Nothing is more exciting than turning from a paved road into the wild to explore. Before doing this, you need to select the best overland tires to take you there.
In the overlanding and offroading circles, there is a raging debate about mud terrain tires vs. all-terrain tires. When overlanding, you might wonder if you should select all-terrain tires that can handle many situations, or do you select mud tires capable of powering through even the slickest and deepest mud?
What you choose depends on your goals. For example, all-terrain tires help you seamlessly tackle mildly muddy conditions and drive on proper roads comfortably. These tires are designed to be excellent in almost every application.
Conversely, mud tires have been designed to help you dig through the deepest mud possible. The lugs are extremely large, and the voids in between them help to shed excess mud and grip the muddy terrain with every rotation.
While great for muddy conditions, mud tires can wear down quickly when driven on paved roads daily. Furthermore, these tires can struggle with rainy or icy roads.
With that in mind, it is time to highlight the factors to consider when purchasing the best overland tires.
Buyer’s Guide: Factors to Consider When Purchasing the Best Overland Tires
Finding the best overland tires for your truck can be extremely difficult. There are many factors to consider, coupled with the fact that there are so many tires to select from. The right tire for you will depend on a host of variables. Factors such as the conditions you intend to drive in, your truck, and if you intend to change tires or not all play a role in the overland tire you select.
For example, if you have a dedicated vehicle you take to an overland park that spends minimal time on the pavement, then getting the most versatile or rugged mud tires will suit your needs.
If you have one truck that is both your overland vehicle and your daily driver, you are better off getting the best all-terrain tires highlighted in this article.
The most effective way to find the best overland tires is to consider the conditions you intend to drive in, for how long, and what you are driving in. If you plan to dig through mud, scale sheer cliffs, or get off the road for some free time, tires can help you do that.
The Best Overland Tires
1. Toyo Open Country- Best General Use TIres
The first tire on our list of the best overland tires is the Toyo Open Country all-terrain tires. Think of these tires as the multipurpose overlanding tire. They have been specifically designed to handle a host of driving situations. It doesn’t matter if you have a land cruiser that requires something to tackle rough terrain or if you need tires you can use every day on paved roads; these tires are a perfect choice.
Their flexibility is an inbuilt design ensuring these tires are extremely successful. Instead of simply sticking with a single design, Toyo has chosen to create an entire tire line based on the core model. This design approach ensures that you can always find tires perfectly suited to your truck, how you drive, and the driving conditions you can expect to face.
The Toyo Open Country tires are a perfect choice for those that require tires capable of handling how they drive and the exact specifications of their vehicles.
Pros
- Entire range is built on core tire design
- The best all-terrain tires
- Can fit just about any vehicle
Cons
- One of the most expensive overland tire options
2. Nitto Trail Grappler- Most Unique Mud Terrain Tire
The Nitto Trail Grapplers are second on our list of the best overland tires, and these are certainly the most unique mud terrain tires on the list. Of course, a tire’s performance should be paramount; however, there is no denying that these tires are great to look at.
These mud tires have been created with a two-sided design ensuring drivers can flip them to match their style. It is easy to believe that these features serve no function, but that isn’t the case. They have been created using innovative 3D computer modeling.
This approach to tire design has resulted in the creation of tires that help reduce the amount of road noise typically associated with mud terrain tires. When driving through mud, you will discover that the classic oversized lugs are great to look at and improve your truck’s handling.
Pros
- Great overland tire
- Unique two-sided design
- Helps improve handling even on paved roads
Cons
- Slightly pricier
3. Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac- Best All Terrain for Paved Road
The fact that the Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac is on this list is not a surprise since Goodyear makes some of the best all-terrain tires available on the market. These Goodyear tires are a great choice for overland enthusiasts who want something they can utilize daily but still use when offroading.
These tires have high handle center tread blocks designed to provide additional stability on the road while reducing the noise associated with paved roads. These Goodyear tires also have rim protection to ensure your wheels are safe when parking on the curb.
The additional offroad performance from these overland tires makes them a great choice for winter driving.
Pros
- Great overland tires
- Quiet on paved roads
- Can be decent daily drivers
Cons
- More general use tires than all terrain
4. General Grabber X3- Cheapest All Terrain Tire
The Grabber X3 from General Tires has a lot going for it. It might not be a mud tire with the most dramatic voids and lugs seen in mud terrain tires; however, it does have its advantages.
