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Best ATV Tires

Updated February 2023
Bottom line
Pros
Cons
Best of the Best
Kenda Bearclaw
Kenda
Bearclaw
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All-around Option
Bottom Line

A well-rounded design for all-around use that operates well on dirt, gravel, rock, mud, water, and any other slop.

Pros

Offers impeccable control, rides smoothly and quietly, and is among the least expensive investments you can make. Offers a solid ride across a multitude of applications.

Cons

We couldn't find any considerable drawbacks to this tire.

Best Bang for the Buck
Kenda Scoprion
Kenda
Scoprion
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Customer Favorite
Bottom Line

While it doesn’t quite match others in terms of durability off-road, this is the ideal tire for lighter-duty applications.

Pros

Performs exceptionally well on golf carts, and is the tire of choice on the greens and fairways.

Cons

As is obvious by the tread design, it will not perform well splashing through the mud or moving snow.

ITP Mud Lite
ITP
Mud Lite
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Durable & Rugged
Bottom Line

Perfect for withstanding the rigors of plowing snow, moving manure, and hauling brush without any complications.

Pros

Can be plugged numerous times after being punctured, giving it a second life in the rare case that it does sustain a hole the first time around.

Cons

A bargain on many levels, but it doesn’t quite match the Bearclaw in terms of bang for the buck.

Carlisle HD Field Trax
Carlisle
HD Field Trax
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For Grass
Bottom Line

Provides solid traction while not managing the ground beneath, making it great for riding on turf or grass.

Pros

It provides solid traction without damaging the turf or grass underneath the vehicle, an important consideration if you plan on using it in your own yard.

Cons

More expensive than the Bearclaw or ITP.

Carlisle AT489 25" x 10" x 12" All-Season Bias Tires for Mudding
Carlisle
AT489 25" x 10" x 12" All-Season Bias Tires for Mudding
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Reliable and Versatile
Bottom Line

This rugged ATV tire can withhold a 1,102 load capacity with ease on your next outdoor adventure.

Pros

The wide treads on these tires withstand the elements with relative ease without losing control. Buyers laud them as great and affordable tires.

Cons

Some buyers believe they're not made in America, as advertised.

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BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.About BestReviews 
HOW WE TESTED

We recommend these products based on an intensive research process that's designed to cut through the noise and find the top products in this space. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter, to bring you these selections.

33
Models
Considered
145
Consumers
Consulted
8
Hours
Researched
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Buying guide for best ATV tires

Whether you use your off-road vehicle for work, fun, or competitive sports, you've probably found that choosing ATV or UTV tires can be a bit of a headache. It's not the sizes – that's straightforward enough – it's details like whether to go bias or radial, directional or non-directional, what tread design to choose, what lug depth is best, and so on.

Nothing is more important to the performance of your ATV or UTV than your choice of tire. They're the only thing that comes in contact with the ground, and the most powerful engine in the world is wasted if you don't have a good grip underneath it. On the other hand, a tread that's too aggressive will make a horrible mess of almost any riding surface.

On the road, conditions change little. The weather varies, but aside from getting wet or icy, the street surface stays pretty much the same. Off-road, the terrain can change dramatically. Mud, gravel, rocks, packed dirt, sand ... each has an impact on your choice of tire.

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The single-most important aspect when choosing an off-road tire is its intended use. Always select the best tire for the terrain you cover.

Getting the right ATV tire is all about choosing the one that works best in the conditions you encounter most often.

If you’re ready to buy new ATV tires, we highly recommend the five products in the product list above.

At BestReviews, we provide honest, unbiased information to help you choose the best when making a purchase. The tires above offer excellent solutions to practically all of your off-roading needs.

If you'd like to know more about the process of choosing the best ATV tires, keep reading.

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Caution
A cracked ATV tire is a problem waiting to happen. Replace it.
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Radial tires vs. bias tires

Off-road tires are made one of two ways: radial construction or bias construction.

Radial tires

Radial tires are constructed with rubber-coated steel belts and cables. They're extremely strong and durable, and they offer a smooth ride and can support extreme loads. Just about every truck, pick-up, and car on the road uses radial tires.

On the downside, they're more expensive and more difficult to repair if you get a puncture.

Bias tires

Bias tires are made of several layers of textile (usually nylon) cords coated in rubber. This makes the tires on the whole less rigid. While that's a disadvantage on the road, it can be an advantage off-road.

The ability to flex means the tires offer better grip on uneven terrain, conform more easily to undulations, and absorb outcrops that might throw off a stiffer radial tire.

Bias tires do, however, have higher wear rates, less directional accuracy, and lower grip at speed. What’s more, they are considerably cheaper than their radial counterparts. As a result, they dominate the ATV tire market.

If you use your ATV/UTV on the street, buy radial tires. For all other uses, we recommend bias tires.

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Did you know?
There are two ways that manufacturers overcome the disadvantages of bias ATV tires: ply rating and tread design.
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Ply rating

Traditionally, ply rating simply referred to the addition of more layers of material to give a tire greater rigidity. A four-ply tire offered more strength and resistance to punctures than a two-ply tire, for example.

The same rating system is still in use, though advances in rubber and nylon composition – as well as in bonding technology – mean that a six-ply tire, for example, may no longer actually have six layers.

Ply rating is also important when calculating load capacity. A two-ply tire is usually a light-duty tire, best for a golf cart or lawn tractor. A six- or eight-ply tire has a much higher load capacity. It's built to support a large 4x4 vehicle, haul a load, or cope with rough terrain at speed.

