Help Deciding Between Two On Road AT Tires

K20SiGUY

K20SiGUY

Joined
Mar 2, 2008
Messages
66
Location
PA
Hello All,

By mid summer I will be looking for a new tire for my 2013 Ridgeline. I currently run Xice Suvs on it for the winter on a set of 17" rims. For summer I use the stock 18s with Defender LTX tires which have been excellent over their lifetime. I am currently trying to decide between the Nokian Outpost APT and the newer Bridgestone Dueler AT Ascent. I would like to choose between these two because I would like to move to a tire that has a little more tread grip for light off-roading and to allow me to run that tire a bit longer into winters here in PA, as Nov/Dec and March can be snow one day and 45 degrees the next.

I can find a decent amount of reviews for the Bridgestone, seems like a really great tire, but I wonder if even it is too aggressive for my needs. The Nokian I can find almost nothing about, especially dealing with light snow traction. If anyone has one of these two tires and doesn't mind sharing their thoughts it would be greatly appreciated.

For reference I also considered the newer Continental Terrain Contact H/T, which look to be a better performing clone of the Defenders I've ran for years. I would still consider those as well if the Nokian and Bridgestone's don't work out.
 
I don't have any experience with those tires, but I recently put Firestone Destination AT2's on my Grand Cherokee, and have been very impressed so far. I'm no stranger to aggressive tires with my past Jeeps, but wanted something still road friendly and quiet, quieter than the BFG AT KO2s on my Wrangler, but with good snow traction since the tires the Grand Cherokee came with were awful in the snow. The Destinations have been awesome in the snow, very quiet, ride well, and good in the offroad situations I've been in so far. They come highly rated on Tire Rack too.
 
AZjeff said:
Where did you come up with that tire?
Click to expand...

It is going to be my next AT tire for my ZR2. The tread pattern looks good for on-highway manners, and the off road performance is supposed to be fantastic. All reviews I have been able to dig up are all thumbs up, and the price can't be beat. I like that it has one of the highest load ratings in my size without going full blown LT tire. Also decent warranty.
https://simpletire.com/brands/radar-tires/renegade-a-t-pro
 
I have the Bridgestone’s Ascent on my 2023 F150,
265 70 17.
I wanted a good AT with highway manners since I spend 90% of my time on highway.
I have 3k on these tires, I like the look, they performed well this past hunting season up in the VA mountains. Handled light snow with ease. I’m most impressed with the wet traction. Really surprised at how well these tires perform in the rain.

The road noise is mild - you have to really be paying attention or listening for it. Not noticeable with radio on. Did take a fuel mileage hit. Down about 1-2 mpg but thats to be expected coming off the junk OEM Pirellis Ford puts on to help the mpgs.

Overall, I am pleased so far with these tires.
I’ve had Michelin LTX’s before- awesome tire, but again, wanted a true AT for hunting that also behaves well on highway. Hope this helps.
 
If still using snow tires, I would stay with Defender or Continental H/T.
Continental TerrainContact A/t is a highly regarded mild off-road tire, but the emphasis is on wet performance (and it is excellent), which means it gives up ice/slick performance. TerrainContact A/t is now OE tire on Honda TrailSport vehicles.
 
Looks like Tire Rack did a large multi tire test recently, no winter tire testing but overall, the tire that is available in my size that scored best is the new Cooper Discoverer Road + Trail. The Bridgestone was subjectively right about middle pack-ish, they did report more noise from the tread pattern than other tires. I recently saw I can get the Nokians for 158$ per tire with free shipping from a national website. I may have to think about my choices a bit more, I may wait until Memorial Day to see if there are any other sales/ discounts to take advantage of since I am not in dire need of new tires right now.
 
there are plenty of great choices in that category.

I wouldnt consider mail order if you get a bad one its a pita to get replacement labor for mounting etc.
putting the tire size in your post would have been helpful.
 
I’ll echo @edyvw above. I’ve had 2 sets of the continental terraincontact AT. They are the best rain tire I’ve had in a RWD pickup, and that says a lot. They are quiet, and I’ve also used them for towing.

Last year we had an unusual ice/snow thing for a week. I have the continental tires and my son who was living with us has the Michelin LTX M&S. We drove both. They were very, very similar in the snow. Michelin had a slight advantage, maybe an extra 10-15% of grip by the butt dyno, but it wasn’t a large margin at all.

The disadvantage I’ve had with both sets of continentals is both developed non-symmetrical steering… the vehicle would drive straight and true and the steering wheel straight, but a nudge to one way on the steering would send it moving, while a nudge on the other was a vague input. My first set did this worse than the second, and yes I had the alignment checked. Between the two I had a set of Yokohama G015s which is also an excellent mild all terrain - also quiet, sturdier sidewall, though notably more precise and they felt precise like driving on glass - on a smooth interstate they were uncanny “still.” … precision made. They did not do as well with an unloaded bed in the rain.