It comes with everything you will need in an overland tire. It has a siped construction, a 3-ply design, and sidewall lugs on the tread blocks, which enable it to sail seamlessly through rocky and muddy driving. While this tire is a dedicated mud terrain tire, it has been created to work efficiently with paved roads.
General has given these tire lugs a unique pitch design, enabling these mud terrain tires to go over paved roads with less noise and more stability than the average mud terrain tire. These General tires might be a new evolution in all-terrain tires.
Pros
- Great for rocky and muddy driving
- Capable on paved roads
- Unique lug pitch design
Cons
- Not the best all-terrain tire out there
5. BFGoodrich All-Terrain Ta KO2- Best All Terrain Tire for Winter Conditions
If you are searching for an all-terrain tire with sizeable voids and decent lugs, then the KO2 is the right choice. This all-terrain tire has been designed to embrace all kinds of terrain. These overland tires can handle low-tracking driving conditions and provide a decent snow rating, meaning they can provide quite a lot of grip during winter conditions.
While the KO2s are great in slow, they surprisingly do not fare well in sticky mud as they can’t clear mud quickly.
Pros
- Sizeable voids and lugs
- Low tracking driving condition
- Great for winter conditions
Cons
- Terrible with mud
6. BFGoodrich KM3- Best Mud Terrain Tire
These mud terrain tires from BFGoodrich have been constructed to handle the muddiest driving conditions. They are manufactured using modern materials that provide better handling in slick conditions. These mud terrain tires have been specifically created to tear through rocky climbs and slick mud. They can also be great for aired-down conditions.
Overlanding involves serious climbing and sometimes getting through thick mud, so airing down the tires might be necessary, and that is where these mud terrain tires come into play. The KM3 is created with a flexible zone that improves performance in air-down conditions.
While these all-terrain tires are great for offroading, they are decent on the road, with slight noise being the biggest issue on-road. Nevertheless, due to their design, these tires falter on icy or snow surfaces like other mud tires.
Pros
- All-terrain tires
- Flexible zone to improve air down conditions
- Can tear through slick mud and rocky climbs
Cons
- Not great for winter driving
7. Falken Wildpeak AT3W- Best Overland Tire for Wet and Snowy Conditions
The Falken Wildpeak are all-terrain tires that make driving more exciting and easier than ever. These best all-terrain tires have a severe snow rating and are great at handling winter conditions on rough and difficult terrain like mountain ranges.
These tires have been designed to brave wet and rugged terrain just as seamlessly as on paved roads. They make a great choice for drivers that have to drive to an overland park but don’t want to change tires halfway through their journey.
Pros
- Severe winter rating
- Can handle wet and rugged terrain
- Great on paved roads
Cons
- none
Tips to Remember When Overlanding
When you go offroading, there are a couple of things you need to remember as they can ensure you remain safe and your truck remains on all four wheels.
Be Careful When Driving
While this might seem like a no-brainer, it still bears to remember. Driving cautiously and safely is a great way to keep your truck right side up. Driving this way means staying alert, taking corners slowly, and going slowly.
When you go offroad, there are so many instances and scenarios that can result in avoidable accidents. Practice the same good driving off-road as you would on-road. This is an effective way to remain safe and have a great time.
Do Not Overload Your Jeep
The last thing you want to do is overload your truck, particularly on the roof rack. Adding additional weight, especially on the top spots of your vehicle, can increase the chances of it tipping. It is all about balance—correct weight distribution throughout your vehicle is the most effective way to ensure your truck remains securely on the ground.
Stay Low
It is important to stay low when overlanding – this is especially true if you have a Jeep. Jeeps have a high center of gravity and a light body. Lifting your ride height can increase your chances of flipping your vehicle over.
Generally, a higher center of gravity increases the likelihood of rolls and tips. This likelihood is reduced in newer and modern vehicles. However, adding an after-market lift that alters the suspension could change your vehicle’s geometry. This is why it is extremely important to consider your vehicle’s geometry when you install a lift.
Learn how to safely lift your vehicle: Body Lift vs Suspension Lift.
One surefire way to decrease the likelihood of rolling your vehicle is to keep it as low as possible. Nevertheless, when you install a lift, ensure that it is installed safely and properly.
Best Overland Tires: Conclusion
The advice highlighted in this article doesn’t guarantee that a flip won’t happen; however, if precautions are taken, you can be sure that your risk of a roll or flip has been drastically reduced.
Hopefully, this guide has inspired you to select the best overland tires for your vehicle and your situation while also fueling your desire to get out into the great outdoors to experience the thrills of overlanding.
