A lot of brands sell truck tires but the vast majority of tire manufacturers don’t pour a lot of R&D into catering to this crowd. As a result, their products are passable at best.
A few brands, however, are true leaders in truck tires, offering either superior truck tires, some incredibly unique options, or a combination of both.
Below we’ve detailed five brands we think really stand out as catering to truck owners and enthusiasts.
BFGoodrich
There’s little doubt which tire brand is tops when it comes to truck tires. BFGoodrich has built a name for itself as the truck tire brand for decades.
But perhaps more than any other marketing exercise or Baja win, it’s the All Terrain TA KO2 tire that has cemented BFG’s reputation.
This tire doesn’t look like any other all-terrain tire, thanks to curved tread blocks and an almost completely level surface. As a result, it grips beyond what you’d expect from an AT tire and even does the job of many mud-terrain tires. And durability is first rate, thanks to sidewalls that are thicker than you’d normally find in an all-terrain tire.
Goodyear
Goodyear’s Wrangler name of truck tires is synonymous with off-roading. And for good reason. There’s a long list of Wrangler tires for every type of off-roading you might want to do. There are even numerous ones made for a more refined on-road experience and better on-road manners.
But the Wrangler sub-brand isn’t all you should look at. Goodyear makes a long list of other tires that are great for trucks, SUVs and crossovers. A few to highlight include the Assurance Max Life, which offers more milage than any other truck tire and the Assurance Weather Ready, which is an all-season tire with true winter capability.
It’s interesting to note that you generally won’t find any Goodyear tires on Amazon. Instead, you can find them through retailers like Tire Rack or through Goodyear’s own online store.
Cooper Tires
Cooper’s Discoverer sub-brand of tires is extremely impressive both in terms of capability and options. Cooper mines several niches wth different levels of all-terrain and mud-terrain tires.
With the success the brand has seen with it’s AT3 tire, it even recently expanded to add more options for different types of buyers. As a result, there’s now the AT3 LT for HD trucks, the AT3 XLT for extreme lifted applications (or wild OEM trucks like the Raptor) as well as the AT3 4S which offers true winter capability and the same all-terrain grip.
Nitto Tires
We love Nitto’s commitment to the aftermarket supporting truck drivers no matter what they’re into or where they want to go.
Offering the usual all-terrain and mud-terrain options, we particularly like some truly unique options like the Dune Grappler, which is custom-made for grip in sand.
Nitto also offers lots of extreme plus sizes, going well beyond 22-inch wheels.
Maxxis
Maxxis might be better known in the ATV/UTV segment, but the brand has adopted that extreme off-road performance capability for trucks ad SUVs.
With a big involvement in off-road truck racing, Maxxis offers numerous levels and sub-brands of off-road tires. In particular the Bravo and RAZR brands offer stepped levels of off-road grip.
Maxxis even offers street-focused performance models under the Marauder sub-brand. Or, if you’re looking for maximum grip, there’s even the Trepador brand of off-road competition tires.
Best Types of Tires for Trucks
While there are numerous brands that are well-known for making truck tires, one size does not fit all, and it really depends on what you’re looking for. Do you want off-road capability? Do you want extreme off-road capability and are willing to sacrifice to get it? Or, perhaps, do you want a smooth highway ride. Or fuel economy. And so on.
That said, looking at the best truck tire brands can point you in the right direction, but there’s a lot to look at beyond that.
For the vast majority of truck owners, the best option is going to be an all-season or highway terrain tire. See here for our list of the best all season truck tires. Of note, highway terrain tires are nearly identical to all-season tires, except they do offer a bit of light off-road grip. Plus, they’ll do some light off-roading without getting destroyed.
A lot of truck owners prefer all-terrain tires, for a few reasons. See here for our list of the best all-terrain tires. They offer true on- and off-road capability and durability, meaning if you do go off-road often, they’ll still hold up over time. These tires do have a shorter lifespan, tend to run a bit louder (although huge advancements have been made in this area) and also tend to perform less-well on wet roads. Oh, and they’re significantly more expensive.
Increasingly all-terrain tires are certified for true winter performance too, which is a huge added benefit. You can see our list of winter-rated all-terrain tires here.
For the most extreme off-road performance mud-terrain can’t be beat. These are amazingly aggressive and capable. While not designed for street use, they are street legal. See our list of the best mud-terrain tires here. MT generally don’t come with any tread life warranty and you’ll be lucky to get 40,000 miles on a set. They range from expensive to ludicrously expensive.
It’s important to also note that for MT tires they aren’t just more capable, but also more durable. Specifically, they are manufactured using a 3-ply sidewall (as opposed to a 2-ply sidewall). This extra layer of protection offers better puncture-resistance. It also allows the tires to be aired down and back up again, repeatedly, without damaging the sidewall or impacting the overall tire life.
There are more truck tire options than these, including street sport truck tires, for a more on-road performance focused machine. Plus there are also now hybrid terrain tires that split the difference between AT and MT options.