We reached out to Falken for comment regarding break in procedure for the AT4w: The word from Falken is that there’s no coating or residue on the Wildpeaks from the factory and no break-in period to set them up for maximum traction in all conditions.
I'm switching over my AT3W's after 3 winters to the AT4W's next week. I've had a similar experience in my 2015 2 door JK. A lot of rear wheel slipping in snowy conditions, I have to really limit the throttle otherwise the back end can swing right out. That said, I know its just a matter of limiting my throttle and speed in wintery conditions. When allowing for increased following distance and lowering your speed these tires are great in snowy conditions. the AT3's have been the best tires I've driven on in wet conditions and are a big part of why I went with the At4W's this time around. Great video!
I have a new set of AT4’s on my 23’ 4 runner and they have been great so far. Haven’t tested in the snow, but that is why I bought a second wheel set of nokian hakkapeliitta 10 studded snow tires.
@@MistAlternative there were some early reviews when they were first released that Falken changed the compound on the 4s and the speculation at the time was that it would not work as well as the 3s in the snow. This appears to be confirming that.
I'm translating Falken comment: "Other manufacturers put a coating on their 3PMSF AT tires so they get good winter results when new, but once broken-in you are on the hard rubber like all ATs to resist offroad conditions."
I’m sure a true snow tire would dominate this test. However, unless you live in an area where that has snow on the ground for 6+ months I don’t think it makes sense for a 4WD vehicle. The KO2 were awful in the snow and even rain compared to the AT3W and Baja Boss AT in my experience . Glad to see the new generation has been improved. TBF the K02s were the best AT tire on dry pavement by far
Personally I like the latest Michelin Ice X line. But I agree, as a Canadian, I'm not impressed by the tread pattern of these tires, except for the Firestones, for working in snow. But the real problem in how the rubber reacts to being in freezing temperatures.
Hey guys, good video. I'm just jumping on to say as we know repeatable snow testing is very difficult even in test facilities. I'm a little bit surprised that the falken did so bad in braking. It's certainly not as good as the other two tires, but to be 100% worse is probably out of scope of the tire. Your traction figures look more in line with mine. I recently tested it versus some of its peers in very cold icy conditions and my traction data was similar to yours, whereas my breaking data was much much better, although it still isn't the best in the snow out of the current batch of all terrain tirew, that's for sure. Keep up the good work. Hopefully see you on an event soon
i have the firestones and love them. i was able to make it up a slippery twisty hill that others couldn't, i was the last one before they closed it so the road could be cleared. talk about surprised people when i showed up at the top
I have been running the Firestone Destination XT on my off-road use SUV for the last three years and really like them. Just purchased my second set, first time I have ever replaced tires with the same. Really good in the snow, excellent grip off road. I really noticed here in rainy southern BC that they don’t slip on wet roads the way my previous KO2s used to. And I found the KO2 to have road noise, something I don’t notice with the XT. My $0.02
After owning several sets of K02's and now owning a set of K03's they have fixed the only issue with the K02 which is wet performance. My K03's on the same truck and same size are much more improved.
I’ve had the Firestone XT’s (255/75/17, Load Range C) in my 2004 Sequoia for a couple of years now and love them. Both in daily (dry/wet) use and snow they’re very good.
Regarding tire weights: Falken has an error in their list matrix. They show the 35x12.50 and 37x12.50R17 at the exact same weight of 78 lbs. This can't be correct. Also, I scaled the 35x12.50R18 that I'm using at 71 lbs. So, the correct weight for the Falken in this video is likely around 73 lbs. By comparison, the BFG KO3 in the same dimensions lists at 71 lbs. So, while the myth of Falken tires being "significantly heavier" still gets passed around, it's not true. Secondly, these sizes in the Falken lineup are "HD spec" for heavy duty pickups, which means they give up some of the soft silica compound for a compound that can handle heavy work and last longer. That's going to impact snow performance some. Lastly, there are SO many variables that could affect this testing. How hard were you pressing the brake pedal with each tire? How hard were you on the throttle with each tire? If anything changes between tire swaps or test runs it invalidates the entire test. Good content. Keep it coming.
Nokian Outpost nAT on our 2019 Tacoma for snow and rain here in the PNW. It's the outlier A/T no one knows about made in Tennessee. Light weight, solid road feel, super quiet and the snow traction is incredible. Thanks for the excellent content!
I work and make those nokian tires they are a company from Finland that opened a plant in dayton tennessee they have the number 1 snow tire and my opinion the best all terrain tire as well the nAT is considered the north all terrain the outpost A/T is more for south
I had a set of the Firestone Destination XT on a 2021 GMC Sierra AT4, 3.0 Duramax. The longevity of that tire was amazing. I had 48,000 miles on them and they still had almost 50% tread left, plus my fuel mileage increased 10% when I put them on at 16,000 miles. My new pickup has the KO3's. I'm considering replacing them with the XT!
Yes except that they were not looking for the BEST winter tire in this comparison. It was all about these 3 winter rated off all terrain tires that many of us run year round.
@@captainrawnNot only they aren't, the AT tyres are crap in the winter. But there are still many fools falling for that 3PMS symbol that they wrongly believe that it means those tyres are good for winter conditions.
Fantastic video guys. I was hoping you would test the KO3 tires and I'm surprised how well the Fire stones did. I be watching all the videos on this series because it won't be too long before my KO2s will need to be replaced. Thanks a lot guys
Falken changed their design with the AT4 for HD trucks and to have higher mileage warranty. Not surprised it didn't perform as well on a lightweight Jeep
@@JmSmith751they’re simulating a regular person driving, who in an emergency would just hit the brakes. I don’t see how the driver has anything to do with these tires
I ran a set of the original BFG A/T tires back before the KO versions came out on a 4Runner 4x4. The wet, dry and especially the snow performance way back then was very impressive. And they keep looking cooler each new generation. Thanks for the comparison.
Firestone XT is underrated... K03 are great too. Would love to see the new Bridgestone Dueler AT Ascent in one of these tests. Looks like a highly capable all terrain and snow tire!
Firestone destination tires were really intended for fleet vehicles. And are the top choice for many North American fleet companies. Low cost, fuel efficient, high durability and good in most conditions were the important traits. Looks was not important in the design. But they’ve performed so well in so many conditions especially for the price, that they’ve become quite popular for personal vehicles as well. Sexy …not. But reliable in dry, wet and snow? Yes. Long wear rate and can be used for heavy loads. Yes. 2/3rds the price of KO3 and AT4, yes. Yet most people would still rather have KO3 or AT4 on the truck due to the aggressive looks. Gotta admit I too would rather have KO3s as they look great. But my cash has always been spent on Firestones. I’ve had 4 trucks and suvs with destination 2s and 3s and in Canadian Ontario climate, they are the best performing all conditions truck tire around. I converted a lot of relatives and friends to them as well due to the real performance. And all have had similar experiences. But all also agree they wish they just looked a little beefier. Getting home safely at the end of the day should matter the most.
Excellent video! I tried out this exact Firestone tire earlier this year. Not even 2 weeks into the tires and I slashed a sidewall on a trail that I do all the time. While I wont argue with the snow performance, the sidewall durability definitely lacks. I switched back to KO2's and have since done the same trail. I do see damage on the sidewall from the same rock but the KO2 held air just fine with its more durable sidewall. Just keep that in mind! Also I cant recommend Discount Tire enough. They bought back all my Firestones for what I paid and allowed me to switch to the KO2's for just the difference in cost.
I’m very happy with my Wild Peak AT4Ws. We work my Tacoma TRD Off Road around our mountainous property and tend to haul heavy loads of gravel, firewood, topsoil etc. They’re also great for driving on the WA BDR, service and forest roads. Last spring we were on a section of the BDR and came across an area where a company had fallen a Lot of trees and removed the bark. I needed the bark for landscaping around our mountain property so we’d make several trips up that section and cleared all of the bark. I found another area that I’ll be taking that bark as well next year. The Wild Peaks area perfect for my needs. They also navigate very well through the 5-7 feet of snow we get on our private road that we have to plow and maintain ourselves.
I drive a ram 2500 V8 in the mountains in Colorado for work. The more it snows the more running around I have to do as a first responder in a mountain town, so trust me I have a lot of experience with all-terrain winter tires. I have run the Faulken AT3W, The BFG KO2's and the Goodyear Duratrax. The KO2's and the DURATRAX far outperformed the Faulkens. The ko3 is what I chose for this winter and it's also what I put on my personal truck. Only had a few small storms this winter but so far they are the best yet. Happy ❄️ wheeling.
The KO2’s wear out too quickly in our terrain here in the mountains of north central WA state. I’m glad you enjoy them on your truck. Thanks for your service to your community. I’m sure the people appreciate your service to them.
Thanks for posting I am going to replace my KO2s on the Tacoma soon and the KO3s are probably the front runner although I am also going to consider the Firestone Destination tires as.eell.
