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- Alex Moroz
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We all love to go off-roading, and off-roading is one of the reasons why we purchase such big and powerful trucks. If you need to climb up a rocky road, get your car through deep mud, drive along a whole lot of sand or simply go off-roading, then these are the tires for you. We’ve compiled a short list of tires that will help you conquer the roughest of terrains. When choosing our top five tires we took into consideration their quality, price, and how well they manage off-road. Keep in mind that most of these models are allowed to be driven on the highway as well.
Top 5 tires for sand and off-roading
1Nitto Mud Grappler Mud-Terrain Tire - 33/1250R20 114Q — Customers’ favorite
The easiest thing to do when choosing tires for your truck is to go with a well-known brand. Nitto is considered to be one of the most trustworthy brands when it comes to off-roading. This established tire brand has something to offer for everyone, but this exact tire is the best and most aggressive option they have when it comes to hardcore off-roading
This is an extremely strong tire with 3-ply sidewalls and huge lugs coming down its sides. These lugs do a lot for traction no matter what terrain you’re going through, especially if you let out a little bit of air. On top of that, this tire has one of the coolest sidewall designs on the market. On one side you have an aggressive lizard design, and the other side is blank if you want to keep it simple. This is a special feature that only Nitto have.
The tire’s dimensions are 33 x 33 x 12.5 inches, with 20-inch rims. One tire weighs 74 pounds.
Nitto made sure that there is a lot of space between the lugs to allow optimal self-cleaning. If there are small spaces between the lugs, then there’s a high chance of mud getting stuck in the spaces. With such optimal spaces between the lugs, any mud that gets stuck will be projected off when the tires are spinning fast.
The lugs are arranged in such a way that the tire is always digging into any terrain that it’s on. The only downside of such a huge tire and lugs is that there is a lot of road noise, but that’s not what’s important in an off-road tire. This tire is the most expensive in this category
Pros
- The most loved brand on the market.
- Has the most positive customer reviews.
- Two-sided design. A basic and an aggressive look.
Cons
- Tires are heavy. Makes them hard to transport and install.
2Cooper Discoverer STT Pro All-Terrain Radial Tire — All-round practical
As all off-road tire manufacturers, Cooper Tire claim that their tire is the best when it comes to finding a balance between driving your tuck on and off the road. This tire shows great performance on rough terrains while remaining quiet and comfortable off-road. We give you the most aggressive tire that Cooper have to offer.
This tire has market-leading technology called Armor-Tek3 Carcass. It provides 50% more protection against impact damage than a standard 2-ply tire does. It gives such a big boost because the third layer is attached at an angle.
The tire dimensions are 33 x 33 x 12.5 inches, while the rim diameter is 15 inches. One tire weighs 56.9 pounds.
There are massive side biters on the shoulder of the tire and a-symmetrical scallops on alternating lugs. The scallops help direct mud, rocks, sand, and any other rough terrain into the mud scoops. This maximizes bite off-road and helps eject rough terrain.
Not only does this tire have plenty of off-roading technology, but it also provides a smooth ride on the highway thanks to the flex grooves on the corner of the tire. They help the tire eat up any imperfections on the road.
Even though Cooper Tire claim otherwise, this tire skews more to the off-road enthusiasts. It’s a rough terrain tire, you simply can’t make it be quiet on the highway. But if you’re willing to put up with some excessive noise, then you will get a tire that just walks all over everything. This tire is cheaper than most of its rivals.
Pros
- Strongest impact damage out of the tires reviewed.
- A-symmetrical scallops maximize bite off-road.
- Flex grooves deal great with eating up imperfections on the road.
Cons
- A minimal amount of reviews. Might be a sign that they aren’t bought often.
3RBP REPULSOR M/T All-Terrain Radial Tire - 33X12.50R20 114Q — Price meets quality
It’s a well-known fact that you shouldn’t go cheap with tires, and it’s not the case with this tire by RBP. This is one of the most expensive tires in this category, but it’s worth every penny. This is a perfect example where price meets quality.
With this tire, you instantly make a statement that you rule the road. It is extremely durable and can easily deal with hitting rocky roads at high speeds, going through layers of mud and threw miles of sand.
The dimensions of this tire are 33 x 12.5 x 33 inches with 20-inch rims. The weight of the tire is 56.9 pounds.
As with all of its competitors, this tire has huge lugs on the sidewalls. The sidewalls have extra rubber outside of the flex zone for extra protection and there is an extra belt under the tread to protect against flats. When this bad boy is on the road it is surprisingly quiet, considering the size of the lugs on it and spaces between them. This might be one of the quietest options on the market, and it’s definitely quieter than the option from Nitto. The team over at RBP did all they could to minimize noise without the tire losing its off-road capabilities. The tires give your truck a very beautiful aggressive stance.
Another market leading feature that this tire has is how long-lasting it is. You are expected to get at least 20 thousand miles of harsh off-road riding out of it. Also, this is the most reasonably expensive tire. The extra benefits that you get with even more expensive tires are not worth the money.
Pros
- Extra protection against flats.
- Longest life expectancy.
- Best price to quality ratio.
Cons
- Multiple claims of customers being unhappy with how the tires look. Many expect them to look bigger.
