Grabber AT2 or BFG All Terrain T/A for all year inc winter?

[foliedouce]

Maybe the wrong time of the year to ask but I want to buy a tyre for my new Defender that looks good (yes I know you shouldn't buy a tyre on looks but there you are) and wanted to get real world experience on:-

General Grabber AT2

Or

BF Goodrich All Terrain T/A

Or any other suggestions. I only highlight these as the search function / google have pointed me that way.

Both tick the 'look good' box but wondering which perform better for my mission profile which is:-

very light off road (think muddy field / woods / dirt tracks)

probably more important to me is winter use as I live in the sticks so need:-

good performance in snow & ice - I have a country lane on the way to work that is never gritted / snow cleared by the council (easier for them to close it) that is a fairly steep gradient and I need to pass that. I have (only just) cleared it in my FFRR on Dunlop Grand Trek ST8000 (marked snow & mud) when the weather was really bad the other winter (compacted ice and shallow snow on top).

I can't be bothered with 2 sets of tyres hence ideally wanting 1 set that can cover summer & winter & light off road

Thanks!

[Ayahuasca]

My BFG Mud Terrains look pretty good.

[foliedouce]

Ayahuasca said:

My BFG Mud Terrains look pretty good.

Agreed, but how do they perform in winter? Specifically on compacted ice & snow.

Google has mixed views on this point.

[Ayahuasca]

foliedouce said:

Ayahuasca said:

My BFG Mud Terrains look pretty good.

Agreed, but how do they perform in winter? Specifically on compacted ice & snow.

Google has mixed views on this point.

Sorry, I live in the tropics. Dunno.

[foliedouce]

Ayahuasca said:

Sorry, I live in the tropics. Dunno.

That's just showing off

[Ayahuasca]

foliedouce said:

Ayahuasca said:

Sorry, I live in the tropics. Dunno.

That's just showing off

Not the glamorous tropics, the third world bit of a dump tropics.

[Ayahuasca]

Sarge 4x4 is your man. He will be along shortly.

[Dave^]

What about the Duratrac?

[Clivey]

I have General Grabber AT (not AT2) tyres on my Discovery 2 (255/55/R18) and whilst I've not had chance to try them in snow yet, they do pretty damn well in mud etc.

[foliedouce]

Dave^ said:

What about the Duratrac?

TBH I'd go for the Vredestein Xtreme 4x4 before those as I understand they are better in the winter and good in the summer as well. However neither pass the 'look good' test (which for me is the white lettering AND chunky look).

Edited by foliedouce on Saturday 2nd August 15:53

[Dave^]

I did go for the Wintracs myself...

[foliedouce]

Dave^ said:

I did go for the Wintracs myself...

On a Land Rover? If so, any chance of a pic?

Ta

[Dave^]

On a D3...

[RicksAlfas]

I was looking at some BFG ATs the other day and noticed they had the snowflake in a mountain symbol on them which would suggest they would be ok in the snow. I don't think the Grabbers have that marking. Also I don't think you can get AT2s now. I think they are just ATs.

[Gaspode]

Mrs Gaspode has BFG AT T/A's on her Defender 90, she keeps them on all year, and they are very good indeed in snow.

[tr7v8]

Run General ATs on the Jeep all year round. AT2 are obsolete, not been around for ages. They are generally excellent, very good on ice & snow & mud.

[Sarge 4x4]

Both the General AT2 and the BFG AT KO are snowflake/mountain marked, both perform very well on a Defender throughout the year and are very good in the snow with (IMHO) the AT2 just getting the edge on wet/cold/snowy roads. Both perform very well for light off road but will not perform as well as an MT tyre.

The General AT2 is STILL available and will be for some time in the commercial sizes that suite/fit the Defenders.

Goodyear DuraGrip is another very good Performa all year round.

I run three Defenders on General AT2 and a Toyota Amazon on BFG AT KO and with the business I am in do quite a bit of tyre testing not only in the UK but abroad as well.

Love talking rubber and would always be happy to help with advice on tyre choice for any vehicle, quick look at my profile will help.

[foliedouce]

Sarge 4x4 said:

Both the General AT2 and the BFG AT KO are snowflake/mountain marked, both perform very well on a Defender throughout the year and are very good in the snow with (IMHO) the AT2 just getting the edge on wet/cold/snowy roads. Both perform very well for light off road but will not perform as well as an MT tyre.

The General AT2 is STILL available and will be for some time in the commercial sizes that suite/fit the Defenders.

Goodyear DuraGrip is another very good Performa all year round.

I run three Defenders on General AT2 and a Toyota Amazon on BFG AT KO and with the business I am in do quite a bit of tyre testing not only in the UK but abroad as well.

Love talking rubber and would always be happy to help with advice on tyre choice for any vehicle, quick look at my profile will help.

Thanks - sounds like we have a winner then judging by your experience

Do they still the AT2's in 235/85R16?

[Sarge 4x4]

Yes still made and for some time with luck.

Always a stock size for us.

[billywhizzzzzz]

Like you I'm struggling - I live in rural place and want a tyre for my defender that performs in winter. Like you, I want a tyre that looks good on a defender, and these two things are fighting another.

Most people don't seem to realise that we need a winter compound (most importantly) and sipes. 'Chunks' are of little real use. The best tyres I've ever used on regular cars are normal winter tyres and they are breathtakingly good, and of course they don't have chunks.

I'm so bored of people telling me I need chunky tyres for winter. I'm vain enough to want chunky tyres, but I don't really need them even though we live miles up a rutted track. The best tyre for what I need all round seems to be the cooper AT 3 but they're just not right for a defender. As they look a but weedy.. And so I seem to be leaning towards the Duratrac.