@ I have personally found that the Falken Wildpeak AT4W handles the 5-7 feet of snow we get on our mountain here in north central Washington state. We live on a private road that we have to plow and maintain ourselves. During the summer I’m usually up in the mountains on service or forest roads getting firewood, bark for landscaping or driving into the city to get topsoil, gravel or whatever we need for our 1/4 mountain property. The AT4Ws are Great in the snow, rain and dry roads. They’re ok in the ice and compact snow. I went from the factory 31” tires to the 32” tires for better ground clearance. They’re 265/75/16. My truck is a 23 Tacoma TRD Off Road, double cab, 6’ bed. Check out the Wildpeak before you buy a set of tires. The AT4Ws are designed for an F150 - F350. It’s a great tire for heavy work. If you’re looking for more lighter check out the Fallen Rubitex. They replaced the AT3Ws.
@@Doc1855 You in the Okanogan? I am in looking to put tires on my SRW Ram 3500 this week and you could have the most apples to apples comparison for me!
@ No, we live in the mountains of north central Washington state. We live 5 miles from town on a private road that we have to plow and maintain ourselves. We use our (my) Tacoma TRD for work around our 1/4 of our mountain, as well as taking it on our local service and forest roads during the summer. This spring my wife and I were on one of the forest roads and came upon an area where a logging company had fell several Douglas Fir trees and debarked them. I hired a couple of guys from the Mission in the city (25 miles away) and we made several trips back and forth on that mountain to get the bark for landscaping needs around our property. Next summer I’ll be making several more trips to get the rest of the bark. I’ll also be using my Tacoma TRD to get firewood on one of the other mountains around our area. It’ll also be used for hauling topsoil and gravel. Because we built our house into the side of our mountain, over our drain field for our septic system I’ve been building retaining walls in between the drain field lines so that our veggie gardens are flat. The only small flat area of our property is where we planted 3 Apple, 3 Cherry and 1 “Donut” Peach trees. Our house was finished in September of 19, so for the last 5 years we’ve been working on the landscaping around our property. Our rear property line butts up to National Forest. The Wildpeak AT4W tires are for heavier pickups than my TRD, but because of the terrain and what all we use our Tacoma for, I needed a tire that can handle the heavier loads. Furthermore I went from a 31” tire to a 32” tire. They don’t rub and the extra ground clearance is always a plus. The tires are heavier than stock and I’ve taken a hit on my fuel economy but it’s worth it to me. The 3rd generation Tacoma is known for the rear leaf springs to get fatigued if the truck is often used for heavier loads, so in a couple of years I’ll install an “Add a Leaf”, which will raise the rear height of the bed by 1.5”, while allowing me to haul heavier loads. Because of how I work my pickups, I always change the front and rear differentials, transfer case and transmission fluid every 30K miles instead of the recommended 60K miles. I retired early at 43 years old and since retiring I only drive 8-10K miles per year, so I change the oil every 6 months or 5K miles. Every 3 years I change the antifreeze, power steering fluid and brake fluid. I know that it’s overkill on maintenance but I plan on driving my Tacoma until I die. Of course I’d enjoy hearing about your truck and the tires you’ve chosen for it and if you do any off roading, taking it on camping trips, etc. The 3rd weekend in May we’ll be driving it to Libby, MT for the yearly auction from Meadow Lark Log Homes. They auction off many different types of Amish hand made items. We’re looking for “live edge” planks so k can sand , varnish and make into a coffee table and end tables. I’d also like to cut and make interior window shelves with the live edge. As a hobby I make ornamental Bird Houses that I may bring to the auction to sell.
I’d go with the ko3.. I’m a fan of how thick the bfg mud terrain sidewalls are, it would be nice to have an all terrain version with the crazy thick sidewalls and a little better ice and snow performance, something that is a designated snow tire.
Absolutely love when you guys do these tests! And I am thrilled that the Falkens failed so badly. Because it was a choice between them and the BFG's for me. I went with the BFG's based off of a LOT of research and watching how they performed for others in various conditions. Except for this particular condition. And I was not impressed with the Falkens even tho a lot of people like them. I have my BFG's on and I am not a ton impressed for a rain tire. So, hopefully when the snow drops, they will be completely redeemed there like they seem to be here. Thanks guys!
@@Lukewilla Both are great tires - son has KO2s on Jeep we have AT3W on GX470 - both have worn great over 30,000 miles on and off road - Falcon's look better due to being a wider tire especially on a lifted rig. That said, KO2 has the edge when it comes to snow and ice due to possibly being a more narrow profile tire.
@@Lukewilla ..and they're heavier/have more plys than W3s for better towing. I DO tow, but not any serious weights, so I'm fine with my W3s. When they wear out (another year or so?) I'll look at what AT tires are out at that time and decide what to go with next...if I don't stay with W3s. -- BR
Looking forward to seeing how they all do in other tests. I tend to avoid snow, but their performance in mud, wet pavement, and rocks will be the real test for me. That said, I just installed the KO3 in that size, and hope I made the right choice for my application!
I just returned a set of Falken AT4Ws and picked up a new set of BFG KO3s. The Falkens seemed to do ok in deeper snow, but on hard packed snow and ice they were pretty slick. Hoping the new KO3s are a better experience!
I ran the Toyo A/T III's and Falken Wildpeak A/T 3W's on my old 2005 Mitsubishi Montero Limited and will say they were pretty much equal in every category. I bought a 2024 4Runner Limited and put on 255/75r17 Destination X/T's and although we haven't had much snow yet here in Minnesota, I definitely feel they will easily be as good or better than the aforementioned tires I've ran before.
I ordered KO3's for my F150, and I am even more excited now after your test. Good job, and thank you, but on a side note. Snow performance will increase after you run new tires on the bare pavement for a while to get rid of that coating. It looked like the Falken had quite bit on them.
Very useful video, I’m trying to decide between the Falken and BFGoodrich for a full set of 5 tires for my new Land Cruiser to run in fall and winter (I have two sets of wheels). This test was very very informative since snow performance is one of the top priorities, and hard packed snow is a common occurrence here in the Black Hills.
Both are great tires. Falcons look better on Toyotas period. Both perform great off road and on road. But if snow and ice is a big part of driving then the KO3 likely better tire.
As one who has ran 4 sets of Firestone Destination XT'S, I can say they are an Awesome Tire for not just Winter Conditions, but also OffRoad Conditions. Also something that should be taken into consideration looking at these tires, the Firestone's are much lighter compared to the rest when looking at both the same size and load rating.
Thanks for doing the tire episode. I have a 2023 Jeep gladiator. I’ve been looking at purchasing more aggressive tires, It looks like I’ll be buying the BF Goodrich, KO3 I had been looking at the falcon wild peaks. Thanks I appreciate what you guys do I enjoy watching your program!
At one time I was between Grabber AT2's and KO2's on one vehicle, which the AT2's were chosen for being slightly lighter surrendering one sidewall layer. Price was close between two vendors as well at that time.
I never want to make a final statement as things can and will change. Rubitreks' were considered, but dropped due their weight. Nokian nAT's were another in many in the line up for me. I final selection was for my case use as my old vehicle doesn't have the power and torque newer ones do, and limited by what can be installed due to it's design though very capable in stock form. The 31.7" Firestone XT's pulled me in from the A/T2's, in a 235/85 on 16" ZJ wheels for my 3.5" Rubicon Express lifted 4 liter powered 1987 Jeep Cherokee (XJ) up from some nice but very hard riding 245/75 EcoPath's that were "temp's". Case use, being on forestry roads, highways and camping as ORV parks and rock climbing might be nice. Just not my interest though I've watched Matt's Offroad Recovery, TFL's hill climbs, Workshop To Wilderness to name just a few examples. I have no need for mud tires, and I want something bit more than highway tires for the occasional snow here in the PNW (NW Washington). Or when I go camping during winter, which we do all year round.
I chose Falken Wild Peak AT4Ws for my Tacoma TRD Off Road because of what all our Tacoma does for our needs. We live on a private road 5 miles from town up in the mountains. We get 5-7 feet of snow every year and we have to plow and maintain our road ourselves. We use our Tacoma for work around our property and take it on Service and Forest Roads and the WA BDR in the summer.
I love my Gladiator Rubicon Falken AT3W Takeoffs. I have the same wheels (black and chrome) that you guys bought off of someone. The tires work great for me in all conditions for my Overland Gladiator. I have 35,000 miles on them. They are starting to slip in wet conditions while taking corners sometimes because of how worn down they are.
I joined Kase in the 2nd Gen Ram Cummins club this week, with the purchase of a near mint condition 2001 24v only 37k one owner miles. It has new BFG Ko3s on it, so I will soon get some first hand with the BFG ko3s. Almost all my other trucks have Faken AT3Ws which I love the AT3W Falken. I am not crazy about the direction Faken went with the AT4w seems the areas the AT4w improved sacrificed some of the performance I loved about my At3Ws.
The AT4's have a higher mileage warranty and thicker sidewall for HD trucks, thus stiffer rubber compound. I was surprised how bad they did in the braking test though, but I wonder if Tommy stomped on the brakes a little harder because it looked like he locked up the rears a lot sooner. Maybe the Jeep is too light for those tires?
I realize this is a test of A/T tires, but it would be nice to compare all of these against the factory M+S tires just to emphasize how much better A/T is for these conditions across the board.
One tire I'd like to see tested, is what my dad is running on his truck, the Cooper Discoverer Road and Trail AT, which is running the newer All Weather compound.