4Federal Couragia M/T Mud-Terrain Radial Tire - 35x12.5R20 121Q — Conquer the impossible
This is one of the most controversial off-road tires on the market. While generally, this tire has great reviews, saying that it is the best on the market, there is a surprisingly big amount of negative comments about it. The reason for that is because our needs are all very different, and what works for one driver doesn’t work for the other one. Some call it the ultimate tire, while others hate it, but everyone agrees that your truck obtains a confident new look.
The reason for such controversial customer reviews is that this tire isn’t built for rocky roads. It is the best when it comes to sand, mud, and dirt, but it doesn’t work well with rocks. Its main strength isn’t its durability, its how well this tire deals with getting threw deep and thick sand or mud. It comes at a standard price in this category.
The dimensions of this tire are 34.8 x 34.8 x 12.5 inches with 20-inch rims. The weight of a tire is 71.2 pounds.
This tire from Federal has an aggressive lug pattern and shoulder. The pattern is specifically engineered for best and constant performance. It has a Sloped Radius Gradient (SRG) block design that helps keep the blocks stiff and enhances traction.
As with most tires in this category, it is ideal to install them on a lifted truck, and you might even need to do some trimming for some extra clearance if needed.
The main problem with this tire is that it has a lot of excessive noise. The reason for that is its open tread design. But, we’ll say it again, that’s a small sacrifice to make, especially considering how much better these tires are when compared to the factory ones in all aspects.
Pros
- It is one of the best tires when it comes to mud and sand.
- Enhanced traction thanks to SRG block
Cons
- Deals poorly with rocky roads, and you have the biggest chance of getting a flat with this option.
5SunF Power.I ATV/UTV all-terrain Tire 22x7-12 Front & 22x10-12 Rear, Set of 4 A033, 6-PR, Tubeless — King of off-road
Unlike the option from Federal, this tire is for truck drivers who have the desire to conquer all terrains possible. Sand, rock, slick rock, snow – you name it.
The tire comes with reinforced sides that provide puncture protection. You simply need to take a look at the tire to understand how beefy and rugged it is. Considering how rugged it is, you still get very nice ride quality. This product from SUNF has the most-customer friendly price.
The dimensions of the tire are 22 x 34 x 22 inches. The weight of one tire is 70 pounds.
This tire is suitable for off-road rides in the desert, in mud, dirt and on rock applications. Unfortunately, this tire isn’t suitable for highway use. But, this gives it a serious advantage off-road.
How well a tire manages on any off-road terrain is determined by the shape of the tire, the size of the lugs and the space between them. This tire has the perfect lug depth and pattern that offer enhanced skit and traction control. The aggressive shoulder knobs provide market-leading side bite and traction with additional protection to rim and sidewall. This is possibly the best off-road tire out on the market.
Another negative side of this product is the amount of noise it gives. But that shouldn’t even worry you, considering that you aren’t allowed to drive on the highway with these tires on
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Pros
- One of the best when it comes to off-road performance.
- Most ideal positioning and sizing of lugs provide market leading performance
Cons
- Loudest tire out of those reviewed
- You are not allowed to drive with these tires on the highway.
Buyer’s Guide
Looks and design
We’ll start of the buyer’s guide with something that doesn’t affect the performance of your truck, but it does affect how good your truck looks while performing. It’s the design of the tires. How good the tires look is determined by how and in what shape the lugs are positioned. The bigger and wider they are – the more aggressive the tires look. The sidewalls also affect the design greatly. Nitto have a very interesting two-sided design. One side has an aggressive lizard design, while the other is very basic.
The positioning of lugs and noise
Not only does the positioning of the lugs affect the looks of your tires, but it also affects how well the tires deal with rough terrain. If the lugs are the correct size, shape, and pattern, then they deal with rough terrains better. The bigger the lugs are, the more sound there is. Tire manufacturers constantly try to find the perfect lug size for ideal performance and minimal noise.
Durability
Of course, we expect an off-road tire to be very durable. The hardest challenge that a tire can go threw is hitting a sharp and hard object at a fairly high speed. The durability of the tire isn’t something we would recommend you to sacrifice for other benefits.
Lifespan
All of these tires are expected to have a pretty 
good lifespan. It is estimated that the bare minimum you are expected to get out of all of these tires is at least 10 thousand miles, but that’s only if you constantly use them on the toughest of terrains. Otherwise, you should expect to get up to 40 thousand good miles on these tires with regular off-roading
Price
All of these tires aren’t very cheap. The price for one tire in this category ranges from about $150 to $400. But if you think of it, it’s not a very big price to pay for an amazing off-road experience.
Driving on the highway
No matter how hard tire manufacturers try, the level of noise that these tires make is pretty excessive. It is something you just have to deal with when going on the highway. When purchasing these tires, you should understand that they were primarily designed and built for off-roading.
Our choice and short summary
Our choice is the RBP REPULSOR M/T All-Terrain Radial Tire. Generally, all of these tires have the same level of performance. You can’t really improve a tire by a lot. Most brands have their own technology and their own way of making highly durable tires. We choose this tire by RBP because it is expected to outperform all of its rivals, that’s what you’re paying the extra money for. Don’t waste any time and get yourself some tires for off-roading. The make a whole world of a difference. Mud, dirt, sand, rocks – these tires will get you through it.
Questions and Answers
Yes, they are all very loud, but most truck drivers actually enjoy the sound.
We would recommend you to go with a different option, but if you have the money, then it’s an amazing option.
Yes, they are all pretty good in snow, but not on ice.
Anywhere of 10 to 50 thousand miles of constant off-road usage.