area. The wider void area is always noisier. I can hear you say ‘ Emre, Terra Grappler has the narrowest center gaps. Why it is equal to Ridge Grappler?’. Well, the answer is solid. Compound. Ridge Grappler has a soft compound that is going to help it to reduce noise.
About Trail Grappler…. Let’s not put too much pressure on the mud-terrain tire. It’s good for mud terrain but there is no way it can compete with rugged terrains.
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
Dry Traction Comparison
All of our tires perform perfectly on dry grounds. You can confidently choose either of them. Don’t even hesitate.
If you want me to sort them out, here is the deal;
Trail Grappler has been built for only one purpose. Traction! It leads this segment. Ridge Grappler is slightly behind. And the last place belongs to our budget-friendly tire Terra Grappler.
Tread Life
This part is a bit sliding depending on your driving habits, vehicle, and operation. More importantly, these kinds of comparisons can be made between the same segment tires.
In our comparison, Ridge Grappler and Terra Grappler are members of the rugged-terrain tires family. On the other hand, Trail Grappler has been released as a mud-terrain tire.
Due to these reasons, I am going to compare Trail Grappler individually. Yet, I will sort all three at the end of this section.
Ridge Grappler and Terra Grappler are both known for long tread lives on the market. Yet, in my point of view, you can get a 10-15% better tread life with Ridge Grappler. I have a reason to support this claim. Ridge Grappler has an average of 2 millimeters thicker tread depth in each size.
I’d like to give another paragraph for Trail Grappler. Why? Cause it is an exceptional mud-terrain tire due to tread life. In general, 50000-60000 miles with a mud-terrain tire is highly acceptable. Some customers even reach 100,000 miles with Trail Grappler. It’s incredible. I’ve studied this tire a lot. It has one of the best tread life among the competitors.
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:
Fuel Efficiency
In that section, rolling resistance and tire weight will be our decision-makers.
Nitto Trail Grapper is the top-heavy tire. It has also higher rolling resistance due to its larger footprint. So, it is the less fuel-efficient tire in this comparison.
Here is the perfect explanation of rolling resistance!
Ridge Grappler and Terra Grappler are almost equal due to weight. They have a 3-8 lbs difference in each size(Ridge Grappler is superior). That’s not a big gap for huge tires like these ones. Although the rolling resistances are quite similar, Nitto Terra Grappler is the winner of this section.
Wet Performance
3 dimensions state the tire’s water evacuation. Circumferential grooves, compound, and tire footprint.
Let’s start with the tire footprint. So, in that case, Terra Grappler is the narrowest one as expected. Hence, it can combine a smooth riding experience with better fuel consumption and less road noise. On the other hand, this feature increases its hydroplaning resistance but decreases the wet traction. Therefore, Terra Grappler G2 is a better option for high-speed vehicles.
Please note that the footprint is the part of the tire that touches the road. So, less void area reduces the risk of hydroplaning.
As tires spin on wet surfaces, circumferential grooves channel water away to maintain good traction. All three of our tire’s grooves connected perfectly to the shoulders. With this feature, you can confidently trust all of them.
About rubber, a softer compound means better performance on wet. Nitto Ridge Grappler is our winner.
Lastly, full-depth sipes have a significant positive effect on wet performance. While Ridge Grappler and Trail Grappler have full-depth sipes, Terra Grappler’s sipes stop halfway through. Yet, it covers this deficiency with a high density of sipes through the pattern.
All three options are reliable. You can confidently use either one of them.
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
Winter Performance
Nitto Trail Grapper is the only of our Grapper tires with a 3-peak mountain snowflake marking. So, it is superior on snow.
Between Terra Grappler and Ridge Grappler, Ridge Grappler is the better one snowy surfaces. Tread depth and staggered shoulder lugs ensure to best grip in deep snow.
Ridge Grappler and Trail Grappler are trustworthy options. On the other hand, I don’t recommend Terra Grappler unless light snow is the only snow you’ve faced with.
You can also check this article out for a durable and solid tire for severe winter conditions!
Off-Road Traction
This time, instead of comparing these three, I am going to share the best application to use one by one.
Before starting to read this section, check this article out to what to expect from mud, rugged or all-terrain tires –> https://tireterrain.com/off-road-tire-tread-patterns/
Let’s start with Terra Grappler.
Terra Grappler is not a tire for use on all off-road applications. Weak sidewalls are limited to mild operation usage. They are the best ones on the sand. Yet, rock and mud performances are poor.