I've been really happy with the Firestone Destination M/Ts on my Wrangler for the past 30K miles. They've handled everything I've thrown at them including snow.
I have always been impressed with the performance of KO2 in the winter (not as good as a dedicated winter tire). Now have Falken AT3Ws and they are simply dangerous on ice - only run them during non-winter seasons and they excel in spring, summer and fall.
@@IronmanV5 I've had Wildpeak AT Trails, AT3Ws and AT4Ws. The Trails were on a Mazda CX-9. Turned that AWD grocery-getter into a TANK! My Jeep came with Firestone Destination ATs, eventually replaced those with AT3Ws (after comparing them to KO2s) and then when I needed new tires again, got the AT4Ws (after comparing to KO3s and Toyo Open Country AT IIIs).
On my 16 4Runner, I've had several brands and it didn't really matter what I had on in snow. The 4Runner goes through any snow no matter what the tire. Heavy rain is where the difference lies. Toyo Open Country AT3 has been the best in rain by far.
Just got a set of KO3s on my F150. So far they're the absolute best tire I've had, not even a close comparison. I went with the 295/70R18 after doing a 2inch motofab level. Zero rubbing or cutting of the crash bars
Very cool and informative review. Would have loved to see Toyo/ Nitto in the comparison along with a true winter tire. Would be a good follow up. Lastly one M/T thrown in as a reference point would be great
I have Toyo Open Country A/T IIIs on the back of my 2WD Canyon and Toyo Open Country H/T IIs on the front. I live in Alberta, Canada, and run this tire combination all year. I do get wheelspin when starting from a stoplight, but it's manageable. I tried winter tires before and found that I was overconfident in their grip. On black ice, even snow tires will slip, and I slow down sooner on All Terrain tires.
Can you guys also review some lesser aggressive all-terrains? Like the Firestone AT2 VS BFG trail terrain, there are a lot of consumers out there with those tires who needs to balance between commute in snow and off roading
I have the xt's in 33's on my 05 tahoe and they have scaled mountains in Nevada through in plowed roads, in mud and more. They are a wonderful tire. I'm on my second set.
@@keithmorrison9372 True. On my Tundra I kept them hidden, on my Transit and they're out and proud. Of course the name of the van and the tires showing have nothing in common. lol
I choose BFG not only for looks but proven track record. Firestone is no slouch in that department but the first tire that used black rubber instead of white, was bfg. The space shuttle and the spirit of st Louise had bfg tires and the very first car to drive coast to coast in America was rolling on bfg tires 👍🏻
I've got Falkens on my Trailhawk and have been amazed at the traction . Not only on snow but on really icy roads. Not saying your tests aren't valid, but I don't think the Falkens are as bad as your results show.
I have a Trailhawk as well with AT4Ws and I can't explain their results. My Jeep is an absolute BEAST in Colorado snow. I have no idea what happened here but SOMETHING isn't right. I directly compared AT4Ws to KO3s and the AT4Ws are better in EVERY category except a small performance difference in Rock, and the weight of the tire itself. Snow, Wet, Gravel, etc were ALL in the AT4Ws favor. MULTIPLE sources including my own experience lol.
Another channel that did reviews for the new falkens was suggesting because of the new tire compound being more heavy duty makes the tire a bad pick for lighter off road vehicles. TFL did their test on an empty 2 door lightweight jeep. I have the new at4’s on the 4Runner packed with accessories and I plow through everything in the mountains.
Absolutly my thoughts. I have a 21’ Gladiator and and in love with the Fallens. Northern Ohio snow and ice don’t stand a chance against them! I’m also having a hard time with their results..
Everyone claiming they love the at4w's Is saying they've been great NOT that they compared to a different tire. They're better than all seasons of yesteryear. But in the snow, when in context of better tires... they suck
@@Beary98 The funny thing is....this is the only video I have seen that say the Falkens are bad. Everybody else including tire distributors and other channels say that the Falkens are great in the snow. Here between the extreme acceleration and slamming on the breaks and using a heavy Duty E Load tire contribute to these results. In everyday driving most of everyone would not drive like that
Here in Alaska, you need two sets of dedicated tires. One for mostly year-round and one specifically for winter. Most of us would love to have a true year round tire because, face it they aren't cheap. Here you see a lot of black ice which is where studded tires reign supreme. But you also get a lot of dry stretches which tear up your studs. BFG use to make a truck tire that worked well year round, the Commercial TA Traction. They need to bring them back!
The falkens results really surprised me. I had the 3ws and i absolutely loved them in snow and all other conditions for that matter. I follow a channel based in canada and he plows snow for a living in the winter along with towing and land and road clearing. He also has had really good results with the falkens and he also uses the firestone xts on some of his plow vehicles and he loves them also. Hes not biased, he tries alot of different tires including toyo, michelin, bfgs, and a few others as well. Maybe some of the changes to the wildpeak 4w were not the best when it comes to snow.
I agree. Wandering what happened with the atw4. The 3’s are fantastic in snow. But watching actual tests and staying with at tires and not a true ice tire like Blizzak I would go with Firestone for the performance vs price. All good looking tires though.
@Beary98 I disagree with you. I had the atw3 in two different trucks a Toyota Sequoia and a 2013 f-150 . Toy had 265 75 16s the f-150 had 275-70-18. Both did amazing in snow. On hwy snow and ice plus deep mountain snow. They were amazing. I got the Maxxis Razor AT now and it's amazing. Only reason I didn't get the atw4 cause the changed the tire compound to a harder rubber for longer life. Harder tire means less wet traction. This video proved that for me.
Great video! Really demonstrates the difference that tread compound can make as opposed to just the tread design. Supposedly the AT3s were "amazing" in snow, clearly the tread compound change of the 4 did not help. People sleep on those Firestones, but I've read a lot of good things about their snow performance. I also like the look of the tread, reminds me of one of those commercial terrain type tires. Looks like a good jack of all trades tire.
@@trailrunnah8886 From my personal experience the AT3Ws were excellent tires in the snow. Best tire I ever ran. Kind of disappointed in the new version. Running Falken Rubitrek now and love them so far.
@Judson1392 oh good to know, the Rubitreks are on my short list for my next tire. Those seem to be underrated, I hear a lot of good things about them but don't we were able to see too many people run them.
My Dad hated Firestone tires with a passion and some of that rubbed off on me. On the other hand, I'm a big "bang for buck" guy. Sorry Dad, I'm going with the Firestone.
I got a set of really well rated 34” Firestone A/T’s for a Wrangler back in 2005, dirt cheap due to the recent issues with the OEM Firestones on Explorers falling apart. They were amazing tires at a fraction of the competition.
Would like to have seen the Mickey Thompson Baja Boss AT with 3 peak in on this comparison. And then add a true WINTER tire in the mix to see how much better a winter really is.
@@paganizondadude This is why they should do a comparison to show people how much BETTER a true winter tire is over any 3 peak AT. Honesty they are terrible on snow and on icy roads compared to a true winter, yanked the 37" Mickeys (which are brand new) off my Gladiator after 200km on snow/icy roads. I'll be saving the Mickey Baja Boss' s for the other 8-9 months. I put my 35" Toyo Open Country WLT1 on (it's their 3rd winter) and now can stop much safer and shorter distance, plus I can easily pull away from a stop so much quicker (and in control) then ANYONE on ANY Brand AT-3 peak.
Fascinating as I just book an order for a set of XT's, and my runners up were Nokian nAT's and considered Falken Rubitrek's. Rubitrek's got dropped due to weight but was lowest priced. nAT's were basically lightest, highest priced but had the pedigree for snow. Firestone as they were reportedly pretty quiet and comfortable. I had eye'd the KO3's and considered the AT2's by Firestone as well for their reported quiet ride and comfort but I wanted something with a slightly more aggressive pattern/look thus the XT's. Note that 245/75R16's were compared to the 235/85R16's for prices between the weight's also. Allowing me to use a larger tire while using 7" 16" ZJ wheels for a '87 XJ Pioneer with a Rubicon Express 3.5" lift kit. Many forget they can trade off width for profile/height, giving them more functional clearance. aka "skinnies" Thank you for the coverage as I was wondering how these all would compare.
Looking at the results, I am guestimating that the KO3, and the Destination XT are closer in weight than the heavier Wildpeak A/T4W tire. The really stumbling block for the Wildpeak in these tests is its weight. That extra mass will not only rob gas mileage, but also, as seen in the tests, help in causing its lower performance in the snow. Rotational mass increases power requirements logarithmically. The greater mass needs more power during acceleration, and requires extra energy to brake compared to the other 2 tires. IMHO, of course.
Don't know if the new BFGs are lighter than the old one, but the Firestone tire is an amazing 9 lb lighter than the KO2s in my size. Naturally I was concerned that might affect the toughness of the tire, but the many positive experiences noted by owners here is reassuring -- and that lower unsprung weight is tantalising!
I'm not surprised about the falken at4/w in other reviews since it came out performance in snow was lower than the at3ws. It does better in wet/rain but just not much improvement over its predecessor. One tire I would like to see you guys bring in from Falken are the Rubitrek a/t. Its an overlooked tire that not many know of that exists. Curious of how it does in snow
I've had the destination xt tires on my truck for 5 years now. I can't break those tires on slippery surfaces. It's hands down the best tire I've ever had on any of my trucks.
