PRO COMP XTERRAIN
The Xterrain is a radial tire with up to three polyester sidewall plies. The plies are said to be thicker and more puncture-resistant than those found on some other radial tires. We didn't gouge ours, even though we tried. The Xterrain now comes in sizes up to 40 inches. The Xterrain tires offer an appealing, aggressive tread pattern that doesn't take away from the road manners of the tire, making it a great all-around choice.
Street-*** Mud-***
Sand-*** Heavy Rock-***
SUPER SWAMPER SX
The Super Swamper SX is probably the most bulletproof tire available, but at a price -- it sucks on the street. The SX is a bias-ply tire with steel belts in the tread zone. The aggressive lugs wrap halfway down the tire, providing increased traction and protection. On the street and at higher speeds off-road, the SX tires will develop cracks in the outer sidewalls. They won't leak air, but they look kinda spooky. Very low (single-digit) air pressures are needed to get the SXs to stick to off-road terrain. Flat spotting and a need for excessive balance weight is a common Swamper trait, and the SXs are no different.
Street-* Mud-****
Sand-*** Heavy Rock-****
SUPER SWAMPER BOGGER
Who can't instantly recognize a Bogger? Like some kind of bastardized paddle tire, the Bogger gives incredible forward momentum in mud and sand, but its rather hard composition and lack of siping provide poor traction on smooth rock. On jagged rock and on ledges, the big, wide lugs of the Bogger act like hands to grab and pull your vehicle up and over. But, like the Swamper SX, the Boggers have an increadibly thick and strong sidewall. It's good for resistance against rock damage, but it takes a longer time to break the tires in and you generally need to run them at a lower pressure than you would other tires. Believe it or not, we put about 20,000 street miles on a set of Boggers. They wore better than we thought they would, but they offer an extremely rough, uneven, and loud ride on pavement.
Street-* Mud-****
Sand-*** Heavy Rock-***
SUPER SWAMPER TSL
The Super Swamper TSL (three-stage-lug) is the classic bias-ply mud tire that by now seems to have been around forever. While the sidewalls aren't as thick or as well protected by tread as those of the SX, they are extremely durable and will bulge and flex at pressures starting at just under 10 psi. This is a tire designed for off-road abuse, so it's not surprising that it abuses you on-road. Especially true of taller sizes is flat-spotting, a square-feeling ride and tough balancing issues. However, their performance in mud and on rocks is on the high side of excellent. Wider versions do very well in the sand, but narrower Swamper TSLs may tend to dig on heavier vehicles.
Street-* Mud-****
Sand-*** Heavy Rock-****
YOKOHAMA M/T
The Yokohama Geolandar MT is a highly refined, albeit small tire (by today's standards). It's offered in a variety of sizes up to 35 inches for 15- and 16-inch wheels. The computer-designed directional tread does a good job of self-cleaning in mud and sticking to wet pavement, and it offers phenomenal grip in the rocks. The sidewalls are only two-ply, but we never experienced a rip or puncture and they exhibited a nice bulge at lower pressures. We tested two sets of 35s, a 35x12.50-15, and a 315/75R16. The 15-incher was a load range C, while the 16-incher was a D. We found that the 15-inch version exhibited more tread wear on the street than the 16-inch version, even though the 16s were on a heavier rig.
Street-*** Mud-***
Sand-*** Heavy Rock-***