What to Know When It’s Time to Buy Off-Road Tires

Before you type “off-road tires near me” into the search engine, you may be wondering which tire types count as off-road tires in the first place. The answer is simple––if you’re looking to hit the trails, you’ll need either all-terrain tires or mud tires. Off-road tires are more durable compared to regular tires because they’re built with a sturdier construction than highway tires are. Do they last longer than regular tires, though? Well, that depends on where you’re going and how you’re treating your tires.

You may pop a mud tire on the trail when you hit a rut too hard, while street tires on a car may last you for 75,000 miles on the open road. However, if you were to put a set of street tires on your off-roading vehicle, you can be certain that they’d last no time. So, in the off-roading context, yes, off-road tires will last you much longer than stock tires. The real decision here is not whether to get off-roading tires. Instead, it’s which type of off-roading tires should you get? All-terrain tires or mud tires? Let’s find out.

All About All-Terrain Tires

All-terrain tires do exactly what you’d think that they do––they safely handle all types of terrain, whether it be blacktop, mud, dirt, ice, snow, or concrete. As a result, all-terrain tires can handle off-roading terrain. The main reason that people choose all-terrain tires over mud tires is that all-terrain tires are much more comfortable to use on the highway. If you’re a casual or occasional off-roader who plans to use your SUV or truck as a daily driver, all-terrain tires may be a better match for you. In fact, even drivers who are 50/50 on the highway and off the pavement are encouraged to use all-terrain tires.

The all-terrain tire is sort of a “jack of all trades” in the sense that it can manage all types of terrain well; that said, it’s no expert at any of them, which is why specialty tires are still made for mud, snow, highway driving, and racing. All-terrain tires are by no means your best bet for hardcore off-roading, but they’re a great happy medium for many drivers. If you like to occasionally cruise the trails and don’t plan on doing any rock climbing or deep mud-diving, the all-terrain tire is a great off-roading option.

All About Mud Tires

Mud tires are perfect for off-roading enthusiasts (hence why many ATVs and UTVs come with standard mud tires). They’ve got more aggressive, deeper treads that help you maintain a much better grip, both on pavement and off-road. The trick here is that mud tires do wear pretty quickly due to their soft rubber material. The mud tire’s softer design is what helps them maintain a better grip on surfaces, but the downside is that it’s less resistant to road wear.

Many experts will recommend that people choose all-terrain tires if they’re equally split between highway and off-road driving and that you should only opt for mud tires if you are off-road at least 80% of the time. While this may be true for some, it’s not standard across the board. Yes, mud tires do wear faster, but they’re also better at tackling slick, snowy, and icy conditions than all-terrain tires are. Since we’re in an area where winters do get cold and slick at times, and we’re also surrounded by poor pavement, farms, and backroads, you can still benefit from mud tires without making your vehicle a dedicated off-roader.

Avoid Mud Tires if You’re Off-Roading in the Desert

Cincinnati drivers shouldn’t have to worry too much about encouraging deep sand on the trails. However, if you plan to travel out somewhere in the west for some desert-specific off-roading, you may want to stick with all-terrain tires (or at least get a set that you can switch out before you go). Mud tires have deep treads, which means they dig down into the sand, which can slow you down and even cause you to get stuck. If your trail has a combination of rocks, sand, mud, and the likes, mud tires are fine––but if you’re looking to hit a sand-drenched trail, those mud tires may pose an issue.

What About Winter Tires?

There are many benefits to getting a set of winter tires if you live somewhere like Cincinnati, where winters can get quite chilly. You don’t have to live in a frigid area in the north to make use of winter tires. These tires can handle cold temperatures, helping maintain better road grip when regular tires may stiffen up and fail you. But how will a set of winter tires perform in off-roading scenarios? As long as you’re not using your winter tires to go off-roading during spring and summer, you can use winter tires on the trails. However, your average winter tire won’t handle rocks and deep mud well.

Keep in mind that winter tires are designed to be used across several winter seasons. This means that you’re putting them on as winter begins and taking them off once warm weather comes back around. Since you’ll inevitably have a set of mud or all-terrain tires in addition to your winter tires, you can also swap the winter set for an off-roading set before you hit the trails. It’s not convenient, but it’s definitely doable.

Which Off-Roading Tire Is Best?

Overall, mud tires perform the best when we’re talking about doing some serious off-roading. They’ve got deeper tread and can push through the mud much better than any other tire type. But while mud tires are the better off-roading tire option, that still doesn’t mean that they’re the “best” option for you. If you only hit the trails occasionally or simply want some off-road capability to drive on the farm or go camping every few weekends, all-terrain tires are better for you. They’ll get you where you need to go, both on pavement and off, while providing a smoother and more comfortable commute. All-terrain tires also offer more longevity than mud tires do.

This whole debate gets tricky when it comes to snow performance. Of course, winter tires will perform well in the snow since they’re made for winter weather. Mud tires are usually better than all-terrain tires at maintaining grip in snowy areas, and some of them are even snow-rated. Still, we recommend choosing either mud or all-terrain tires for your daily driving or off-roading and purchasing a set of winter tires for the colder months. While yes, you’ll be paying more upfront, you’re saving money in the long term. Your set of winter tires will last you for several winter seasons, and your daily driving tire set will last even longer because it’s getting less wear and tear.

No matter which way you swing it, both of these off-road tire types are more durable than other tire options. All-terrain tires and mud-terrain tires are built to take the abuse of off-roading and have tougher construction. You do not want to hit the trails with a set of standard all-season or summer tires. Stick with the two durable off-roading tire options. You’ll be glad you made the investment.