The Best Mud-Terrain Tires of 2022
Tackle your next off-road excursion with confidence with these top mud-terrain tires.
If you’re a dedicated off-road enthusiast, having a set of the best mud-terrain tires for your 4×4 is vital to conquering obstacles and finding traction. Mud-terrain (MT) tires are an excellent choice for your 4WD truck, SUV, or Jeep if you frequent deep, muddy trails and take your vehicle out for more than the casual off-road excursion.
Mud tires are characterized by their aggressive, chunky tread pattern, which provides traction in even the most slippery conditions. Along with the unique tread pattern, mud-terrain tires are also built with extremely durable sidewalls to better handle the abuse of harsh terrain, even when aired down. Generally, mud tires are also a great option for rock crawling.
We’ve compiled a list of the best mud-terrain tires on the market today so that you can walk away from our buyer’s guide knowing which tire is the right one for you. Along with that, we’ve answered some of the most frequently asked questions regarding mud-terrain tires and listed some of the key features to consider when choosing new rubber for your off-road vehicle.
The Best Mud-Terrain Tires of 2022
Best Overall Choice: BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain T/A KM3
The BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain T/A KM3 ($327) is truly one of the most durable tires out there. If you are an avid off-road enthusiast, you want to get the highest quality tire. This premium tire, equipped with a Terrain Attack tread design, imparts aggressive traction in mud and on rocks. The design of the large tread blocks gives the tire optimal grip on extreme terrain.
The tire is self-cleaning and equipped to release compacted mud from the tread as you drive so that you never lose traction, even for a second. In addition to mud traction, this tire is also highly suitable for driving on rocks. And the thick sidewalls will protect against punctures from any sharp rocks.
On top of its off-road performance, the BFG KM3 is also one of the best mud-terrain tires for everyday driving. It’s quieter on pavement than most MTs and is also better in cold and snowy conditions than most.
Read our full review of the BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain T/A KM3.
Check Price at AmazonCheck Price at Walmart
Best Budget Choice: Atturo Trail Blade A/T
Suitable for light trucks, the Atturo Trail Blade A/T ($257) mud-terrain tires will keep your vehicle moving on challenging off-road trails. The tires are best suited for muddy and rocky terrain.
But in addition to that, they also can take on snow and sand. They have an intense tread pattern and a self-cleaning track. You can count on always having grip as the tire easily ejects mud, rocks, and more.
The tire features a staggered shoulder block that maintains grip and traction even on turns in deep, soft mud. And the tread blocks have a beveled pattern for optimal traction both on and off the road.
Check Price at AmazonCheck Price at Walmart
Best Premium Choice: Nitto Trail Grappler M/T
At first glance, the Trail Grappler M/T ($386) mud tires from Nitto somehow look both beautiful and gnarly. And they truly are both! With the unique Z-groove treads that provide added stability and traction, these mud-terrains will keep you safe during your off-road adventures.
The tread pattern is engineered to help remove stones and clear mud to maintain traction throughout your drive. The deep-center sipe works to prevent hydroplaning if you ever run into rain along your drive. Along with that, the reinforced shoulder and the three-ply sidewall provide great puncture resistance.
Check Price at AmazonCheck Price at Walmart
Toyo Tires Open Country M/T
The Open Country M/T ($399) from Toyo Tires is a mud-terrain tire with intense tread. The tread pattern features hook-shaped blocks and open shoulder blocks for traction at every angle. These tires were designed specifically for light trucks to drive easily on mud, rock, and ice.
The tire has three-ply polyester construction and deep siping in the tread block to grab onto deep mud or intense rocks. With the deep siping, the tire also has self-cleaning capabilities to eject mud and snow throughout your off-road adventure.
And, if you are not completely happy with your purchase after 500 miles or 45 days, Toyo allows you to return the tires with no questions asked.
Check Price at AmazonCheck Price at Walmart
Fierce Attitude M/T
The Fierce Attitude M/T ($382) mud-terrain tire is everything you want in an off-road tire. It has excellent mud traction for even the deepest slop. Along with that, the tires feature hefty rim protection. The staggered shoulder blocks give you added grip and traction throughout your whole off-roading adventure.
The durable sidewall design not only gives you good protection but also gives your ride a stylish appearance. This is a mud tire that is good-looking and superb in both quality and performance. They work extremely well in the mud, rain, snow, and dirt road cruising.
Not familiar with the name? Fierce tires is a sub-brand of Goodyear that produces tires specifically for high-performance and sport truck enthusiasts. As a member of the Goodyear family, they benefit from incorporating the company’s advanced technologies and in-depth testing methodologies.
