I've owned two sets of the KO's and am now running my first set of the KO2's.
I've loved the KO's and drove on them across country twice through everything nature could throw at me- heaviest rainstorms I've ever experienced, muddy mountain roads, snow covered forest service roads, icy roads, -30 degrees fahrenheit, snowy mountain roads in the Pacific Northwest, etc.- and they always performed excellent. I drove up to Mt. Baker last winter in my '94 Toyota running KO's with around 30,000+ miles on them and they worked flawlessly- road is plowed but still covered in hardpack and icy in spots, and at the top the snow is mix of hardpack and fresh powder.
I have less than 1,000 miles on the KO2's so far (on my 2016 Tacoma). Had some slipping and sliding on the highway recently due to black ice and the fact that I was in 2WD. Had I been in 4WD I don't think I would have had an issue, but not certain. Both incidents were on bridges less than a mile apart. I wouldn't fault the tires for these two cases.
I love the new design save for the loss of the "rim protector". They do seem to not hold rocks/gravel as bad as the KO's and discard what they grab well before I get up to higher speeds. My original KO's will often shoots rocks like crazy once I'm at highway speeds, but the KO2's haven't done this yet...and I have a gravel driveway now.
Overall I've been really happy running BFG AT's year round. In the winter, I just carry chains for when I head up to the mountains or know I'm going over a pass. And I drive slow and stay well to the right of all the idiots flying past me at 50, 60, 70+MPH hurtling towards a wreck or their early demise....