- 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/
Ridge Grappler has a wide range of applications. It can handle dirt, gravel, and rock very well. Moreover, unlike other rugged terrain tires, it has decent performance on mud.
Lastly, Trail Grappler. This tire was built with mud traction intention. It is performing smoothly on any off-road surface but gravel. Wide lugs are struggling to bite smaller stones and as a result, it causes traction loss.
In summary,
I recommend Ridge Grappler for mild and average-severe applications.
Trail Grappler is your tire if your operation is tough. Yet, gravel is not their expertise.
Terra Grappler can be used for daily-basis off-roads. The take-home point is weak sidewall durability. You should avoid the sidewall impacts due to achieve high-quality off-road performance.
Specs
| Nitto Terra Grappler G2 | Nitto Ridge Grappler | Nitto Trail Grappler | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Category | All-Terrain Tire | Rugged -Terrain Tire | Mud-Terrain Tire |
| Vehicle | Light Truck, SUV | Light Truck, SUV | Light Truck, SUV |
| Available Sizes (Rim) | 17’’, 18’’, 20’’, 22’’, 24’’ | 16”, 17”, 18”, 20”, 22”, 24” | 15”, 16”, 17”, 18”, 20”, 22”, 24” |
| Weight | 30-81 lbs | 40 – 95 lbs | 59 – 111 lbs |
| Made In | White, GA, USA | N/A | White, GA, USA |
| Severe Snow Rated (3PMSF) | No (M+S) | No (M+S) | No (M+S) |
| Warranty (P-metric) | 65,000 Miles | N/A | N/A |
| Warranty (LT Sizes) | 50,000 Miles | N/A | N/A |
| Prices | Check price section to see best possible 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
Nitto Ridge Grappler: https://www.discounttire.com/buy-tires/nitto-ridge-grappler
Nitto Terra Grappler G2: https://www.discounttire.com/buy-tires/nitto-terra-grappler-g2
Nitto Trail Grappler: https://www.discounttire.com/buy-tires/nitto-trail-grappler-m-t
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
Nitto Terra Grappler G2: https://simpletire.com/brands/nitto-tires/terra-grappler-g2
Nitto Trail Grappler: https://simpletire.com/brands/nitto-tires/trail-grappler-m-t
PriorityTire
- Local installer and mobile installer options
- Huge product range(you may find any tire you want)
- 4.8 overall satisfaction rate
- Always have a good deal to find
- 90 days money-back guarantee
- Free FedEx shipping
Nitto Ridge Grappler: https://www.prioritytire.com/by-brand/nitto/ridge-grappler-tires/
Nitto Terra Grappler G2: https://www.prioritytire.com/by-brand/nitto/terra-grappler-g2-a-t-tires/
Nitto Trail Grappler: https://www.prioritytire.com/by-brand/nitto/trail-grappler-m-t-tires/
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
Although Grappler tires seem to perform in a similar usage, in deep they are separated but their expertise.
| Nitto Terra Grappler G2 All-Terrain | Nitto Ridge Grappler Rugged-Terrain | Nitto Trail Grappler Mud-Terrain | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Better for | Squishy and snowy regions, working trucks, hauling & towing, mostly highway driving | Lifted vehicles and wider aftermarket wheels, appearance, mild & severe off-road traction | Off-road lovers, if you need long-lasting mud-terrain tire |
| Pros | Insane wet and snow traction, long-lasting rubber | Satisfying wet and dry traction, can handle mild and severe off-road, quiet for its design | Satisfying wet and dry traction, great off-road traction, long-lasting rubber, decent snow performance |
| Cons | Can’t handle off-road very well | The ride is a bit stiff, P-Metric sizes are providing average tread life | Can be noisy if you’re not used to mud-terrain tires |
| Available on | DiscountTire: Check Price SimpleTire: Check Price Amazon: Check Price | DiscountTire: Check Price TireRack: Check Price SimpleTire: Check Price Amazon: Check Price | DiscountTire: 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.
Nitto Ridge Grappler is a trustworthy pick for either mild or severe applications. Yet, mud performance is not their priority.
Nitto Trail Grappler covers Ridge Grappler’s shortcomings. It performs perfectly on mud. Moreover, it’s surprisingly quiet on the highways.
Nitto Terra Grappler is our budget-friendly option. It is not as durable as Ridge Grappler. Yet, on-road and mild operation performance will cover all of your expectations.
I hope this article will help you to pick the best one for yourself. If you have any further questions, kindly leave them below! Have safe ride folks!
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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