With all-terrain tires, it’s possible to go off-roading and not lose any traction at all.
The two main tires that we’re going to be looking at today are the Falken Wildpeak AT3w vs. VFG KO2.
Both these tires stand aside from the other all-terrain tires on the market.
When it comes to all-terrain tires, Falken and BFG are the two brands that stand out the most.
Drivers that are serious about off-roading have a lot of things that they need to consider.
Some timers are better suited than others when it comes to off-road performance.
Here’s everything you need to know to decide which is the best one for you!
Bear in mind that some of the links in this post are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase we will earn a commission.
Falken Wildpeak AT3W vs BFG KO2
Before we go into more detail comparing the Falken Wildpeak AT3W vs. BFG KO2, we provide you a little mini-review of each and then go into detail with the key comparisons of each.
Falken Wildpeak AT3W
Falken tires fall under the banner of Sumitomo Rubber Industries, a Japanese company.
They specialize in making tires for passenger cars along with light and medium trucks.
The Falken Wildpeak AT3W will give drivers support throughout all their adventures, as it’s capable of driving under any weather and on any surface.
The tires are made using a silica tread compound, which allows the tire to perform brilliantly on wet, sandy, muddy, and snowy terrains.
Its outer sidewall also has a heat diffuser mechanism that protects the inner casing from overheating.
At the same time, temperature regulation means that your grip or traction won’t be impacted in extreme driving conditions.
On the upper sidewall of the tire, there’s a unique feature that helps protect the tires from cuts, punctures, and scratches.
When there’s a drop in tire pressure, a sidewall helps ensure that there’s still traction and grip on rocky terrain.
When it comes to driving in the mud, the Wildpeak AT3W has a wide spacing along with a stepped pyramid design.
That helps ensure that a lot of the individual tread blocks effectively shed mud on the road.
The combination of features ensures that the tires perform decently in muddy conditions, and you won’t end up getting stuck.
It’s also capable of performing adequately in the snow.
The tires are capable of maintaining traction even if there are several inches of snow. Although, you’d rather have a good winter snow tire for winter conditions.
There’s no issue of the snow getting stuck in the tread blocks, and clears out effectively.
That allows the tires to maintain traction even in wet snow.
Wide tread blocks are suitable to make this a great tire for mud and snow but can be a disadvantage in rainy conditions.
However, the Falken tires feature siping that ensures that they perform reliably on rainy roads, and there are no potential issues with slippage.
There’s always enough rubber touching the road to ensure that the car has decent traction.
One issue with all-terrain tires is that they’re noisy at high speeds.
Standard cruising tires are designed to ensure that they offer the smoothest possible ride on the road.
However, all-terrain tires tend to make noise at high speeds.
While the Falken is louder than cruising tires, their tread blocks are designed in a manner that reduces total noise output.
These tires are designed to survive a lot of punishment and help make off-roading much more accessible.
No matter what terrain you encounter, these tires will offer dependable performance.
When you’re tired of off-roading and want to drive home, they’ll also make for a comfortable ride home.
What are customers saying?
Owners of the tire claim that it’s a nice set for anyone that wants to enjoy off-roading without having to sacrifice highway driving comfort.
They’re a great option if you want to fit your everyday vehicle with all-terrain tires.
Additionally, others commend the incredible off-road performance of the tires and how they can deal with a lot of punishment.
At the same time, the tires manage to remain civil and comfortable on regular roads.
- All-terrain, any-weather rugged capability
- Heat diffuser technology in the lower sidewall dissipates heat to protect the internal tire components. Keeping this critical area of the tire cool ensures vehicle stability even when towing or carrying heavy loads.
- 3D Canyon sipe technology interlocks the shoulders to resist wear from high torque as well as providing additional handling stability.
- Rugged and rigid tread blocks feature support ramps and step-down features that provide tread-pattern rigidity in the contact patch, enhancing vehicle stability and handling while also preventing stones from becoming trapped in the grooves.
- Aggressive upper sidewall along with offset shoulder blocks protect the tire from sharp rocks and provide additional off-road traction at low tire pressures or in off-camber situations.
Last update on 2023-05-13 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
BF Goodrich T/A KO2 Tire
Based in America, BF Goodrich is a tire company that initially fell under the Goodrich Cooperation.
However, in 1990 Michelin took over to run its sales.
It went down in history as being the first company to make radial tires and revolutionized the all-terrain category.
We’re going to be looking at the BF Goodrich T/A KO2, an all-terrain tire that features a tough construction to provide owners with years of dependable use.
It features the company’s patented polyester cord sidewall 3-ply construction along with twin steel belts that have been reinforced.
All that ensures the tire is thick and durable. Owners can easily count on this tire to last them for a very long time.
A notable feature of the tire is the extended sidewall and the presence of thicker rubber.
The rubber ensures that the sidewall is stronger and has a lower chance of sidewall splitting.
Sidewall splitting is a common issue that ruins most tires.
Moving towards the shoulder tread area, potential buyers will notice that it features mud buster bars.
This help ensures that compacted mud doesn’t become an issue while off-roading. The tires also have active 3D siping technology that improves traction in wet conditions.
Speaking of traction, the full tread pattern helps ensure that the BF Goodrich T/A KO2 performs brilliantly in both dry and wet conditions.
The interlocking tread pattern is computer optimized to ensure maximum performance.
