Achilles Desert Hawk X-MT Review

The Achilles Desert Hawk X-MT is extremely unique amongst mud-terrain tires and not just for its looks either.

PROS

  • Better on-road civility than most MT tires
  • 50,000 mile tread life warranty
  • Improved on-road braking
  • Sidewall protection features

CONS

  • No 3-ply sidewall

Starting with the tire’s design though, it really does look the part of an extreme off-roader. Which it is.

Of particular note is the X pattern on the tire’s sidewall. The makes a serious statement for any off-road rig but serves a few very real purposes too. For starters, the extra thickness here delivers an added layer of protection. This sidewall design also allows the tire to have a slight edge in rock crawling scenarios.

To a certain extent this feature is working to make up for the fact that the tire doesn’t have a 3-ply sidewall, which almost all mud-terrain tires have.

As for overall off-roading, the four rows of tread lugs are a conventional setup for any MT tire. Plus there’s plenty of void space between the treads to help dig into loose surfaces and churn up mud or earth. The exterior tread blocks also feature small ribs at the base of the tire tread. These flex as the tire moves, helping to dislodge smaller rocks caught in the tread, or any mud/earth that’s been packed between.

What stands out on this tire perhaps more than even the sidewall are the tread lugs that are stepped as they connect to the tread base. These help to make this tire more suited to on-road performance than a typical mud-terrain tire. One advantage they give is that under braking they actually allow for more of the tread itself to touch the surface of the road, adding grip and reducing braking distances. With the tread blocks having a larger base, this also makes each block more stable, improving overall handling on- or off-road.

And quickly switching back to off-road performance, these steps also help the tire self-clean.

Achilles actually also paid attention to tire noise here. Mud-terrain tires will always be pretty loud, but this design element and tread pattern do work to minimize noise levels. Overall, it’s a better on-road tire than you’d expect. And the real highlight of it’s on-road performance is the 50,000 mile tread life warranty.

Achilles Desert Hawk X-MT Price

Pricing for the Achilles Desert Hawk X-MT fluctuates pretty wildly based on fitment but starts very affordably at around $135 per tire and goes up to closer to $300 per tire. Overall an extremely affordable mud-terrain tire.

Achilles Desert Hawk X-MT Warranty

Almost no mud-terrain tires come with a mileage guarantee so the Desert Hawk X-MT really stands out here. Achilles puts a 50,000 mile warranty on the tires. This does, however, only apply to non-LT sizes.

Achilles Desert Hawk X-MT Sizes

235/75 R15
245/70 R16
265/50 R20
265/60 R18
27X8.5 R14
27X8.50 R15 LT
30×9.50 R15 LT
31×10.50 R15 LT
31X10.50 R15 LT
32X11.50 R15 LT
32X11.50 R15 LT
33X12.50 R15 LT
33X12.50 R15 LT
33×12.50 R20 LT
35X12.5 R20
37X12.5 R17
LT 265/65 R17
LT205/80 R16
LT225/75 R16
LT235/85 R16
LT265/65 R17
LT265/70 R16
LT265/70 R17
LT265/75 R16
LT285/50 R20
LT285/60 R18
LT285/70 R17
LT285/75 R16
LT305/70 R17