Great comparison! Would love to see more head to head tests like this among the popular AT tires. I ran the Goodyear Wrangler Ultra Terrain the past few years and found them exceptional in every terrain. I was going to go with them on my new Jeep, but Discount couldn't get them in, so gave me the Mickey Thompson Baja Boss ATs for the same price. They are super impressive as well so far on the street, rocks, and mud. Will find out snow performance very soon as Idaho is about to get hit.
@@rmat9023 Actually China makes a lot of things that are up to DOT spec, now do any of them make a "Three Peak" might be something one can do a web search on.
i did commercial/residential tires for years at a tech. My favorite tire to put on my personal vehicles is the Hankook Dynapro atm/ RF10. amzing a treading water. never been stuck in a a snow storm. and every time it does snow i go driving around with my bestie and pull out the locals i find stuck. Rig is an Xterra pro-4x. Im telling you have recovered dudes in a ditch then drove straight into it and drove out just for the fun. Amazing tire.
@pistonburner6448 no your take of commenting hate was straight up unnecessary. The fact my tire recommendation triggered you is so funny. My brother has down syndrome and he would never say that.
@pistonburner6448 blanket statement... Maybe unintelligent no. I'm tire industry level 4 certified. Which means I'm at the peak of tire knowledge. So STFU. Sit down and take the recommendation. Noob
Do another video with 3 others. Kumho Road Venture, Cooper Discoverer or Adventurer & General Grabber AT. Maybe toss in a couple budget tires too like GT Radial adventuro, Ironman or Kenda Klever.
My experience with the falken was initially they were not great in the snow. But after I put around 3-5 k miles on them. Their performance increased dramatically. Being a heavy diesel mechanic our truck drivers always say the tires perform better after a few thousand miles.
Excellent video guys. Great work. Big fan of the At3W Falkens, this is the first real world test I have seen of the AT4w in snow. I knew Falken sacrificed some wet and snow performance for gains in couple other areas I think tread wear longevity was one of the improvements the AT4W has over the AT3W, but AT3W is known to be the better design for wet and snow. I am not sure Falken made the right choice in canceling the AT3W I think they probably should have kept both. I purposely hunted down a set of AT3Ws for my Defender 90 v8.
Very interesting. Was just up on the Kokopelli trail above Fisher Valley last weekend with more snow than I anticipated and was very impressed with how my AT4Ws performed. Especially going from snow to mud and back. In fact, in mud they weren't that great (as you'd expect) but when I put them back on snow, they hooked up and went (and stopped) extremely well. Surprised to see this result! But, I'm running Load Range C on my 2 door Wrangler. Wonder if that makes any difference. A Load Range E on a 2 door is some pretty serious overkill and certainly affects the flex. Understand all three were load range E, but still wonder what the outcome would be for Cs?
Great test! Definitely shows a clear difference amount these 3 tires…I only wish you could have included the new Duratrac RT which is also very popular and reasonably priced in the AT world
Have the Falken AT3W's and they've been fantastic replaced KO2's with them and have been extremely happy, i don't understand those results at all!! They've exceeded the KO2's in almost every regard!
I recently bought a set of Ko3s only because the At4Ws didn't come in 295/75R16s like I wanted, and fully expected them to be not quite as good in snow as the Falkens.. pretty happy with my decision now. Would like to see these put head to head in other terrain.
Great vid, but as many others have said, the best way to contextualize the results is to have a real snow tire as a base line. Separately, looked like it was a pretty warm day. These A/T tires would actually perform worse as the temperature goes down given the compound is not fully optimized for winter driving. I think the weak point of the old KO2 was that it would stiffen up significantly as temps would go into the single digits and lower and traction would greatly deteriorate - not sure if they have addressed with the KO3.
As a few have stated Goodyear DuraTrac would have been to add to the test. Just came out with a new version. I put 40k on my '01 Wrangler TJ. Great in snow. (KS that is) good video.
I just reached out to Falken regarding these tires and although I know that you are testing the E load tires across these three tires, the AT4Ws tires like the AT3Ws before them have a better snow/wet performance out of the SL rated versions compared with the LT sizes. The Falken website for the AT3Ws always stated this performance difference due to the compound differences between the SL/LT variants but I couldn't find anything referencing a compound difference on the AT4Ws page. Falken have confirmed however that this remains true with the AT4Ws and there is a compound difference between the SL/LT sizes that will see the SL's still perform better in the snow/wet vs the LT of the same size. The weight difference alone would also make a huge difference if just looking at the SL (53.4 lbs) vs LT (65.4 lbs) in the 285/70R17 size, thats an additional 48 lbs all round, of rolling weight you're trying to stop. If snow performance is a critical factor then maybe the SL load is a better option.
I was really hoping the Falken AT4w would come through. I live in FL so I don’t deal with a lot of snow, but love my AT3w for the swampy environments and it has outperformed other ATs I have tried.
I've the AT4Ws and was extra cautious with the first snow after watching the video. However, they performed better than I would've expected. Mine are SL load rated though.. not sure if it uses a different compound or anything. Winter has just begun though so will have plenty of time to see how it performs.
With such similar results between the K03’s and the Destinations, everyday road noise would be the tie-breaker for me. Could we trouble you to run a dry-road decibel meter on these two?
Don't know if the KO3s are lighter than the KO2s, but in my size the XTs are 9lb lighter than the older BFG tire. That's a big plus for the issues relating to unsprung weight. Since they've been market-tested for years now, and many commenters here are favorably impressed by their performance, my previous hesitation about their toughness is decreased greatly. And of course, your testing here also says a lot too!
We reached out to Falken for comment regarding break in procedure for the AT4w: The word from Falken is that there’s no coating or residue on the Wildpeaks from the factory and no break-in period to set them up for maximum traction in all conditions.
I'm switching over my AT3W's after 3 winters to the AT4W's next week. I've had a similar experience in my 2015 2 door JK. A lot of rear wheel slipping in snowy conditions, I have to really limit the throttle otherwise the back end can swing right out. That said, I know its just a matter of limiting my throttle and speed in wintery conditions. When allowing for increased following distance and lowering your speed these tires are great in snowy conditions.
the AT3's have been the best tires I've driven on in wet conditions and are a big part of why I went with the At4W's this time around.
Great video!
I have a new set of AT4’s on my 23’ 4 runner and they have been great so far. Haven’t tested in the snow, but that is why I bought a second wheel set of nokian hakkapeliitta 10 studded snow tires.
@@MistAlternative there were some early reviews when they were first released that Falken changed the compound on the 4s and the speculation at the time was that it would not work as well as the 3s in the snow. This appears to be confirming that.
I think this needs to be investigated further
I'm translating Falken comment: "Other manufacturers put a coating on their 3PMSF AT tires so they get good winter results when new, but once broken-in you are on the hard rubber like all ATs to resist offroad conditions."
Would be interesting to put a true snow tire into this comparison as well. A Blizzak would be a good baseline for all of this testing!
I’m sure a true snow tire would dominate this test. However, unless you live in an area where that has snow on the ground for 6+ months I don’t think it makes sense for a 4WD vehicle. The KO2 were awful in the snow and even rain compared to the AT3W and Baja Boss AT in my experience . Glad to see the new generation has been improved. TBF the K02s were the best AT tire on dry pavement by far
Blizzaks don’t come in these sizes.
I wa thinking the same thing. I have been in a 400+ Porsche Cheyanne and the snow ties and HP saved us from the ditch
@@sevendewey The next time I get rear-ended by a Jeep running AT tires on the snow, I'll keep this in mind.
Personally I like the latest Michelin Ice X line. But I agree, as a Canadian, I'm not impressed by the tread pattern of these tires, except for the Firestones, for working in snow. But the real problem in how the rubber reacts to being in freezing temperatures.
Hey guys, good video. I'm just jumping on to say as we know repeatable snow testing is very difficult even in test facilities. I'm a little bit surprised that the falken did so bad in braking. It's certainly not as good as the other two tires, but to be 100% worse is probably out of scope of the tire. Your traction figures look more in line with mine. I recently tested it versus some of its peers in very cold icy conditions and my traction data was similar to yours, whereas my breaking data was much much better, although it still isn't the best in the snow out of the current batch of all terrain tirew, that's for sure. Keep up the good work. Hopefully see you on an event soon
Yeah, I would have liked to have seen more than one run per tire, and then averaged the results.
@@Stuka87 when actual tyre testing we generally do up to 20 in snow and ice as it can be a real pain in the ass.
I had watched several of your coverage which was well done. One reason why I had considered the Nokian nAT, though Nokian AT3 was considered as well.
Yeah traction across the board for us was very poor in the snow with the Falken. Even getting to the testing area proved sketchy.
You changed my mind! I was about to buy some this week as I had the last gen falken. I think I'll be looking for some k03s @@TFLoffroad
i have the firestones and love them. i was able to make it up a slippery twisty hill that others couldn't, i was the last one before they closed it so the road could be cleared. talk about surprised people when i showed up at the top
I have been running the Firestone Destination XT on my off-road use SUV for the last three years and really like them. Just purchased my second set, first time I have ever replaced tires with the same. Really good in the snow, excellent grip off road. I really noticed here in rainy southern BC that they don’t slip on wet roads the way my previous KO2s used to. And I found the KO2 to have road noise, something I don’t notice with the XT. My $0.02
After owning several sets of K02's and now owning a set of K03's they have fixed the only issue with the K02 which is wet performance. My K03's on the same truck and same size are much more improved.