Check Price at AmazonCheck Price at Walmart
Falken Wildpeak M/T
The Falken Wildpeak M/T ($361) mud-terrain tire has all the features you want in a mud tire and more. Uniquely, this tire features heat-diffuser technology which allows the lower sidewall to diffuse heat in order to protect the tire core from delamination. This allows for continued strength even with heavy loads and when towing.
In addition, the Wildpeak M/T has rigid tread blocks that provide the traction you need when dealing with deep mud and other extreme off-roading conditions. And the rigidity of the blocks prevents stones from getting trapped in the tread.
The upper sidewall and shoulder block further protect the tire against sharp rocks. The tread is also uniquely designed to provide an overall quiet ride, which is hard to come by with mud-terrain tires.
Note: The Falken Wildpeak M/T tires are not for sale in the state of Arkansas.
Check Price at AmazonCheck Price at Walmart
Firestone Destination M/T2
The Firestone Destination M/T2 ($284) mud-terrain tire is equipped with excellent tread and the durability and strength that you want in a mud tire. Whether you’re driving in wet mud or rocky terrain, these tires will keep you going.
They are great for SUVs, trucks, and dedicated off-road vehicles. With a tear-resistant rubber and an aggressive tread pattern, these tires can also eject mud and rock as you drive with their self-cleaning capabilities.
The upper sidewall lugs give the tires additional traction when turning in the mud and on the rocks, especially when aired down. The tires are three-ply rated with nylon reinforcement to further increase the tire life. In addition, you can add metal studs to the Destination M/T2s for increased ice traction.
Check Price at AmazonCheck Price at Walmart
Milestar Patagonia M/T
The Milestar Patagonia ($186) mud-terrain tire is a good all-around performer with an enhanced tread that provides traction even on wet terrain. It has radial protection and a three-ply sidewall.
Though this mud-terrain isn’t as heavy-duty as others on the market, it is constructed to deal with moderately rough terrain, rocks, and other sharp objects. The tire tread has self-cleaning capabilities and stone ejectors to help keep your grip through every turn in your off-road adventures.
While the performance of a mud-terrain tire is undoubtedly the most important thing to consider, it definitely doesn’t hurt that these tires are also stylish. With the raised Patagonia writing and the unique tread design, your vehicle will get some added style points.
The angled and varying tread design allows for superior grip off-road, and the center rib design improves on-road handling for a quiet and comfortable ride.
Check Price at AmazonCheck Price at Walmart
Interco TrXuS M/T
A tread design described as “aggressive” is exactly what you want when purchasing mud-terrain tires. And the Interco TrXuS M/T ($435) mud-terrains certainly fit the bill. With its intense tread pattern and strengthened shoulder of a monster truck tire, it’s safe to say that all your off-road drives will experience incredible traction.
While reviewers have noted that these tires are noisy on the road, this means you should limit your time on the pavement with them. After all, getting dirty is what mud-terrain tires are for.
For added durability, they have a reinforced compound. The tread has a combination of large lugs with self-cleaning capabilities. Namely, the tread arrangement allows the tires to grab onto dirt, mud, and rocks when you want traction without muck building up between the blocks.
Why You Should Trust Us
We get that people want the best value on gear before spending their hard-earned money. Our expert team carefully selects the products we cover and vigorously researches (and tests) our top choices. Bottom line: The GearJunkie staff is dedicated to exhaustive analysis and helping our readers make informed choices.
Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose Mud-Terrain Tires
Picking the Best MT Tires
When choosing mud-terrain tires, first determine the appropriate tire and wheel size that fits your vehicle. Note that any upgrades you have made to the suspension or brakes may influence what size tire and wheel will fit your vehicle. Then, consider what activities you plan to use the mud-terrain tires for.
Overall, mud-terrain tires are heavy-duty and optimized for off-road use in dirt, rocks, and mud. Mud-terrain tires offer limited traction and a shorter tread life, and they will be less fuel-efficient on pavement than all-terrain or all-season tires.
If less aggressive and more on-road-friendly tires are what you need for your 4×4, then have a look at our all-terrain (AT) tire buying guide: The Best All Terrain Tires.
The key features to consider when purchasing mud-terrain tires include clearance, shoulder tread, tread pattern, and sidewall specifications — which will be explained more in-depth at the end of the article. In short, mud tires provide safety and durability when off-roading on muddy and rocky terrain.
Mud-Terrain Tire Features to Consider
First, make sure you have adequate clearance on your vehicle to fit the size mud tire you are looking to buy. This is especially important if you plan to purchase a larger tire size than the OE tires that come stock on your vehicle.
