Overland Journal AT Tire Test

[Dazrin]

Not by a longshot. I think the Fun Country was the first mainstream hybrid and the MTR/K was the second. It does look tough though.

Are we talking about the same tire? I have never seen the MT/R with Kevlar listed as or reviewed as a hybrid AT/MT tire, only as a mud terrain with decent street manners (for a mud terrain, when introduced). I know these were marketed as the replacement for their old MT/R which was certainly a mud terrain tire not a hybrid.

:shrug:

Either way, MORE PLEASE!

/Links provided for the pictures only.

 

[Dan Grec]

Scott,

I'm still impressed you've never had a flat on your major expeditions.

I had 16 on my way from Alaska to Argentina!

I was driving on the cheapest tires I could get before I left (Dunlop Radial Rover RVxt) and every flat was a nail or piece of steel actually stuck into the tire.

For anyone curious, it was never a problem getting them fixed in the next little town, and it never cost more than a few dollars.
It was actually a great way to meet locals and ********-chat in small places.

-Dan

 

[WMDunkin]

Missing a lot of tires from that review, but great format keep them coming!

 

[Hilldweller]

Are we talking about the same tire? I have never seen the MT/R with Kevlar listed as or reviewed as a hybrid AT/MT tire, only as a mud terrain with decent street manners (for a mud terrain, when introduced). I know these were marketed as the replacement for their old MT/R which was certainly a mud terrain tire not a hybrid.

:shrug:

Either way, MORE PLEASE!

/Links provided for the pictures only.

I'll say they're pretty good in some types of mud, decent in snow, great on rocks, have a tremendous sidewall. But they're far far from a real mud tire.

Here's my old (open diff) Jeep in some wet mud wearing MTR/Ks


Same Jeep with Cooper STTs on a VERY steep hill, frozen ground with a couple inches of mud over it


And, for more perspective, Stump's XJ on SSRs, locked in front

 

[Scott Brady]

The new BFGoodrich AT KO2:
The most common feedback we are getting on the article is regarding the new BFGoodrich KO2. The test was conducted in fall of 2013, prior to the announcement of the KO2. We even sourced the KOs from Michelin and were not advised of the new tires. Given that, the results with the KO in the test are definitive and reflected the age of the product and associated design.

However, the new AT KO2 is now on the market and our team has already conducted some preliminary testing. Most encouraging is the shoulder lug integrity, which is vastly improved over the outgoing KO. Chris Collard drove the KO2 hard in Baja and experienced minimal tearing, cutting and chipping. We have not tested the KO2 sufficiently to judge its performance against the other models in the comprehensive test, but the results so far look promising. We promise to provide a comprehensive report over the next few months.

 

[Viggen]

Missing a lot of tires from that review, but great format keep them coming!

I ran Pro Comps for a year. In snow, mud, rocks, and daily driving up and down 395. Fantastic tires that could/ should have been included.

 

[Ryanmb21]

Good to hear Scott, looking forward to the review!

 

[life_w_vagabonds]

Great article as usual, pushed me over the edge for the Coopers. Love em so far, my garage still has that lovely new tire smell...

 

[Regcabguy]

Coopers look good. I wish they'd release a 285-75-17/18 e-rated.

 

[100acrehuphalump]

I do enjoy my piece of mind with my Cooper AT's. They have so far held up well and got me out of a few sticky situations on some unintentional jeep trails in Utah and other places. Plus they've handled great on the highway pulling a heavy tractor and trailer almost daily.

 

[sargeek]

Tire Test

I like Overland Journals tire test, and I hope they make a tire issue every year. I would also like to see a them test the tires from a single manufacture product line. Cooper would be a great place to start. Compare the A/T3 vs. A/TP vs. A/TR?; and then S/T, ST Maxx? What real work sacrifices are made comparing a MT vs their A/T? In the forums you read a lot about people running studded tires for winter traction, but a lot of people don't understand that you give up a lot of wet, and dry weather traction with studs. So compare the performance of Coopers Discover M&S; studded/non studded vs the Weather-master.

Most of our vehicles can run multiple load ranges from P metric passenger tire, to load range C, D or E. What difference does this make in the tests? Or different tire widths? or same tire width on the minimum or maximum recommended wheel size.

As I said - I like the tire issue, and I how Overland Journal puts some additional spins on the comparisons.

 

[MuckSavage]

Thanks for including my personal favorite, the General Grabber AT2. I'm in need of new tires for my XJ & while I always think "something else may be better". I thought about the Cooper AT3's, but my local dealer has them at $40 more per tire! I'll stick with my personal tried & true AT2's..... Thanks for the objective review!

 

[TacPen]

This is a great article, but I agree with Hilldweller and java that it would have been nice to have some more aggressive ATs in the mix since it doesn't hit any of the tires I am considering.

Yup, best tire test I've read in a long time. +1 on wanting to see some more aggressive tires.

 

[Jeep or Tacoma]

Falkens

I have the falkens I have close to 73000 miles on them on my jku used them in snow some mud a rocks and sand. They r the second set of tires I have had. Frankly as good as they are I want them to wear out so I can try the new BFG or nito g2. I wouldn't mind seeing a slightly more aggressive. At from falken. Mud not a mud tire.

 

[Beowulf]

The new BFGoodrich AT KO2:
The most common feedback we are getting on the article is regarding the new BFGoodrich KO2. The test was conducted in fall of 2013, prior to the announcement of the KO2. We even sourced the KOs from Michelin and were not advised of the new tires. Given that, the results with the KO in the test are definitive and reflected the age of the product and associated design.

However, the new AT KO2 is now on the market and our team has already conducted some preliminary testing. Most encouraging is the shoulder lug integrity, which is vastly improved over the outgoing KO. Chris Collard drove the KO2 hard in Baja and experienced minimal tearing, cutting and chipping. We have not tested the KO2 sufficiently to judge its performance against the other models in the comprehensive test, but the results so far look promising. We promise to provide a comprehensive report over the next few months.

So in the latest issue of Overland Journal there is an article for the new KO2. However, this was more of a single user's personal impressions than a comprehensive report. Will the KO2 be tested like the original test? We need to see how this new KO2 stacks against the previously tested. I think many of us want to know how the new KO2 would rank in that test.