Really? Had Firestones and hated them. Wear was crap then the sidewalls started cracking.
I’ve had the Firestone XT’s (255/75/17, Load Range C) in my 2004 Sequoia for a couple of years now and love them. Both in daily (dry/wet) use and snow they’re very good.
Regarding tire weights:
Falken has an error in their list matrix. They show the 35x12.50 and 37x12.50R17 at the exact same weight of 78 lbs. This can't be correct. Also, I scaled the 35x12.50R18 that I'm using at 71 lbs. So, the correct weight for the Falken in this video is likely around 73 lbs. By comparison, the BFG KO3 in the same dimensions lists at 71 lbs. So, while the myth of Falken tires being "significantly heavier" still gets passed around, it's not true.
Secondly, these sizes in the Falken lineup are "HD spec" for heavy duty pickups, which means they give up some of the soft silica compound for a compound that can handle heavy work and last longer. That's going to impact snow performance some.
Lastly, there are SO many variables that could affect this testing. How hard were you pressing the brake pedal with each tire? How hard were you on the throttle with each tire? If anything changes between tire swaps or test runs it invalidates the entire test.
Good content. Keep it coming.
Nokian Outpost nAT on our 2019 Tacoma for snow and rain here in the PNW. It's the outlier A/T no one knows about made in Tennessee. Light weight, solid road feel, super quiet and the snow traction is incredible. Thanks for the excellent content!
I work and make those nokian tires they are a company from Finland that opened a plant in dayton tennessee they have the number 1 snow tire and my opinion the best all terrain tire as well the nAT is considered the north all terrain the outpost A/T is more for south
Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T are also 3 peak rated and very aggressive looking. Could have had a four way battle.
They’re great in the snow got them on our 2010 taco
Yep! Just bought a set of 35s for my Jeep and can't wait to see how they do in the snow.
There are a lot of tires that fit this same market…why don’t you test them all for us?
@@cubsfan8715 I haven't had very good luck with them. Already have two repairs in the first 5k. Could be a fluke. Otherwise they're pretty good.
Been running them for 2 years, I live in SLC and drive up the Cottonwood Canyons during snowstorms on regular basis and they never let me down.
I run the destination XT 32" on my 21' Ranger and have loved the performance in snow and on dirt! I'm happy with the street and wet performance
I had a set of the Firestone Destination XT on a 2021 GMC Sierra AT4, 3.0 Duramax. The longevity of that tire was amazing. I had 48,000 miles on them and they still had almost 50% tread left, plus my fuel mileage increased 10% when I put them on at 16,000 miles. My new pickup has the KO3's. I'm considering replacing them with the XT!
Bridgestone Revo 3s. Whole level of greatness!
Really should have a Real Winter tire in there. Too many assume AT tires are just as good as Winter tires, but they aren't.
Yes except that they were not looking for the BEST winter tire in this comparison. It was all about these 3 winter rated off all terrain tires that many of us run year round.
@@captainrawnNot only they aren't, the AT tyres are crap in the winter.
But there are still many fools falling for that 3PMS symbol that they wrongly believe that it means those tyres are good for winter conditions.
Fantastic video guys. I was hoping you would test the KO3 tires and I'm surprised how well the Fire stones did. I be watching all the videos on this series because it won't be too long before my KO2s will need to be replaced. Thanks a lot guys
Best bday gift you gave me. My three brothers. Tommy and kase and Alex were all shook by 5:52 this. 😂. Love you guys I’m blessed
Gotta admit, I’m pretty floored at how bad the Falken tire did.
And I'm going to be running at4w all winter, yikes that's not good...
Me too
Falken changed their design with the AT4 for HD trucks and to have higher mileage warranty. Not surprised it didn't perform as well on a lightweight Jeep
It was the driver not the tire
@@JmSmith751they’re simulating a regular person driving, who in an emergency would just hit the brakes. I don’t see how the driver has anything to do with these tires
I ran a set of the original BFG A/T tires back before the KO versions came out on a 4Runner 4x4.
The wet, dry and especially the snow performance way back then was very impressive.
And they keep looking cooler each new generation.
Thanks for the comparison.
Appreciate bringing the price point into consideration.
Firestone XT is underrated... K03 are great too. Would love to see the new Bridgestone Dueler AT Ascent in one of these tests. Looks like a highly capable all terrain and snow tire!
Firestone destination tires were really intended for fleet vehicles. And are the top choice for many North American fleet companies. Low cost, fuel efficient, high durability and good in most conditions were the important traits. Looks was not important in the design. But they’ve performed so well in so many conditions especially for the price, that they’ve become quite popular for personal vehicles as well. Sexy …not. But reliable in dry, wet and snow? Yes. Long wear rate and can be used for heavy loads. Yes. 2/3rds the price of KO3 and AT4, yes. Yet most people would still rather have KO3 or AT4 on the truck due to the aggressive looks. Gotta admit I too would rather have KO3s as they look great. But my cash has always been spent on Firestones. I’ve had 4 trucks and suvs with destination 2s and 3s and in Canadian Ontario climate, they are the best performing all conditions truck tire around. I converted a lot of relatives and friends to them as well due to the real performance. And all have had similar experiences. But all also agree they wish they just looked a little beefier. Getting home safely at the end of the day should matter the most.
Excellent video! I tried out this exact Firestone tire earlier this year. Not even 2 weeks into the tires and I slashed a sidewall on a trail that I do all the time. While I wont argue with the snow performance, the sidewall durability definitely lacks. I switched back to KO2's and have since done the same trail. I do see damage on the sidewall from the same rock but the KO2 held air just fine with its more durable sidewall. Just keep that in mind! Also I cant recommend Discount Tire enough. They bought back all my Firestones for what I paid and allowed me to switch to the KO2's for just the difference in cost.
I bought a set of Firestone XTs a few years ago, and they have been great in the ice and snow. Price was good, and very quiet on the road.
not gonna lie I was surprised at the wildpeak results ... Ty for making this comparison happen, truly like this cheap Jeep series ...
I’m very happy with my Wild Peak AT4Ws.
We work my Tacoma TRD Off Road around our mountainous property and tend to haul heavy loads of gravel, firewood, topsoil etc.
They’re also great for driving on the WA BDR, service and forest roads.
Last spring we were on a section of the BDR and came across an area where a company had fallen a Lot of trees and removed the bark.
I needed the bark for landscaping around our mountain property so we’d make several trips up that section and cleared all of the bark.
I found another area that I’ll be taking that bark as well next year.
The Wild Peaks area perfect for my needs. They also navigate very well through the 5-7 feet of snow we get on our private road that we have to plow and maintain ourselves.
Please keep doing these types of videos. Tire testing is so interesting and trying them on different cars and trucks in the same test.
I have the Destination A/T tires on my Wrangler in MN and I love them during winter.
Superseded by the AT2's from what my last info stated, but reportedly was a good as well as quiet.
@@Mauser1965 Confirmed. I have had both. The AT2s also have a longer tread life warranty than the first generation.
I drive a ram 2500 V8 in the mountains in Colorado for work. The more it snows the more running around I have to do as a first responder in a mountain town, so trust me I have a lot of experience with all-terrain winter tires. I have run the Faulken AT3W, The BFG KO2's and the Goodyear Duratrax. The KO2's and the DURATRAX far outperformed the Faulkens. The ko3 is what I chose for this winter and it's also what I put on my personal truck. Only had a few small storms this winter but so far they are the best yet. Happy ❄️ wheeling.
The KO2’s wear out too quickly in our terrain here in the mountains of north central WA state.
I’m glad you enjoy them on your truck.
Thanks for your service to your community. I’m sure the people appreciate your service to them.
Thanks for posting I am going to replace my KO2s on the Tacoma soon and the KO3s are probably the front runner although I am also going to consider the Firestone Destination tires as.eell.
@ I have personally found that the Falken Wildpeak AT4W handles the 5-7 feet of snow we get on our mountain here in north central Washington state.
We live on a private road that we have to plow and maintain ourselves.
During the summer I’m usually up in the mountains on service or forest roads getting firewood, bark for landscaping or driving into the city to get topsoil, gravel or whatever we need for our 1/4 mountain property.
The AT4Ws are Great in the snow, rain and dry roads. They’re ok in the ice and compact snow.
I went from the factory 31” tires to the 32” tires for better ground clearance.
They’re 265/75/16. My truck is a 23 Tacoma TRD Off Road, double cab, 6’ bed.
Check out the Wildpeak before you buy a set of tires.
The AT4Ws are designed for an F150 - F350.
It’s a great tire for heavy work.
If you’re looking for more lighter check out the Fallen Rubitex. They replaced the AT3Ws.
@@Doc1855 You in the Okanogan? I am in looking to put tires on my SRW Ram 3500 this week and you could have the most apples to apples comparison for me!
@ No, we live in the mountains of north central Washington state.
