Best Off-Road Tires for Texas Trials 2022
At American Wheel & Tire, we have seen a tire or two in our forty years in business but, we are continually surprised by the advancements in materials and design. The only thing today’s tire has in common with one from 1982 is they are both round. Changes in compound, tread patterns, height, and strength of sidewalls, coupled with an explosion of off-road specialty tires, keep us busy tracking which tire is best for which application. We have many off-road enthusiasts as customers so, we are always interested in new developments manufacturers have come up with for off-road rubber and who has the best tire for given applications. For 2022, the best off-road tires come from brands that are no surprise.
American Wheel and Tires Top 5 Best Off-Road Tires:
There is no shortage of aftermarket winches to choose from. There are literally hundreds of rigs from dozens of brands. However, before you select one, there are a few things you need to decide to know what you are looking for. While there are arguments pro and con for both synthetic and steel cable and which optional features are actually necessary, there is one spec that is absolutely important if your winch is going to work
BF Goodrich Mud-Terrain T/A KM3
The name says mud terrain, but make no mistake, this rubber is one of the best off-road tires regardless of the terrain. The same tread design that makes it a champion in the mud also delivers incredible grip and traction on dirt, gravel, and sand. The “T/A” in the name stands for Terrain Attack, a symmetrical tread design that coupled with Traction-Armor Sidewall Sculpture technology, allows the tire to perform at low tire pressure, making it a rock crawling natural. As a result, snow, loose or packed, offers no challenge to the Mud-Terrain T/A KM3.
Toyo Open Country M/T
Speaking of mudders, Toyo’s Open Country M/T has to be included near the top of the pack. The huge blocks that run down the center and along the edges assure the driver that it can claw its way out of any muddy mess that can be found. In addition, the tread design includes stone ejectors, which help clean the tire providing consistent grip and even wear. As a bonus, the Open Country M/T also performs well in loose snow, although it struggles on packed snow.
Falken Wildpeak A/T3W
An all-terrain tire, the Falken Wildpeak cannot be as effective in extreme off-road conditions as the M/T rubber. However, the 2022 model has deeper treads that give an excellent ride over hard and soft off-road surfaces, almost to the point you think you are driving a dedicated off-road tire. The Falken’s pavement performance is only average, but it does excel on wet surfaces. A few inches of snow will not stop the Wildpeak, but a heavier covering will be challenging. Overall, an excellent A/T class tire.
Nitto Trail Grappler
A variant of the Nitto Mud Grappler, the Tread Grappler, is perhaps the most aggressive tire in Nitto’s lineup. It starts with three-ply sidewall construction and thick rubber construction that is designed to increase grip and resist puncture. In addition, an aggressive leading edge tread and side lugs promote lateral stability and enhance forward traction. With a big, chunky tread pattern, you might expect this tire to be incredibly noisy, particularly on pavement. And it was until Nitto, using 3D computer simulation, was able to optimize the location of the tread blocks to minimize noise. As a result, the 2022 Nitto Trail Grappler is 36% quieter at highway speeds than previous models.
Goodyear Wrangler MT/R with Kevlar
Goodyear is a premium tire brand known for its high-performance tires, and its reinforced mud tire, the Wrangler M/TR with Kevlar, is no exception. When Goodyear added Kevlar to the compound, they created a rubber that provides 35% more resistance to cuts and punctures than previous editions, making it ideal for rock crawling. Toss in its mud-flowing geometry tread, and this mudder will get you through craggy hard surfaces or deep, sloppy mud holes. And if it snows, no worries.
