What Types of Tires Are Best for Off-Roading?
Photo: Manfred Richter via Pixabay
If you’re new to off-roading, you might be wondering what types of tires you should use for your rugged adventures. Find out the three main types of off-road tires that enthusiasts use to help you make an informed purchasing decision as you ready your SUV or 4×4 for rougher excursions.
Tread Into New Adventures: Find new tires for your ride here
3 main types of tires for off-roading
All-Terrain tires
As their name implies, all-terrain tires are designed to handle different geography and road conditions, from snowy and muddy roads to gravel roads and sandy dunes. The tires have an open-tread design characterized by large blocks and deep grooves with a smaller center block for noise reduction and greater grip on asphalt roads, as United Tires LLC confirms. Reinforced sidewalls give strength and resilience to the tires so they last you for many years to come.
AT tires also have the most durable tread of all the off-road tire types if longevity is important to you. And this tire type easily transitions from street driving to off-roading if you prefer to use just one set of tires on your vehicle instead of switching between street tires and off-road ones.
Mud-Terrain tires
If the off-road trails you’ll be frequenting tend to be muddy and/or uneven, then go with this off-road tire type. MT tires have wider blocks and channels than AT tires do, so any dirt you plow through will quickly pass through the tire’s grooves to eliminate wheelspin and provide you with optimum traction, as Radial Tire Service shares.
Sand tires
Drive over dunes with confidence when you outfit your ride with sand tires, as 4WheelOnline.com suggests. This tire type is distinctly different than AT and MT tires. They tend to have a paddle style design or a Baja style design with an easy fallout tread pattern to help your vehicle more easily “float” on sandy terrain without sinking. And sand tires have a wider build and the sidewall is flexible to allow the tire to flex when you lower the air pressure in prep for dune excursions.
Discover a few more ways to prepare for your first off-road adventure. Then check out these tips for off-roading on rocky trails.
Whitney Russell resides in Dayton, though her spirit can be found beach-bumming in Puerto Rico (the land of her half-Puerto Rican heritage). When not crafting car-related content, she can be found chasing after the most amazing toddler in the world, watching her “beaver” of a husband build amazing woodworking projects, hanging out with two crazy dogs, and visiting family and friends. She also enjoys traveling, crafting, and binge-watching period dramas when time allows. See more articles by Whitney.