We live 5 miles from town on a private road that we have to plow and maintain ourselves.
We use our (my) Tacoma TRD for work around our 1/4 of our mountain, as well as taking it on our local service and forest roads during the summer.
This spring my wife and I were on one of the forest roads and came upon an area where a logging company had fell several Douglas Fir trees and debarked them.
I hired a couple of guys from the Mission in the city (25 miles away) and we made several trips back and forth on that mountain to get the bark for landscaping needs around our property.
Next summer I’ll be making several more trips to get the rest of the bark.
I’ll also be using my Tacoma TRD to get firewood on one of the other mountains around our area.
It’ll also be used for hauling topsoil and gravel.
Because we built our house into the side of our mountain, over our drain field for our septic system I’ve been building retaining walls in between the drain field lines so that our veggie gardens are flat.
The only small flat area of our property is where we planted 3 Apple, 3 Cherry and 1 “Donut” Peach trees.
Our house was finished in September of 19, so for the last 5 years we’ve been working on the landscaping around our property.
Our rear property line butts up to National Forest.
The Wildpeak AT4W tires are for heavier pickups than my TRD, but because of the terrain and what all we use our Tacoma for, I needed a tire that can handle the heavier loads.
Furthermore I went from a 31” tire to a 32” tire. They don’t rub and the extra ground clearance is always a plus.
The tires are heavier than stock and I’ve taken a hit on my fuel economy but it’s worth it to me.
The 3rd generation Tacoma is known for the rear leaf springs to get fatigued if the truck is often used for heavier loads, so in a couple of years I’ll install an “Add a Leaf”, which will raise the rear height of the bed by 1.5”, while allowing me to haul heavier loads.
Because of how I work my pickups, I always change the front and rear differentials, transfer case and transmission fluid every 30K miles instead of the recommended 60K miles.
I retired early at 43 years old and since retiring I only drive 8-10K miles per year, so I change the oil every 6 months or 5K miles.
Every 3 years I change the antifreeze, power steering fluid and brake fluid.
I know that it’s overkill on maintenance but I plan on driving my Tacoma until I die.
Of course I’d enjoy hearing about your truck and the tires you’ve chosen for it and if you do any off roading, taking it on camping trips, etc.
The 3rd weekend in May we’ll be driving it to Libby, MT for the yearly auction from Meadow Lark Log Homes.
They auction off many different types of Amish hand made items.
We’re looking for “live edge” planks so k can sand , varnish and make into a coffee table and end tables.
I’d also like to cut and make interior window shelves with the live edge.
As a hobby I make ornamental Bird Houses that I may bring to the auction to sell.
I woul like to see the Goodyear Duratrac here
There is a new RT version of the duratrac now
Same
Agreed, and I would like to see a more in depth shootout between MT Baha Boss and Duratrac for winter performance.
I’d go with the ko3.. I’m a fan of how thick the bfg mud terrain sidewalls are, it would be nice to have an all terrain version with the crazy thick sidewalls and a little better ice and snow performance, something that is a designated snow tire.
Love my Duratracs!!!
Absolutely love when you guys do these tests! And I am thrilled that the Falkens failed so badly. Because it was a choice between them and the BFG's for me. I went with the BFG's based off of a LOT of research and watching how they performed for others in various conditions. Except for this particular condition. And I was not impressed with the Falkens even tho a lot of people like them. I have my BFG's on and I am not a ton impressed for a rain tire. So, hopefully when the snow drops, they will be completely redeemed there like they seem to be here. Thanks guys!
"And I am thrilled that the Falkens failed so badly."
I'm so sad now. 😞
-- BR (2021 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon w/ Falken Wildpeak AT/3Ws).
Do you have the KO2 or KO3 BFG’s?
@@billredding2000Falken admitted that they compromised the snow performance in the snow for the AT4w in E rated versions to improve durability
@@Lukewilla Both are great tires - son has KO2s on Jeep we have AT3W on GX470 - both have worn great over 30,000 miles on and off road - Falcon's look better due to being a wider tire especially on a lifted rig. That said, KO2 has the edge when it comes to snow and ice due to possibly being a more narrow profile tire.
@@Lukewilla ..and they're heavier/have more plys than W3s for better towing. I DO tow, but not any serious weights, so I'm fine with my W3s. When they wear out (another year or so?) I'll look at what AT tires are out at that time and decide what to go with next...if I don't stay with W3s.
-- BR
Looking forward to seeing how they all do in other tests. I tend to avoid snow, but their performance in mud, wet pavement, and rocks will be the real test for me. That said, I just installed the KO3 in that size, and hope I made the right choice for my application!
I love this channel. You guys really do have the best automotive content.
I just returned a set of Falken AT4Ws and picked up a new set of BFG KO3s. The Falkens seemed to do ok in deeper snow, but on hard packed snow and ice they were pretty slick. Hoping the new KO3s are a better experience!
Just did the same thing, went for Mickey Thompson Baja Boss AT's. Falkens were great in everything but the snow..
I ran the Toyo A/T III's and Falken Wildpeak A/T 3W's on my old 2005 Mitsubishi Montero Limited and will say they were pretty much equal in every category. I bought a 2024 4Runner Limited and put on 255/75r17 Destination X/T's and although we haven't had much snow yet here in Minnesota, I definitely feel they will easily be as good or better than the aforementioned tires I've ran before.
I ordered KO3's for my F150, and I am even more excited now after your test. Good job, and thank you, but on a side note. Snow performance will increase after you run new tires on the bare pavement for a while to get rid of that coating. It looked like the Falken had quite bit on them.
Very useful video, I’m trying to decide between the Falken and BFGoodrich for a full set of 5 tires for my new Land Cruiser to run in fall and winter (I have two sets of wheels).
This test was very very informative since snow performance is one of the top priorities, and hard packed snow is a common occurrence here in the Black Hills.
Both are great tires. Falcons look better on Toyotas period. Both perform great off road and on road. But if snow and ice is a big part of driving then the KO3 likely better tire.
As one who has ran 4 sets of Firestone Destination XT'S, I can say they are an Awesome Tire for not just Winter Conditions, but also OffRoad Conditions.
Also something that should be taken into consideration looking at these tires, the Firestone's are much lighter compared to the rest when looking at both the same size and load rating.
A set of good dedicated winter tires will outperform all these threes in the snow unless you're planning to do some deep snow wheeling.
Even deep snow wheeling my Hakkas do better than my ATs and MTs in the same size.
No shit…
Capt Obvious strikes again.
@tyeetamer Most folks I know who does snow wheeling use MT.
@Icutmetal You'll be surprised how many people still assume that AT = WT.
Thanks for doing the tire episode. I have a 2023 Jeep gladiator. I’ve been looking at purchasing more aggressive tires, It looks like I’ll be buying the BF Goodrich, KO3 I had been looking at the falcon wild peaks. Thanks I appreciate what you guys do I enjoy watching your program!
People really underestimate the tech in Firestone tires. It's impressive. I switched from a decade of BFGs and will never go back.
At one time I was between Grabber AT2's and KO2's on one vehicle, which the AT2's were chosen for being slightly lighter surrendering one sidewall layer. Price was close between two vendors as well at that time.
agree
I never want to make a final statement as things can and will change. Rubitreks' were considered, but dropped due their weight. Nokian nAT's were another in many in the line up for me. I final selection was for my case use as my old vehicle doesn't have the power and torque newer ones do, and limited by what can be installed due to it's design though very capable in stock form. The 31.7" Firestone XT's pulled me in from the A/T2's, in a 235/85 on 16" ZJ wheels for my 3.5" Rubicon Express lifted 4 liter powered 1987 Jeep Cherokee (XJ) up from some nice but very hard riding 245/75 EcoPath's that were "temp's". Case use, being on forestry roads, highways and camping as ORV parks and rock climbing might be nice. Just not my interest though I've watched Matt's Offroad Recovery, TFL's hill climbs, Workshop To Wilderness to name just a few examples. I have no need for mud tires, and I want something bit more than highway tires for the occasional snow here in the PNW (NW Washington). Or when I go camping during winter, which we do all year round.
I went with kenda at2 instead of the falken glad i did those kendas killed it in the snow
I chose Falken Wild Peak AT4Ws for my Tacoma TRD Off Road because of what all our Tacoma does for our needs.
We live on a private road 5 miles from town up in the mountains. We get 5-7 feet of snow every year and we have to plow and maintain our road ourselves.
We use our Tacoma for work around our property and take it on Service and Forest Roads and the WA BDR in the summer.
Great test, would love to see a test of the Mickey Thompsons.
I love my Gladiator Rubicon Falken AT3W Takeoffs. I have the same wheels (black and chrome) that you guys bought off of someone. The tires work great for me in all conditions for my Overland Gladiator. I have 35,000 miles on them. They are starting to slip in wet conditions while taking corners sometimes because of how worn down they are.
Replacing my KO2 for Snow Claws for the winter here in CO this weekend
I joined Kase in the 2nd Gen Ram Cummins club this week, with the purchase of a near mint condition 2001 24v only 37k one owner miles. It has new BFG Ko3s on it, so I will soon get some first hand with the BFG ko3s. Almost all my other trucks have Faken AT3Ws which I love the AT3W Falken. I am not crazy about the direction Faken went with the AT4w seems the areas the AT4w improved sacrificed some of the performance I loved about my At3Ws.
