An all-season tire is designed for those who want a well-rounded, dependable tire that can do everything no matter the time of year. Even though buying a dedicated set of winter/snow tires and a dedicated set of summer tires might be a better choice overall, spending double the amount of money is never a better choice.
As such, a quality-made all-season tire offers a decent compromise without costing as much as two dedicated sets of tires. Moreover, if you are someone who likes to drive off the beaten path, through mud, and on gravel roads, an all-season, all-terrain tire is surely the best type of tire for you.
If that is the case, look no further than the BF Goodrich KO2 which is known to be the golden standard of truck all-season tires. However, with the introduction of the General Grabber ATX, the KO2 is finally getting a run for its money.
Bottom Line Up Front: Tire Rack has some of the best selection of tires on the planet. They offer a more seamless, low stress buying experience. And since they are an online-only shop, Tire Rack can deliver a better quality product at a lower price compared to other name brands.
General Grabber ATX
The General Grabber tire company was founded back in the early 1900s in Akron, Ohio. Ever since the inception of the company, General Grabber was keen on innovating and pushing the industry forwards, so much so that the company was officially bought by the tire giant Continental in 1987.
The General Grabber ATX tire seems to have grabbed the attention of many truck drivers around the country due to great value for money. The ATX tire is designed to offer industry-leading levels of traction on many different surfaces without being overbearingly expensive. Furthermore, the General Grabber ATX tire is also 3PMSF-rated which means that it offers stellar deep snow driving capabilities.
According to General Grabber, the ATX tire was intended to be all things to all men because the company wanted to maximize the multicharacter of the tire while also making it comfortable on a daily basis. This means that the ATX tire is more than capable when it comes to cushioning road imperfections and aggressive potholes.
BF Goodrich KO2
The BF Goodrich tire company is in the business of making tires since the 1870s which means that they know a thing or two about how to make a good tire. Even though the brand is not as famous as let’s say Continental or Michelin, BF Goodrich is actually one of, if not the most popular tire brand when it comes to all-terrain tires.
It’s safe to say that hardly any other all-terrain tire out there is famous and well documented as the BF Goodrich KO2. This is the tire against which all the other all-terrain tires are being measured. The KO2 line of BF Goodrich tires has been around for a while, but the KO2 represents somewhat of a culmination of all the qualities found with the previous generation with the addition of many other benefits associated with the modern-day tire industry.
As such, the KO2 is a great choice for everyone who is looking for a new set of all-terrain rubber for an SUV, a truck, or a CUV. It is a well-known, well-designed tire that can not only hold its own against more expensive all-terrain tires but even beat them in many categories confidently.
What Are The Benefits Of The General Grabber ATX Tire?
As mentioned in the beginning, the General Grabber ATX is a tire that aims to offer great performance in many different driving environments. As such, the ATX tire is 3PMSF-rated which means that it is way better than the regular M+S tire. Furthermore, the ATX is also constructed out of a special rubber compound that is able to stay flexible even in extremely low temperatures.
One huge benefit of the General Grabber ATX is that these tires are available in 54 different sizes so it’s rather easy to find the dimensions that fit your truck perfectly. With such high credentials when it comes to off-roading, General Graber has also made sure to utilize its proprietary StabiliTread technology to max out the on-road drivability as well.
This does wonders with the GG Comfort Balance Technology that further softens the tire and makes it a lot more compliant over harsh road surfaces. If you are worried about damaging your tires over rough terrain, the company has also made sure to utilize the DuraGen technology which essentially strengthens the tire and makes it a lot tougher and longer-lasting.
All in all, the ATX is a tire designed to offer benefits in every driving environment. If you pair that with long-lasting treadwear and industry-leading off-road performance, you are likely going to be surprised as to how well-rounded these tires are.
What Are The Benefits Of The BF Goodrich KO2 Tire?
Almost all all-terrain tire enthusiasts are aware that the BF Goodrich KO series of tires is the golden standard of all-terrain tires. The second generation of the KO, the KO2, offers better traction both on-road and off-road while also being more stable, longer-lasting, and with significantly longer treadwear warranty coverage.
The KO2 tire comes with a plethora of technological solutions in order to enhance the performance of the tire and to keep it safe no matter the environment. The Deflection Design technology is intended to deflect all potential stones and dirt particles from getting stuck between the tire grooves. Furthermore, this technology also deflects water which means that the chances of aquaplaning are greatly reduced.
The KO2 tire offers a 20% tougher sidewall strength while also sporting an interlocking tread pattern that boosts traction and durability. The KO2 is also a 3PMSF-rated tire which means that there is no need to buy a separate set of snow tires, even if you experience lots of snow during the winter.
All in all, there is little more that needs saying about the BF Goodrich KO2 as they are even better when compared to the already impressive first generation.
What Are The Main Differences Between The General Grabber ATX And BF Goodrich KO2 Tire?