Being that the ridgeline is AWD with FWD bias, the “empty RWD bed thing wouldn’t be as big of a deal. The Yokohamas should be checked.

That said, both options youve mentioned should be great. Bridgestone was my go-to brand for years and the heavier Bridgestone tire should be a good mix for the heavier ridgeline. They were always sturdy, long wearing tires for me. All of my Bridgestones struggled with wet weather traction as they aged, more so in RWD applications, so they were candidates for early replacement before I was down to the wear bars. That said, I drove hard, off-roaded some, towed a trailer, and used DIY tire patches and never had issues with them. I put them on my kids cars when they went to college and they handled many curb bumps… also note, the Bridgestone is snowflake rated.
 
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I am going to write this disclaimer with the disclaimer that I have not tried the mentioned Bridgestone or Nokian all terrains. Here is a story of tires on my 2022 Silverado.

The truck came with General Grabber HTS tires. I was worried about winter traction from stock tires. Like you, I figured I'd get a 3 peak all terrain tire - something like the Michelin CrossClimate 2. I ended up with Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus as they seemed like a good on-road focused choice. That was a mistake. My gas mileage went down significantly, wet traction got worse, braking took longer with more pedal pressure, and they sucked in the snow. You could barely hit the brakes without the ABS kicking on with a dusting of snow. I had them for 1,000 miles before I begged Discount Tire to take them back.

Discount tire ended up swapping them out for Michelin Defenders. I was very happy with these tires and ran them for over a year. I could drive in the snow in RWD most places and had no real complaints. Fast forward a year, and one of the Michelin's got a huge gash in the sidewall. I decided at this point to put my new 18" aluminum wheels on and get some tires. I figured because of Yokohama's reviews on the Geolander AT G015 that I'd try the new Geolander AT4. The AT4s ended up ranking even below the Pirelli's. They would almost get stuck in 4x4 on packed snow. A couple times of braking on the interstate and I was afraid that my truck wasn't going to stop in situations where it normally would be fine. Gas mileage went from 19 to 16. Not to mention the noise and poor tracking on the road. It felt like driving a big old boat American car. I ended up taking the Yoko's off and selling them at a loss.

I replaced them with Continental TerrainContact H/T. They were 30 bucks a tire cheaper than the Michelins and didn't have the flimsy sidewall. These tires have been stellar and are as close to true winter tires as I've found in an all season. Comparing them to the Michelins, they are definitely better in the snow and they ride a lot better.

Moral of the story - I think all terrain tires are mostly for looks, and I would not use them for the use case you have described. Continental TerrainContact H/T would be my pick.
 
Solid statements @Jmlo96. The design of a true all terrain is counter to rain and snow traction. A true all terrain will have large lugs with good spacing between them to remain sturdy while being able to grab rough ground and clear it out. There are a smaller number of gripping edges in an AT, because solid blocks of rubber are needed to maintain strength. Conversely, a good rain tire will have slits or sipes cut through every treadblock, equating to many, many gripping edges through the sipes. That grips in the wet and snow, but would pack with mud and risk getting ripped apart on a rocky trail. To this end, you are correct - an all terrain tire will naturally lack highway wet grip.

I’ve never gone more aggressive than “mild” all terrains for the exact reasons you stated. That, and true ATs get noisy on the pavement.

And yet - a true all terrain makes a big difference even on hardpack dirt and gravel, dry and wet. I pulled a travel trailer and in some campsites, good highway tires would spin and spin while trying to ease a camper over unkept sites or terrain, whereas a mild AT simply walked up the trail or slip. Its hard finding the right balance of tire for the different circumstances we find ourselves in.
 
A few things on this end..
I've been a JEEP guy for many years, so A/T and M/T tires are something I have been through a lot of. Now the fact is not lost on me that I was focused more on off road ability than I was on road ability, but its a factor that you cant ignore. Some of my past JEEPs were also DD or family vehicles so on road manners did come into play in those applications.
-My best A/T tire in terms of grip offroad in all conditions, without price being a factor was BFGs. I got away from these due to tread life vs cost, its just ridiculous...

HANDS DOWN, the best all around A/T tire that had awesome road manners and also did amazing offroad in every condition (after they got warm) and could even be aired down while offroad, then pumped back up and handle the road home like an all season... Were HANKOOK DynaPro ATMs! I loved these tires, they were very reasonably priced, I always got 60K mi plus on them, they look nice, they were comfortable and they just worked. I cant tell you how many sets of these Ive been through, but never a failure or an issue.

Another tire that was incredibly impressive, that was lower than a 3rd tier tire and I couldn't even find them for sale at the time, it was considered an A/T but looked like a regular AS radial, was a DAYTONA A/T tire. I truly only remember that, but I also remember they were absolutely amazing on and for light off roading. They were on an XJ when I bought it, so I ran them until I lifted the JEEP and I loved them for a DD.