The AT4's have a higher mileage warranty and thicker sidewall for HD trucks, thus stiffer rubber compound. I was surprised how bad they did in the braking test though, but I wonder if Tommy stomped on the brakes a little harder because it looked like he locked up the rears a lot sooner. Maybe the Jeep is too light for those tires?
I realize this is a test of A/T tires, but it would be nice to compare all of these against the factory M+S tires just to emphasize how much better A/T is for these conditions across the board.
One tire I'd like to see tested, is what my dad is running on his truck, the Cooper Discoverer Road and Trail AT, which is running the newer All Weather compound.
I've been really happy with the Firestone Destination M/Ts on my Wrangler for the past 30K miles. They've handled everything I've thrown at them including snow.
Picked up a aet of these for a tacoma and these aren't 'snow' rated surprisingly but had heard they do decent on snow.
I have always been impressed with the performance of KO2 in the winter (not as good as a dedicated winter tire). Now have Falken AT3Ws and they are simply dangerous on ice - only run them during non-winter seasons and they excel in spring, summer and fall.
All these years I've been told how fantastic and superior the Falkens are in the snow 🤷♂️
Those were the 3W, these are the 4W
Biased opinions of people who havent tried any other tires lol
I can't explain their results. My experience with the Falkens are WAY different
@@jonsimmons945 Are yours 3Ws or 4Ws?
@@IronmanV5 I've had Wildpeak AT Trails, AT3Ws and AT4Ws. The Trails were on a Mazda CX-9. Turned that AWD grocery-getter into a TANK! My Jeep came with Firestone Destination ATs, eventually replaced those with AT3Ws (after comparing them to KO2s) and then when I needed new tires again, got the AT4Ws (after comparing to KO3s and Toyo Open Country AT IIIs).
On my 16 4Runner, I've had several brands and it didn't really matter what I had on in snow. The 4Runner goes through any snow no matter what the tire. Heavy rain is where the difference lies. Toyo Open Country AT3 has been the best in rain by far.
Just got a set of KO3s on my F150. So far they're the absolute best tire I've had, not even a close comparison. I went with the 295/70R18 after doing a 2inch motofab level. Zero rubbing or cutting of the crash bars
Very cool and informative review. Would have loved to see Toyo/ Nitto in the comparison along with a true winter tire. Would be a good follow up. Lastly one M/T thrown in as a reference point would be great
I have Toyo Open Country A/T IIIs on the back of my 2WD Canyon and Toyo Open Country H/T IIs on the front. I live in Alberta, Canada, and run this tire combination all year. I do get wheelspin when starting from a stoplight, but it's manageable. I tried winter tires before and found that I was overconfident in their grip. On black ice, even snow tires will slip, and I slow down sooner on All Terrain tires.
Can you guys also review some lesser aggressive all-terrains? Like the Firestone AT2 VS BFG trail terrain, there are a lot of consumers out there with those tires who needs to balance between commute in snow and off roading
I have Firestone at2 on my f150. highly recommend for winter
I have the xt's in 33's on my 05 tahoe and they have scaled mountains in Nevada through in plowed roads, in mud and more. They are a wonderful tire. I'm on my second set.
Would like to see a retest of the
wildpeak at4w. Will you get the same results?
Nice little video guys! Shocked at the Falken result. The third gens on my Jeep have done great in the snow!!
JT, JLU, JK, CJ, XJ, WK, ZJ, FC..?
KO3 definitely has the best look with those awesome white letter tires lol
I guess that's personal preference. I don't like white letters.
@@keithmorrison9372 True. On my Tundra I kept them hidden, on my Transit and they're out and proud. Of course the name of the van and the tires showing have nothing in common. lol
Excellent comparison test, thanks!
I choose BFG not only for looks but proven track record. Firestone is no slouch in that department but the first tire that used black rubber instead of white, was bfg. The space shuttle and the spirit of st Louise had bfg tires and the very first car to drive coast to coast in America was rolling on bfg tires 👍🏻
I've got Falkens on my Trailhawk and have been amazed at the traction . Not only on snow but on really icy roads. Not saying your tests aren't valid, but I don't think the Falkens are as bad as your results show.
I have a Trailhawk as well with AT4Ws and I can't explain their results. My Jeep is an absolute BEAST in Colorado snow. I have no idea what happened here but SOMETHING isn't right. I directly compared AT4Ws to KO3s and the AT4Ws are better in EVERY category except a small performance difference in Rock, and the weight of the tire itself. Snow, Wet, Gravel, etc were ALL in the AT4Ws favor. MULTIPLE sources including my own experience lol.
Another channel that did reviews for the new falkens was suggesting because of the new tire compound being more heavy duty makes the tire a bad pick for lighter off road vehicles. TFL did their test on an empty 2 door lightweight jeep. I have the new at4’s on the 4Runner packed with accessories and I plow through everything in the mountains.
Absolutly my thoughts. I have a 21’ Gladiator and and in love with the Fallens. Northern Ohio snow and ice don’t stand a chance against them! I’m also having a hard time with their results..
Everyone claiming they love the at4w's
Is saying they've been great NOT that they compared to a different tire.
They're better than all seasons of yesteryear. But in the snow, when in context of better tires... they suck
@@Beary98 The funny thing is....this is the only video I have seen that say the Falkens are bad. Everybody else including tire distributors and other channels say that the Falkens are great in the snow. Here between the extreme acceleration and slamming on the breaks and using a heavy Duty E Load tire contribute to these results. In everyday driving most of everyone would not drive like that
Here in Alaska, you need two sets of dedicated tires. One for mostly year-round and one specifically for winter. Most of us would love to have a true year round tire because, face it they aren't cheap. Here you see a lot of black ice which is where studded tires reign supreme. But you also get a lot of dry stretches which tear up your studs. BFG use to make a truck tire that worked well year round, the Commercial TA Traction. They need to bring them back!
The falkens results really surprised me. I had the 3ws and i absolutely loved them in snow and all other conditions for that matter. I follow a channel based in canada and he plows snow for a living in the winter along with towing and land and road clearing. He also has had really good results with the falkens and he also uses the firestone xts on some of his plow vehicles and he loves them also. Hes not biased, he tries alot of different tires including toyo, michelin, bfgs, and a few others as well. Maybe some of the changes to the wildpeak 4w were not the best when it comes to snow.
I agree. Wandering what happened with the atw4. The 3’s are fantastic in snow. But watching actual tests and staying with at tires and not a true ice tire like Blizzak I would go with Firestone for the performance vs price. All good looking tires though.
I'd bet if you threw on a different tire you'd change your mind. Falkens are NOT good I had the at3w's in a 32.
Junk, junk in the snow.
@Beary98 I disagree with you. I had the atw3 in two different trucks a Toyota Sequoia and a 2013 f-150 . Toy had 265 75 16s the f-150 had 275-70-18. Both did amazing in snow. On hwy snow and ice plus deep mountain snow. They were amazing. I got the Maxxis Razor AT now and it's amazing. Only reason I didn't get the atw4 cause the changed the tire compound to a harder rubber for longer life. Harder tire means less wet traction. This video proved that for me.
@keithmorrison9372 and changing the compound for mileage was stupid bcuz they already lasted a long time and i know mine wore very evenly.
Awesome video guys! I hope you try this test with even more tires
Great video! Really demonstrates the difference that tread compound can make as opposed to just the tread design. Supposedly the AT3s were "amazing" in snow, clearly the tread compound change of the 4 did not help. People sleep on those Firestones, but I've read a lot of good things about their snow performance. I also like the look of the tread, reminds me of one of those commercial terrain type tires. Looks like a good jack of all trades tire.
@@trailrunnah8886 From my personal experience the AT3Ws were excellent tires in the snow. Best tire I ever ran. Kind of disappointed in the new version. Running Falken Rubitrek now and love them so far.
@Judson1392 oh good to know, the Rubitreks are on my short list for my next tire. Those seem to be underrated, I hear a lot of good things about them but don't we were able to see too many people run them.
@@trailrunnah8886 Yeah I really like them. I ordered mine from SimpleTire and had a local shop install them.
My Dad hated Firestone tires with a passion and some of that rubbed off on me. On the other hand, I'm a big "bang for buck" guy. Sorry Dad, I'm going with the Firestone.
Good choice, things change just like Toyota quality
I got a set of really well rated 34” Firestone A/T’s for a Wrangler back in 2005, dirt cheap due to the recent issues with the OEM Firestones on Explorers falling apart. They were amazing tires at a fraction of the competition.
Would like to have seen the Mickey Thompson Baja Boss AT with 3 peak in on this comparison. And then add a true WINTER tire in the mix to see how much better a winter really is.
I believe they would outperform all the options in this video. I love them on my XJ in the snow.
@@paganizondadude This is why they should do a comparison to show people how much BETTER a true winter tire is over any 3 peak AT. Honesty they are terrible on snow and on icy roads compared to a true winter, yanked the 37" Mickeys (which are brand new) off my Gladiator after 200km on snow/icy roads. I'll be saving the Mickey Baja Boss' s for the other 8-9 months. I put my 35" Toyo Open Country WLT1 on (it's their 3rd winter) and now can stop much safer and shorter distance, plus I can easily pull away from a stop so much quicker (and in control) then ANYONE on ANY Brand AT-3 peak.