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For your safety
Pay attention to ply rating. A higher number means more load capacity and greater puncture-resistance.
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Tread design

There are two aspects of tread design: directionality and lug style.

Directionality

On a directional ATV tire, the tread points one way. This becomes obvious just by looking at it. The tire has to be mounted on the vehicle facing the right way. The purpose of directionality is to clear loose dirt, water, or mud as the tire rotates. This helps the driver steer more easily and more accurately in difficult conditions.

Non-directional ATV tires have the same “footprint” either way. Their job is to spread the load more evenly. This usually delivers more comfort, better wear, and less impact to the ground surface.

"ATV tires with higher inflation ratings (PSI) are more rigid. Less flex means they are better for hard-packed dirt."
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Lug style

Lugs are the rubber tread blocks on a tire. Most off-road vehicles are bought new with a general-purpose or all-terrain tire. They have numerous small lugs, close together, with a tread depth of an inch or less. They work fine for yard work, lawns, gravel paths, etc. They offer a good balance between traction and wear rates. They don't do well, however, on more challenging surfaces.

Trail tires/motocross ATV tires look similar to general-purpose tires, but the lugs are spaced wider apart. The tread depth can be up to one-and-a-half inches. They're great for mixed surfaces, loose dirt, and gravel.

Mud tires offer a more aggressive lug pattern: fewer, bigger chunks of rubber that are one-and-a-half inches deep or more. Large gaps between lugs allow for rapid dispersal of liquids. Nothing works better in wet conditions.

Sand tires have very few lugs. Their job is to find traction on an extremely loose surface, so the lugs often go at right-angles across the tire surface or in a curved pattern around it. They're unbeatable for dune racing but highly specific and pretty poor on any other surface.

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Did you know?
The best mud tires have lugs that run around the tire shoulder for extra grip.
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Other considerations

Tread coverage

If you're tearing around a canyon floor, ride quality is not going to matter much. On a side-by-side or work vehicle, though, increased comfort comes from having a tire with plenty of tread coverage.

Wear rates

The same goes for wear rates. All-terrain tires spread wear more evenly and last much longer than, for example, mud tires.

"Softer tires give better grip but wear more quickly. Think carefully about the conditions you usually encounter, or you might be replacing your ATV tires more often than necessary."
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Terrain

Desert plants and rocky river beds can cause lots of punctures. If that's your terrain, choose a tire with a high ply rating. It will have tougher sidewalls.

Sizing

You don't have to replace your tires with ones of exactly the same diameter or width (the only thing you can't change is the rim size). This gives you the opportunity to shop around for a better deal. However, be aware that if you go bigger on diameter, you'll raise the center of gravity, which may affect handling. If you go smaller, you'll reduce ground clearance. Experts recommend you don't move more than an inch away from original sizes.

ATV tire prices

With a wide range of sizes and tread patterns, ATV tire prices vary greatly. We can’t offer precise guidelines on what to expect in terms of cost, but we can give you a general idea of what you might encounter.

  • ATV tires from the top brands cost anywhere from $60 to $130, depending on specification.

  • Larger tires cost more. You might pay $75 for a 12x8 tire and $110 for a 12x12 tire.

  • There's usually an additional premium of 10% to 20% for radial tires, should you need them.
     

While cheap ATV tires are often false economy, well-known brands usually deliver surprisingly good value. Our recommendation is not to buy solely on price, but to decide on the type of tire that meets your needs.

ATV tire tips

  • Be as specific as you can when matching construction and tread pattern to your terrain. An ATV used for golf course maintenance needs a radically different tire than does a quad used for desert racing.

  • Check tire pressure regularly. If you're a sports rider, you should do it every time you go out. Uneven tire pressure around your vehicle will upset balance and handling. Also, if your tire pressure is low, you're more likely to suffer a flat. Incorrect inflation can increase the rate of wear.

  • Always carry some kind of puncture repair equipment. Tire slime and tire repair foam products can provide a convenient “get you home” solution, but read the instructions carefully. Some products can corrode your wheels if left too long.

  • Clean your ATV tires and wheels after use. It's not just about appearance; brake dust and other contaminants can cause long-term damage. Washing your ATV tires will give you the chance to inspect them so you can spot any damage before it causes a problem.

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Many ATV tires are not street-legal. If you're going to ride on the road, check local laws carefully before buying.

FAQ

Q. What do the numbers on an ATV tire mean?

A. ATV tires typically have three numbers, set out like this: 20X10-8. (Sometimes the “X” is replaced by a dash.) The first number is the overall diameter of the tire. The second number is the width of the tire. The third number is the diameter of the wheel rim it fits. All measurements are in inches.

Q. Will a deeper tread improve grip in ice and snow?

A. It can help in soft powder, but on hard-packed snow and ice, ATV tires will struggle for grip just like car tires. You can try snow studs, but these need to be screwed into the tire. An easier solution is a set of ATV tire chains. These are specifically designed to give your off-road vehicle the traction you need in frozen conditions.

Q. When I need new ATV tires, should I stick with those supplied as stock?

A. Stock ATV tires are usually designed for good all-round performance, but they probably don't excel in any particular area. If you spend a lot of time on sand dunes or in the mud, you need a very different tire than originally provided. Changing brands can help you find the best ATV tire for the terrain you cover. Performance can improve, and you might save money, too.

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