BFGoodrich Mud Terrain T/A KM3 Review

It’s brand new on the market, and everyone wants to know just how good it is. Yup, it’s time for our BFGoodrich Mud Terrain T/A KM3 review.

PROS

More grip
Even more durable
Even better performance than before

CONS

It’s not cheap

Yes, BFG’s amazing mud terrain tire just got even better.

We’ll get into the specifics of the changes to the tire over the KM2, but first let’s talk about what those changes mean in the real world.

For starters, there’s 5 percent better mud traction. Plus, it gets 8 percent better rock traction. And finally there are the sidewalls that are 27% more resistant to punctures.

So how is all this possible?

Increased mud traction comes as a result of the Terrain-Attack tread design with huge tread blocks and “mud-phobic” bars on the sides, that help remove compacted mud from the tread, to allow for more fresh-muddy grip.

As for traction on rocks, the KM3’s Krawl-TEK tire compound (don’t blame us for the name) gives even more grip. Specific for rock-crawling, the tire has large spaces between the treads. Called the “Linear Flex Zone” they are designed to absorb objects when driving aired-down.

Think of it this way; these large spaces in the center tread lugs allow for additional edges for grip, allowing the tire to wrap around jagged rocks. It’s extremely effective and we’re also pleased to report that smaller rocks seem to get ejected easily and don’t clog-up the tread.

In particular we really love this feature. So many MT tires focus almost exclusively on soft terrain grip, but wth the KM3 you really get maximum traction in the mud and on hard jagged surfaces.

READ MORE: BFGoodrich T/A KO2 Review

And then there’s the added puncture-resistance. BFG has applied its CoreGard Max Technology from its KR3 tire to the new KM3. A thicker sidewall prevents punctures while the tread that flows over from the tire’s surface and onto the shoulder adds an extra protective layer to keep sharp rocks away from that same sidewall.

This is race-proven technology, as BFG used this innovation to help it win the Baja Championship.

BFGoodrich Mud Terrain T/A KM3 Price

A brand new tire, the T/A KM3 is prices starting around $177 for a 16-inch tire.

BFGoodrich Mud Terrain T/A KM3 Warranty

Like most mud-terrain tires, the Mud Terrain T/A KM3 does not come with a mileage guarantee.

All BFG tires come with the brand’s standard limited warranty that covers defects in workmanship and materials for the life of the usable tread (down to 2/32nds of an inch) or until six years from the original purchase date.

BFGoodrich Mud Terrain T/A KM3 Review Sizes

Since the tire’s launch, new sizes have been added and BFG is continuing to have more. So if you don’t see your size on the list below, be sure to check online retailers.

14-inch sizes
28×10.00R14
30×10.00R14

15-inch sizes
30×10.00R15
31×10.50R15
32×11.50R15
33×10.50R15
33×12.50R15

16-inch sizes
7.50R16
LT225/75R16
LT235/85R16
LT265/75R16
LT285/75R16
LT305/70R16
LT315/75R16

17-inch sizes
33×12.50R17
35×12.50R17
35×12.50R17
39×13.50R17
LT265/70R17
LT285/70R17
LT295/70R17
LT315/70R17

18-inch sizes
35×12.50R18
35×12.50R18
37×13.50R18
LT275/70R18

20-inch sizes
33×12.50R20
35×12.50R20
37×13.50R20
LT285/55R20
LT305/55R20
LT325/60R20

22-inch sizes
37×13.50R22

Is the BFGoodrich Mud Terrain T/A KM3 good in snow?

We’d rate the KM3 as passable in snow on-road, but not ideal for off-roading in snow. The natural ability of the tire to claw through any loose surface will give it some initial grip, but for prolonged periods of time it will freeze up and lose traction quickly. Adding tire chains will help significantly. Or, look for tires with the three peak mountain snowflake logo on the sidewall. The BFGoodrich All Terrain TA KO2 is one such tire.

BFGoodrich Mud Terrain TA KM3 vs KM2: What’s the Difference?

BFGoodrich isn’t big on updating its tires all the time. Instead the brand tends to over-engineer a tire and dominate the market util the competition finally catches up. So you know that with the KM3 they are making a big leap forward.

A new tread design and compound makes for more off-road capability overall, while the tire is also better handling on road, more comfortable and quieter too. In short, it’s better in every area.

A tire like the KM3 is build for extreme driving and so perhaps the best and more important upgrade to the tire is it’s sidewall improvement. While essentially all mud-terrain tires make use of a three-ply sidewall the KM3 uses BFG’s new CoreGuard Max technology, borrowed from the KR3 desert-racing tire to make the sidewall 27 percent harder to puncture than ever before.

Finally, with both increased civility and capability it’s no surprise that BFG expects this tire to be more in-demand than its predecessor and so it’s available in 33 more different fitments than the KM2, opening up more drivers to the advantages of this fantastic mud tire.