Again, I understand that you're looking for something different than I was most of the time. However, I would still strongly recommend the HANKKOOK DynaPro ATM.
 
wsar10 said:
A few things on this end..
I've been a JEEP guy for many years, so A/T and M/T tires are something I have been through a lot of. Now the fact is not lost on me that I was focused more on off road ability than I was on road ability, but its a factor that you cant ignore. Some of my past JEEPs were also DD or family vehicles so on road manners did come into play in those applications.
-My best A/T tire in terms of grip offroad in all conditions, without price being a factor was BFGs. I got away from these due to tread life vs cost, its just ridiculous...

HANDS DOWN, the best all around A/T tire that had awesome road manners and also did amazing offroad in every condition (after they got warm) and could even be aired down while offroad, then pumped back up and handle the road home like an all season... Were HANKOOK DynaPro ATMs! I loved these tires, they were very reasonably priced, I always got 60K mi plus on them, they look nice, they were comfortable and they just worked. I cant tell you how many sets of these Ive been through, but never a failure or an issue.

Another tire that was incredibly impressive, that was lower than a 3rd tier tire and I couldn't even find them for sale at the time, it was considered an A/T but looked like a regular AS radial, was a DAYTONA A/T tire. I truly only remember that, but I also remember they were absolutely amazing on and for light off roading. They were on an XJ when I bought it, so I ran them until I lifted the JEEP and I loved them for a DD.

Again, I understand that you're looking for something different than I was most of the time. However, I would still strongly recommend the HANKKOOK DynaPro ATM.
Click to expand...

What a great writeup! I wonder if the Dynapro A/T is different when sold as original equipment? I had a set as OE on an F150 - they were great in every manner - quiet, smooth, sturdy, handled well - except in the rain - which I know the SWB jeeps are sensitive to. I ditched mine halfway through their treadlife due to wet weather wheelspin?? Or maybe the JEEPS have relatively more weight over the axle than an empty pickup?
 
wsar10 said:
A few things on this end..
I've been a JEEP guy for many years, so A/T and M/T tires are something I have been through a lot of. Now the fact is not lost on me that I was focused more on off road ability than I was on road ability, but its a factor that you cant ignore. Some of my past JEEPs were also DD or family vehicles so on road manners did come into play in those applications.
-My best A/T tire in terms of grip offroad in all conditions, without price being a factor was BFGs. I got away from these due to tread life vs cost, its just ridiculous...

HANDS DOWN, the best all around A/T tire that had awesome road manners and also did amazing offroad in every condition (after they got warm) and could even be aired down while offroad, then pumped back up and handle the road home like an all season... Were HANKOOK DynaPro ATMs! I loved these tires, they were very reasonably priced, I always got 60K mi plus on them, they look nice, they were comfortable and they just worked. I cant tell you how many sets of these Ive been through, but never a failure or an issue.

Another tire that was incredibly impressive, that was lower than a 3rd tier tire and I couldn't even find them for sale at the time, it was considered an A/T but looked like a regular AS radial, was a DAYTONA A/T tire. I truly only remember that, but I also remember they were absolutely amazing on and for light off roading. They were on an XJ when I bought it, so I ran them until I lifted the JEEP and I loved them for a DD.

Again, I understand that you're looking for something different than I was most of the time. However, I would still strongly recommend the HANKKOOK DynaPro ATM.
Click to expand...
All conditions ? nah … compromise made over price …
(Like most things Korean) …
Okay, on-road is in title … (AT = all tradeoff’s)
 
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Ended up going with the Nokian Outpost APT, Tire Easy had then for about 155 each, plus an extra 50$ off any 4 tires with coupon. Couple that with free shipping it was a hard deal to pass up. I can order tires from Tirerack Wholesale from my friends account and even with that discount, any other tire I was looking at was 100-200$ more with the terrible shipping fees Tirerack charges. Ill update this once I get them and have them mounted.
 
K20SiGUY said:
Looks like Tire Rack did a large multi tire test recently, no winter tire testing but overall, the tire that is available in my size that scored best is the new Cooper Discoverer Road + Trail. The Bridgestone was subjectively right about middle pack-ish, they did report more noise from the tread pattern than other tires. I recently saw I can get the Nokians for 158$ per tire with free shipping from a national website. I may have to think about my choices a bit more, I may wait until Memorial Day to see if there are any other sales/ discounts to take advantage of since I am not in dire need of new tires right now.
Click to expand...
At that price I would grab the Nokians now I don't think they will go any lower in price if anything up
 
4WD said:
All conditions ? nah … compromise made over price …
(Like most things Korean) …
Okay, on-road is in title … (AT = all tradeoff’s)
Click to expand...
Sorry man, I must have missed you being the co-pilot or passenger over the year while I ran the mentioned tires! 🥷

Next time, just roll the window up when you get out and make sure the door is locked....
 
wsar10 said:
Sorry man, I must have missed you being the co-pilot or passenger over the year while I ran the mentioned tires! 🥷

Next time, just roll the window up when you get out and make sure the door is locked....
Click to expand...
Cute - but I don’t exaggerate tire capabilities …
 
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