Overlanding has gained quite the following and popularity in recent years. The ability to be able to travel within the comfort of your off-road vehicle and live in it brings a sense of adventure for any individual. In trips like these, there are things that should be well-thought of to make sure the experience is enjoyable and stress-free. Such things might require a checklist of to-bring items, making sure there is both a good supply of food and water, and perhaps clothing. For the vehicle, a good tune-up would go a long way as long journeys tend to take you to remote places where there is hardly any assistance on the road. Lastly, to ensure frills-free overlanding, a good set of reliable tires must be used.
How Do You Choose the Best Tires for Overlanding?
There are a lot of tires that are available out there in the market for your overlanding adventures. In fact, tire manufacturers like Giti have various offerings in the AWD or 4×4 range or even in the all-terrain department. Giving thought prior to jumping the gun to purchase a set of tires will eventually lead to making the best-informed choice, and when spending your money to purchase these, why not simply go for the best one for you?
- Think of the possible routes and terrains you will be traversing and driving on.
It’s somewhat a chore to do some granular planning when the entire intent of the trip is to enjoy the journey. But a little bit of heads up on the types of terrain you may encounter will help you prepare for the worst conditions. Sometimes, an all-terrain tire can give you flexibility and versatility on the road especially when there is a mix of urban and off-road surfaces.
- Factor in the length of your trip.
Off-road overland adventures tend to be brutal on the tires. There are terrains that are simply too muddy or rocky that will continuously beat on your tires. If you are looking to make sure that the tires stack up to the mileage you will put on it, then tires with maximum traction or tires with mud terrain are your go-to choices. Exploring brands like Giti can surprise you with tires that handle even the worst conditions tailored for SUVs and 4×4 vehicles. With a name that you can have a peace of mind with, thinking of the length of your trip might not even be that difficult to plan for.
- Look for the one that gives your vehicle the matching strength.
Overland adventures as the name suggests, tend to go into the most exciting drives and terrains known to man. If you are brining your vehicle that packs so much torque and power for the drive, find a tire that matches its ability to cope with the demands of the trip. This may come in the form of looking for tires with deep treading and asymmetrical patterns to reduce possibilities of slipping and aquaplaning.
The Top Tires for Overlanding
With the numerous overlanding tires available in the market, one cannot help but think about what the differences are and if selecting anything while keeping your hand over your eyes will be just as rewarding. Well, it’s really a market that requires careful selection and while it won’t kill you too pick randomly, investing in a good set might just give you more value for your money that you’d ever imagine. Check out this list of tires you can start looking at but remember that there is more out there that this list will not talk about.
- The Overlander General Tire X3 Series
Selling at around $277, this mud terrain tire boasts of the DuraGen Technology which is the 3-ply durability promise of Overlander. Navigating your way through extreme muddy conditions will be a breeze as the extreme off-road performance of the X3 will pushout the mud and moves you forward. It may also surprise you as you bring this to an urban or cemented road that the noise is not as loud due to its sound damping feature called the Siped Tread Design.
- The B F Goodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2
With the trademarked CoreGuard technology, this offering by B F Goodrich has an additional 20% sidewall strength so you don’t get short-changed even on the toughest landscapes. They have also beefed up the upper sidewalls with traction bars to get an extra grip on muddy surfaces and improve your overall traction. It does come at a $395.99 price tag but there is no doubt about getting the value of what you’ve paid for.
- The Git4x4 AT70
This all-terrain tire by Giti Tires comes in different sizes and ratings. The beauty about being able to find a tire that comes in various measurements means that you can find the perfect size for your vehicle and adapting to whatever size is not a dilemma anymore. In making this model, Giti was inspired by tank tires as evident in the treads and comes with its 5mm thick sidewall to ensure that the chain curbing block design keeps the tires safe from tears and damages.
- The Nitto Tire Terra Grappler G2
Another worthy option is the Terra Grappler G2 for an all-terrain experience. It is rated A in traction which is highly coveted for off-roading with a temperature rating of B which in off-roading does not really matter as much as highway driving due to the reduced heat generation. Nitto also offers a limited-time warranty for treadwear with varying mileages for different types of the Terra Grappler G2. The generated sound and comfort aren’t also a problem as the rating on both is pretty good on the Terra Grappler G2, making any highway driving still seem peaceful.
Conclusion
We believe that overlanding is a great outdoor activity which does require preparation for you to ensure that the entire trip is stress-free. Tires being the ones that take most of the exposure and beating, can definitely use some careful picking prior to setting out. With the plethora of overlanding tires to choose from, making a selection will definitely be exciting and daunting at the same time, so checking out the specifications you need will surely help narrow down the choices.