The tire also features bulging rubber blocks on the sidewall, also known as side biter lugs.
Their purpose is to increase traction while navigating through the snow and mud. When it comes to rocky terrain, airing down the tires will help improve performance considerably.
Even though it’s got heavy-duty tread and tire construction, the KO2 isn’t a brute on the road.
The ride is still comfortable and doesn’t produce a lot of noise.
It features a special decoupling groove that helps the tires resist irregular wear and tear.
The T/A KO2 tire is also snow rated, which means that it is built for driving in snowy conditions.
It has deep tread blocks and serrated edges that help ensure traction even while driving through deeper snow.
BF Goodrich also makes use of a special rubber compound that ensures that tires remain pliable in extremely cold conditions.
When it comes to performance, that’s where BF Goodrich mainly earns their pedigree. It’s an incredibly responsive tire and corners well.
Even though they are heavy-duty by nature, the steering feels light and easy.
The tires are ideal for drivers that live in conditions where the snow gets very deep.
Their performance in the winter is unmatched, and it holds up well under all conditions.
Being so heavy-duty also helps ensure that tires aren’t going to fade away anytime soon.
What are customers saying?
After using the tires, owners say that they offer a smooth ride on all kinds of terrain, and the traction doesn’t waver as the tire gets older.
Its tread pattern and sidewall lugs make the tire stand out from other tires and provide a brilliant off-road look!
Key Feature Comparison
Both the Falken and BF Goodrich tires feature widely spaced tread blocks to ensure that they offer decent performance in muddy, snowy, and rocky conditions.
The Falken is made with a special silica rubber compound that’s designed to ensure that the tires produce as little noise as possible.
While the BF Goodrich tires feature a serrated shoulder edge design that cuts into loose terrain to help improve traction.
The BF Goodrich also features CoreGard sidewall technology that makes it capable of withstanding impact from sharp stones and other obstructions.
The Falken tires feature a secondary bead apex to help make a tougher sidewall.
Both tires also feature large-sized individual tread blocks that help ensure that they maintain consistent grip regardless of the terrain.
They’re also designed to be capable of withstanding freezing-level temperatures.
However, the BF Goodrich tires take the edge when it comes to winter performance.
The Falken A/T3W also features stepped tread blocks along with strategic gaps that help eject snow, dirt, and rocks to ensure that nothing gets in between the rubber and the tire.
While the BF Goodrich features a similar design, it isn’t effective at clearing out the mud, and drivers may need to take matters into their own hands!
Performance Comparison
The best way to compare the tires is to see how they match up on different terrains
Mud
The Falken tires have wide spacing and a stepped block design that allows the tire to effectively shed mud, rocks, or anything that might be caught on the tires.
That helps ensure that tires function well in muddy conditions.
The Goodrich tires feature serrated edges that bite into the mud and offers great grip.
However, it’s not very good at ejecting the mud while driving, which gives Falken the edge.
Rocky
Both tires have widely spaced tread blocks that ensure they perform adequately in rocky conditions.
However, the Falken’s perform slightly better thanks to a deeper tread.
Winter
Falken’s Wildpeak A/T3W is capable of performing well in a lot of snowy conditions and keep decent traction in wet snow as well.
However, the BF Goodrich T/A KO2 is built for winter driving conditions.
They provide dependable traction in much deeper snow, and the serrated edges provide extra grip.
Road
Both tires are comfortable enough on the ride, with the Falken’s taking the edge in terms of noise while the Goodrich offers better performance.
Both tires have specific features that make them better suited for one terrain than the other.
When it comes to performance, the Falken’s take the edge when it comes to off-road, while the BF Goodrich tires do well in winter conditions.
Price Comparison
The Falken Wildpeak AT3W are available from between $150-$250, depending on the size and location.
These fall into the category of mid-range tires and is a price for the product.
They offer dependable off-road performance and are comfortable enough on the road.
You’re getting value for your money with this tire.
The BF Goodrich is slightly more expensive and starts at $190, and can go all the way up to $380 depending on the size you need.
They fall into the mid-range price category, with larger sizes almost falling in the premium tire.
Even though they might be a little pricey, they offer superb performance and great durability.
Final Verdict
When it comes to deciding which of the two tires is better, there are a lot of factors that need to be taken into consideration.
When trying to decide between the Falken Wildpeak AT3w vs BFG KO2, there’s no definitive answer about which is the better tire, but if we had to pick, it would be the Falken Wildpeak AT3W.
While the BF Goodrich offers better on-road performance and performance in the winter conditions, the Falken Wildpeak edges this because of its all-around excellence.
Both sets of tires are suited for jeeps and pickup trucks; they won’t work with regular cars.
However, even though we think the AT3W takes the edge, the BF Goodrich tire is available in a significantly wider variety of sizes.
They’re both designed for off-road vehicles and won’t fit on even the biggest sedans without any modifications.
When it comes to value, the AT3W wins once again.
It’s significantly cheaper than the BF Goodrich and offers better performance on all-around terrains.
The BF Goodrich may have a significant edge in snowy conditions but can’t beat the AT3W on muddy or rocky terrains.
For someone that wants to get the most out of their off-roading adventure, the Falkens are the most value-for-money choice.
Disclaimer
Bear in mind that some of the links in this post are affiliate links, and if you go through them to make a purchase we will earn a commission.
Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission we receive from your purchases.
The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.