There needs to be proper clearance between the tires and your vehicle’s fenders. Typically, trucks will be able to accommodate slightly larger tires without any modifications. However, smaller SUVs may not.
Next, the tread pattern is a very important feature of mud-terrain tires. While all of these tires will have deep grooves, the tread pattern does vary from tire to tire. Generally the deeper and chunkier the tread pattern, the more traction you’ll get in loose and muddy conditions. Along with the tread pattern, look for a tire with elevated tread on the shoulders for added grip and siped tread for even more traction in wet conditions.
Speaking of sharp objects, the sidewalls are vital in protecting the tire in extreme off-roading conditions. The thicker the sidewall, the more durable the tire, and the more likely it will stand up to sharp objects or possible punctures or abrasion along the sidewall. One measure to look for is the ply rating. The general rule of thumb is to purchase mud-terrain tires with a sidewall rating of three-ply or higher.
It is important to note that as the spacing of the tread pattern gets larger, the tire gets louder on the pavement. So, if you are trying to find a mud-terrain tire with relative on-road comfort, look for mud-terrain tires with centered tread patterns and less pronounced grooves.
Go Off-Road Prepared
Having mud-terrain tires helps you avoid getting stuck in many off-road conditions. However, we recommend bringing along basic recovery gear before your next off-road excursion, including traction boards, and possibly a winch, just in case. Not only will your vehicle look extreme in all the cool ways, but you will be equipped to take on the most challenging off-road trails.
FAQ
What Is the Difference Between Mud-Terrain (MT) Tires and All-Terrain (AT) Tires?
Mud-terrain tires are well suited for a wide range of off-road conditions, especially loose and wet conditions. Because of the large and deep tread design, they find traction in deep mud, but also can be quite loud on the road. The big blocky design also looks aggressive and will make your 4×4 look mean.
All-terrain tires have smaller tread blocks. Think of AT tires as 50% on-road and 50% off-road capable. Well-equipped to handle wet, snowy, and icy terrain, they fall short when dealing with deep mud in off-road conditions. If you are driving off-road trails with deep mud, you are going to want a tire that can dig deep and find grip.
Are Mud-Terrain Tires Good on the Road?
Generally, mud-terrain tires do not perform as well on paved roads as other options. They tend to wear relatively quickly due to the softer compounds that make up the tire. Consequently, mud tires will affect fuel economy and wear faster if the majority of driving is on the pavement.
What Are the Benefits of Mud-Terrain Tires?
Mud-terrain tires create traction in loose, muddy, and/or rocky off-road conditions. This is because the deep grooves and chunky tread of the tires will push mud and loose rocks out from under your tires. This gives you the traction you need to keep moving forward.
How Long Do Mud-Terrain Tires Last?
It’s not unusual for mud-terrain tires to last 30,000 to 40,000 miles, as they have a deep tread that starts at 18/32 of an inch — nearly twice that of a typical road tire. Of course, your driving conditions and how often you go off-roading will impact the tire lifespan. Here are a few things to consider that will affect how often you’ll have to shop for new mud tires:
- Driving surface. Using mud-terrain tires mostly on dirt trails, mud, and snow puts less wear than mainly driving on paved roads.
- Proper tire inflation. Running lower air pressure allows mud tires to flex and conform over rough terrain. With this in mind, overinflated tires also risk damage when traveling over rugged conditions.
- Driving habits. Drive smoothly because aggressive braking and acceleration habits will negatively affect your tire’s tread life.
Are Mud-Terrain Tires Good in the Snow?
Contrary to what you may think, mud-terrain tires are not necessarily good in the snow. The large crevices on the tread pattern design of mud tires cause snow and ice to get stuck in the grooves. Once that happens, the tires lose traction.
Some mud-terrain tires are snowflake rated, however, and work well in all seasons.
Also, we recommend using snow tires and/or tire chains in intense snowy or icy conditions.
Are Mud-Terrain Tires Loud?
Mud-terrain tires can be loud when driven on the pavement at high speeds and are for sure louder than other tire options. With that, if you ever have to drive them on the highway, expect noise from mud-terrain tires.
When driven off-road, they are still quite noisy. But you’ll likely find the noisiness is worth the unparalleled traction they provide.
While this is the general rule, some top modern MT tires offer impressively low road-noise when considering their off-road mud traction focus.
All-Terrain vs. Mud-Terrain: How to Pick the Best Off-Road Tires for Your Adventures
The post The Best Mud-Terrain Tires of 2022 appeared first on GearJunkie.