Fascinating as I just book an order for a set of XT's, and my runners up were Nokian nAT's and considered Falken Rubitrek's. Rubitrek's got dropped due to weight but was lowest priced. nAT's were basically lightest, highest priced but had the pedigree for snow. Firestone as they were reportedly pretty quiet and comfortable. I had eye'd the KO3's and considered the AT2's by Firestone as well for their reported quiet ride and comfort but I wanted something with a slightly more aggressive pattern/look thus the XT's. Note that 245/75R16's were compared to the 235/85R16's for prices between the weight's also. Allowing me to use a larger tire while using 7" 16" ZJ wheels for a '87 XJ Pioneer with a Rubicon Express 3.5" lift kit. Many forget they can trade off width for profile/height, giving them more functional clearance. aka "skinnies" Thank you for the coverage as I was wondering how these all would compare.
Looking at the results, I am guestimating that the KO3, and the Destination XT are closer in weight than the heavier Wildpeak A/T4W tire. The really stumbling block for the Wildpeak in these tests is its weight. That extra mass will not only rob gas mileage, but also, as seen in the tests, help in causing its lower performance in the snow. Rotational mass increases power requirements logarithmically. The greater mass needs more power during acceleration, and requires extra energy to brake compared to the other 2 tires. IMHO, of course.
Don't know if the new BFGs are lighter than the old one, but the Firestone tire is an amazing 9 lb lighter than the KO2s in my size. Naturally I was concerned that might affect the toughness of the tire, but the many positive experiences noted by owners here is reassuring -- and that lower unsprung weight is tantalising!
I'm not surprised about the falken at4/w in other reviews since it came out performance in snow was lower than the at3ws. It does better in wet/rain but just not much improvement over its predecessor. One tire I would like to see you guys bring in from Falken are the Rubitrek a/t. Its an overlooked tire that not many know of that exists. Curious of how it does in snow
I've had the destination xt tires on my truck for 5 years now. I can't break those tires on slippery surfaces. It's hands down the best tire I've ever had on any of my trucks.
Itll be interesting to test how they perform as they wear! Keep these videos coming.
Great comparison! Would love to see more head to head tests like this among the popular AT tires. I ran the Goodyear Wrangler Ultra Terrain the past few years and found them exceptional in every terrain. I was going to go with them on my new Jeep, but Discount couldn't get them in, so gave me the Mickey Thompson Baja Boss ATs for the same price. They are super impressive as well so far on the street, rocks, and mud. Will find out snow performance very soon as Idaho is about to get hit.
Great job, guys. I wish you had included a Goodyear tire. I am running the Wrangler Duratrac on my Jeep and Tacoma. I have been very happy with them.
Great testing video, like everyone else really surprised by the falken .. wow ..
The exact test I wanted 😊 I'm planning on using ATs as snow tires. Thanks! 🎉
Snow, NOT ice. They are too stiff for ice.
Great video! Would love to see more tires, Baja boss, Terra Grapplers, Kenda, others? Also an on road noise test?
This is a very usefully video.
Should have tossed a set of cheap Chinese tires in the mix just to see the difference 🤔
That would have been interesting!
does Chyna companies even make all-terrain tires?
@@rmat9023 Actually China makes a lot of things that are up to DOT spec, now do any of them make a "Three Peak" might be something one can do a web search on.
They did. They're going to post the results as soon as the Jeep comes to a stop.
i did commercial/residential tires for years at a tech. My favorite tire to put on my personal vehicles is the Hankook Dynapro atm/ RF10. amzing a treading water. never been stuck in a a snow storm. and every time it does snow i go driving around with my bestie and pull out the locals i find stuck. Rig is an Xterra pro-4x. Im telling you have recovered dudes in a ditch then drove straight into it and drove out just for the fun. Amazing tire.
@pistonburner6448 no your take of commenting hate was straight up unnecessary. The fact my tire recommendation triggered you is so funny. My brother has down syndrome and he would never say that.
@pistonburner6448 blanket statement... Maybe unintelligent no. I'm tire industry level 4 certified. Which means I'm at the peak of tire knowledge. So STFU. Sit down and take the recommendation. Noob
There totally is a brake in period on the falken. I had a lot of slip but gradually tires got better imo.
Very useful video with meaningful data, thank you!
TFL proving that looks ain't everything! Even when it comes to tires. 😄
You got that right!
Do another video with 3 others. Kumho Road Venture, Cooper Discoverer or Adventurer & General Grabber AT. Maybe toss in a couple budget tires too like GT Radial adventuro, Ironman or Kenda Klever.
My experience with the falken was initially they were not great in the snow. But after I put around 3-5 k miles on them. Their performance increased dramatically. Being a heavy diesel mechanic our truck drivers always say the tires perform better after a few thousand miles.
Excellent video guys. Great work. Big fan of the At3W Falkens, this is the first real world test I have seen of the AT4w in snow. I knew Falken sacrificed some wet and snow performance for gains in couple other areas I think tread wear longevity was one of the improvements the AT4W has over the AT3W, but AT3W is known to be the better design for wet and snow.
I am not sure Falken made the right choice in canceling the AT3W I think they probably should have kept both. I purposely hunted down a set of AT3Ws for my Defender 90 v8.
Very interesting. Was just up on the Kokopelli trail above Fisher Valley last weekend with more snow than I anticipated and was very impressed with how my AT4Ws performed. Especially going from snow to mud and back. In fact, in mud they weren't that great (as you'd expect) but when I put them back on snow, they hooked up and went (and stopped) extremely well. Surprised to see this result!
But, I'm running Load Range C on my 2 door Wrangler. Wonder if that makes any difference. A Load Range E on a 2 door is some pretty serious overkill and certainly affects the flex. Understand all three were load range E, but still wonder what the outcome would be for Cs?
Great test! Definitely shows a clear difference amount these 3 tires…I only wish you could have included the new Duratrac RT which is also very popular and reasonably priced in the AT world
Have the Falken AT3W's and they've been fantastic replaced KO2's with them and have been extremely happy, i don't understand those results at all!! They've exceeded the KO2's in almost every regard!
I recently bought a set of Ko3s only because the At4Ws didn't come in 295/75R16s like I wanted, and fully expected them to be not quite as good in snow as the Falkens.. pretty happy with my decision now. Would like to see these put head to head in other terrain.
I just installed some K03 tires on my F150 and I’m hoping we actually get some snow this year so I can play around with them a little bit.
Wish you would have used a dedicated snow tires so we could see the true difference probably like a Blizzak
Great vid, but as many others have said, the best way to contextualize the results is to have a real snow tire as a base line. Separately, looked like it was a pretty warm day. These A/T tires would actually perform worse as the temperature goes down given the compound is not fully optimized for winter driving. I think the weak point of the old KO2 was that it would stiffen up significantly as temps would go into the single digits and lower and traction would greatly deteriorate - not sure if they have addressed with the KO3.
I have Falken's on my truck and they were performed really well in the snow. But I've only tested them in fresh snow, not the packed down variety
As a few have stated Goodyear DuraTrac would have been to add to the test. Just came out with a new version. I put 40k on my '01 Wrangler TJ. Great in snow. (KS that is) good video.
I have BFG Trail Terrain on my grand Cherokee and my Outback and they’re 3 peak mountain rated and they’re great
I just reached out to Falken regarding these tires and although I know that you are testing the E load tires across these three tires, the AT4Ws tires like the AT3Ws before them have a better snow/wet performance out of the SL rated versions compared with the LT sizes. The Falken website for the AT3Ws always stated this performance difference due to the compound differences between the SL/LT variants but I couldn't find anything referencing a compound difference on the AT4Ws page. Falken have confirmed however that this remains true with the AT4Ws and there is a compound difference between the SL/LT sizes that will see the SL's still perform better in the snow/wet vs the LT of the same size. The weight difference alone would also make a huge difference if just looking at the SL (53.4 lbs) vs LT (65.4 lbs) in the 285/70R17 size, thats an additional 48 lbs all round, of rolling weight you're trying to stop. If snow performance is a critical factor then maybe the SL load is a better option.
I was really hoping the Falken AT4w would come through. I live in FL so I don’t deal with a lot of snow, but love my AT3w for the swampy environments and it has outperformed other ATs I have tried.
I've the AT4Ws and was extra cautious with the first snow after watching the video. However, they performed better than I would've expected. Mine are SL load rated though.. not sure if it uses a different compound or anything. Winter has just begun though so will have plenty of time to see how it performs.
With such similar results between the K03’s and the Destinations, everyday road noise would be the tie-breaker for me. Could we trouble you to run a dry-road decibel meter on these two?
Don't know if the KO3s are lighter than the KO2s, but in my size the XTs are 9lb lighter than the older BFG tire. That's a big plus for the issues relating to unsprung weight. Since they've been market-tested for years now, and many commenters here are favorably impressed by their performance, my previous hesitation about their toughness is decreased greatly. And of course, your testing here also says a lot too!
Needed this one!