Even though both of these tires are commonly known as some of the best all-terrain tires out there, they are not made the same. We are going to compare them in a variety of different situations such as on-road driving, off-road driving, treadwear, comfort, snow driving, warranty coverage, and finally price.
We are going to list all the benefits of each, and why you should go for one over the other. No matter which one of these comes out on top, it is more than likely that the other is going to be almost as good.
Treadwear: General Grabber ATX Vs BF Goodrich KO2
Everyone is aware of the fact that the BF Goodrich KO2 tire offers a dependable performance that does not suffer from premature wear and tear. The General Grabber ATX tire is more or less the same as the specially molded tread pattern the ATX uses is designed to both withstand stress and to provide traction in all sorts of environments.
It’s safe to say that both of these should be able to last a long time. This also means that you should pay more attention to load range and speed index as these two measurements are more detrimental to tread life expectancy than the construction of the tire.
Winner: It’s a tie
On-road Performance: General Grabber ATX Vs BF Goodrich KO2
No matter how well a truck tire performs off-road, you are likely going to drive that very same truck to the off-road course on the road. This means that all-terrain tires should also be designed to provide decent traction on the road, no matter if it’s wet or dry. This is where the General Grabber ATX tire tends to have an upper hand.
The ATX tire has a better response time when compared to the KO2 which means that it is more direct and it offers more control. When it comes to wet driving, the ATX tire is a step ahead of the KO2 because it offers a special sipe tread design that provides increased levels of tire evacuation and it thus performs better.
Winner: General Grabber ATX
Off-road Performance: General Grabber ATX Vs BF Goodrich KO2
We have already mentioned that people who tend to buy all-terrain tires want them to offer excellent off-roading capabilities. This is where these two take a slightly different approach as the ATX tire is a bit better in the mud thanks to an alternating shoulder design, while the KO2 tire performs better both in the sand and on the rocks.
The KO2 tire also offers more control in the mud because it offers a 3-sly shoulder design that is able to take more stress from rock climbing. All in all, both of these tires perform admirably when it comes to off-roading, but the BF Goodrich is still the off-road king of all-terrain tires.
Winner: BF Goodrich KO2
Snow Driving: General Grabber ATX Vs BF Goodrich KO2
All-terrain tires are designed for snow use which means that it is relatively easy for an all-terrain tire to sport the M+S snow-rated designation. However, the 3PMSF rating is a bit more difficult to get, yet both the General Grabber ATX and the BF Goodrich KO2 are 3PMSF-rated. This means that both of these are likely going to satisfy all of your snow-driving needs.
The tread on the KO2 is extensive and really deep which is very much the same case with the ATX tire. It is really hard to pick a winner here, but it seems like the majority of all-terrain tire enthusiasts deem the KO2 to be the gold standard when it comes to snow driving for a reason.
Winner: BF Goodrich KO2
Comfort: General Grabber ATX Vs BF Goodrich KO2
None of these comparisons make sense if you are not able to enjoy a chilled conversation while driving your truck. It is a known fact that all-terrain tires tend to emit lots of tire noise, especially while driving on the highway. One way how tire manufacturers tend to fix this is by incorporating an uneven shoulder design that aims to strike an acoustic balance and thus make the tire quieter.
Thankfully both the ATX and the KO2 do this, but the ATX leaves more room between the shoulder sections which ultimately leads to less noise. Furthermore, the ATX is also a lot more comfortable thanks to a softer compound and bigger lugs.
Winner: General Grabber ATX
Warranty And Price: General Grabber ATX Vs BF Goodrich KO2
As far as warranty is concerned, the General Grabber ATX offers a 60,000-mile treadwear warranty while the BF Goodrich KO2 comes with a 50,000-mile warranty. This means that General Grabber ATX easily takes the cake in this category.
As far as costs are concerned, these two are more or less the same for most tire dimensions. Both of these are known as some of the best value-oriented all-terrain tires on the market.
Winner: General Grabber ATX
Why Should I Pick General Grabber ATX Tires Over BF Goodrich KO2 Tires?
- Better all-around traction on both wet and dry roads
- More comfortable and quieter
- Longer warranty coverage
Why Should I Pick BF Goodrich Tires Over General Grabber ATX Tires?
- Better off-road performance
- Better snow-driving performance
- A more aggressive look
Wrap Up
Both the General Grabber ATX and the BF Goodrich KO2 tires are more than capable of satisfying both your on-road and your off-road driving needs. These indeed tend to differentiate when it comes to specific usage scenarios, but the overall experience is almost identical. Some prefer the looks of the KO2 tire and that is why they are willing to sacrifice a bit of comfort.
Others prefer a more comfortable and quiet tire which is why they are sometimes willing to compensate when it comes to off-roading and snow driving. Hardly anyone out is there is going to be able to tell the difference between these two without driving them back to back. As such, no matter which one of these you end up choosing, you are more than likely going to be satisfied with either of them.
