Real world - road vs all season vs light A/T tyres on the ROAD

[Bigpikle]

My 0.02 on this topic. For occasional and not planned off-roading, Gravel or mud All Seasons (Crossclimate 2 on my van) win hands down.
If off tracks, gravel and mud is 20% or more of your life style I prefer AT and suffer the sling and arrows of noise, poor wet grip on tarmac, poor braking.

Cross Climate 2's seem favourite so far, although the Tyre Reviews test winner Hankook Kinergy is also available in a SUV load rated version as well now and is both cheaper and appears better in the dry and wet tests, although worse rolling resistance.

 

[wuckfitracing]

Seems the allseasons are they way to go, I have no real experience of these though so do your research.

 

[coullstar]

I've had all sizes and various tyres from cheap summers to good winters. 20's to 17's.
I've just gone from 17in Nokian winters to 20in Pirelli winters, feedback and grip is far better on the 20's.
Profile is 40 on the 20's. It would seems Cross Climate are probably best overall, I wouldn't touch AT tyres myself, too compromised unless you are actually going off road. Ironically they seem more about the look.

 

[Green Giant]

To be fair, the falken wildpeaks have been excellent so far, especially in wet and snowy conditions. I think I was asking too much given the conditions today and the camber, gradient and twisting Road of the hardnott pass. If anyone has been over it they will know what I mean

Yep, when it’s wet it gets interesting in a 3 ton FWD van

 

[samzyy]

I've recently just had some AX7s put on my van, they are paired up with a set of supermetal 18" wheels. The ride is much better than the standard hankooks and claytons. I no longer wince when hitting them unavoidable potholes. My speedo is now reading over due the size of the wheel being larger so I don't have accurate mpg figures yet as I am yet to run a full tank. But I did see the MFD display 41mpg on a run (150bhp t6.1 manual). Heres a picture of how they look, van isn't lowered. Tyre size is 255-55-18.

 

[coullstar]

Good to see what the Rig looks like. They suit it.

 

[Bigpikle]

I've recently just had some AX7s put on my van, they are paired up with a set of supermetal 18" wheels. The ride is much better than the standard hankooks and claytons. I no longer wince when hitting them unavoidable potholes. My speedo is now reading over due the size of the wheel being larger so I don't have accurate mpg figures yet as I am yet to run a full tank. But I did see the MFD display 41mpg on a run (150bhp t6.1 manual). Heres a picture of how they look, van isn't lowered. Tyre size is 255-55-18.

View attachment 188340

Thanks - the AX7 are one of the more road focused tyres I've seen talked about but just haven't been able to find any objective info on them, so this is helpful. They certainly look the part. Did Bognor fit them for you as well? I might have to ring them about wheel options as well. I'm not sure I want 18's but will check them out.

 

[Samro]

I'm not too sure that I agree with the negativity towards the chunky off road tyre options in this thread.
I fitted BFG's in the autumn after getting stuck in a field with my All Season tyres after the ground softened at the end of the summer.
I have adjusted my driving style for the winter months (on BFG's) as they are bit crap on wet tarmac. To be fair I always knew this would be the case, but they still provide good stopping capability, albeit with a tendency lose lateral grip on wet tarmac.
They do however prevent me getting stuck in wet grass and prevent turning a pitch into a quagmire. Come early summer, I shall be refitting my 19" Cantera wheels with Goodyear All Season tyres and enjoying a quieter drive, but until then the BFG's are doing what I need.

This week, I towed my big old caravan over up an incline on grass, and whilst I noted limited traction, there is no question that the BFG tyres were the difference between "needing to take care" versus "simply getting stuck"!

 

[Bigpikle]

I'm not too sure that I agree with the negativity towards the chunky off road tyre options in this thread.
I fitted BFG's in the autumn after getting stuck in a field with my All Season tyres after the ground softened at the end of the summer.
I have adjusted my driving style for the winter months (on BFG's) as they are bit crap on wet tarmac. To be fair I always knew this would be the case, but they still provide good stopping capability, albeit with a tendency lose lateral grip on wet tarmac.
They do however prevent me getting stuck in wet grass and prevent turning a pitch into a quagmire. Come early summer, I shall be refitting my 19" Cantera wheels with Goodyear All Season tyres and enjoying a quieter drive, but until then the BFG's are doing what I need.

This week, I towed my big old caravan over up an incline on grass, and whilst I noted limited traction, there is no question that the BFG tyres were the difference between "needing to take care" versus "simply getting stuck"!

I think thats the point - know what you need and find the right tyre to meet your specific needs.

My exposure to wet and muddy conditions is limited being just a campervan, and that extra tarmac stopping power is far more important to me with 2+ tonnes of campervan on wet roads. Having looked at a few tests it seems the ATs can be as costly as >10m extra stopping distance in the wet and that could be the difference between stopping safely or being buried in the back of the car in front IMHO. From what I've read recently it feels to me like these AT tyres make the worst winter tyres unless you're off the tarmac.

I think I am pretty sold on some good All Seasons now - Hankook or Cross Climates probably - and see if I ever get close to the off-road limits of those....

 

[samzyy]

Thanks - the AX7 are one of the more road focused tyres I've seen talked about but just haven't been able to find any objective info on them, so this is helpful. They certainly look the part. Did Bognor fit them for you as well? I might have to ring them about wheel options as well. I'm not sure I want 18's but will check them out.

Yup Bognor supplied and fitted them, they provided a bunch of options when I chose the wheels. Worth speaking to them.

 

[wuckfitracing]

The right tyres are everything, and maybe a parachute. Yes get a parachute.