Pit Bull Growler
Pit Bull Growlers are louder on-road than most all-terrains, but they trounce most mud-terrains in the noise index. In heavy rock with air pressure at around 10 psi, the carcass wraps around rocks and chugs forward without issue. Deep mud was a good challenge for the pattern, but with heavy throttle application the lugs clean out and propel through the goo. In the sand, the Growlers have a tendency to dig holes—until you lower the pressure below 10 psi, then they float on top. On pavement you feel the squirm of the bias-ply construction. On twisty blacktop roads, this squirm requires a less aggressive driving style than we’ve come to expect from all-terrains. Overall, it’s a good all-around tire for the 4x4 owner whose main priority is off-road traction.
Rating
Street: 3 stars
Heavy Rock: 2 stars
Sand: 3 stars
Snow: 2 stars
Mud: 3 stars
Ice: 2 stars
Pit Bull Rocker
With an asymmetrical tread pattern and widely spaced lugs, the Rocker screams “aggressive.” At home in the mud and in heavy rocks, the Rocker is best for dedicated trail rigs or vehicles that don’t see a ton of highway miles. The on-road ride quality is not the worst we’ve tested, but due to chunky lugs with sharp edges, driver fatigue happens fast. If you’re looking for a true performer for seriously sloppy conditions, the Rocker is your tire. Just don’t try to converse with your passengers while driving down the highway, they probably won’t hear you over the tire noise. Overall, the Pitbull Rocker offers asymmetrical bite with ample attitude to spare...all packed in a carcass that’s as tough and nasty as its road manners.
Rating
Street: 1 star
Heavy Rock: 4 stars
Sand: 4 stars
Snow: 3 stars
Mud: 4 stars
Ice: 1 star
Pro Comp Extreme A/T
The Pro Comp Extreme A/T is an affordable tire offered in a wide array of sizes. As may be expected of an all-terrain tire with generously siped treads, noise levels and performance on the street, whether wet or dry were outstanding. The tires ride smoothly and quietly with no drawbacks. Also, as may be expected from an all-terrain, these tires offer abysmal performance in the mud, where the treads quickly clogged and showed reluctance to self clean. Sand performance was decent, with digging experienced only at higher throttle levels, but they tended to slip a bit in the rocks.
Rating
Street: 4 stars
Heavy Rock: 1 star
Sand: 3 stars
Snow: 3 stars
Mud: 1 star
Ice: 3 stars
Pro Comp MT
Pro Comp Mud Terrain radials are probably one of the best buys in aggressive tires. They offer a tread pattern that works well all-around at a very reasonable price. We ran our 35-inch muds at 6-10 psi in the dirt, rocks, and mud. The sidewalls are only two-ply and they are not suited to real sharp rocks and stumps, but the tire isn’t really designed for crazy-extreme use anyway. The extra siping on the lugs help the Pro Comps stick to wet streets and rocks better than other mud tires. They shed mud fairly well, but not as good as more aggressive tread patterns. Overall, this is a great around-town mud-terrain that delivers traction you can count on for virtually any 4x4. The tread also features pre-molded pin voids in the outer tread lugs which make stud installation possible for use on snow and ice.
Rating
Street: 3 stars
Heavy Rock: 2 stars
Sand: 3 stars
Snow: 3 stars
Mud: 3 stars
Ice: 2 stars
Pro Comp Xterrain
The Xterrain is a radial tire with up to three polyester sidewall plies. The plies are said to be thicker and woven more tightly to provide a more puncture-resistant sidewall than other three-ply tires. We didn’t gouge ours, even though we tried. The tread design is very aggressive with its broad lugs situated in a paddle-like arrangement. Sipes are included in the tread blocks to aid traction on wet and icy roads. The sidewalls, while containing ample rubber to ward off punctures, still flex in the rocks when aired down. The Xterrain works well in hard-packed moist dirt. Gooier mud and sand running are capably handled, but it’s not this tire’s main forte.
Rating
Street: 3 stars
Heavy Rock: 3 stars
Sand: 3 stars
Snow: 3 stars
Mud: 3 stars
Ice: 1 star
Pro Comp Xtreme M/T
The best way we can describe Pro Comp’s Xtreme M/T is a very capable Joe Average. Our testing found that, while the tire didn’t exactly excel in any one arena, it didn’t do poorly in any one arena. They were pleasantly competent whether in the rocks, on the street, in the sand, or in the mud. The generous siping and decent lug voids, a strong three-ply sidewall construction, a smooth-rolling radial carcass, the Xtreme M/T left little to be desired. However, the lack of any real biting surface on the sidewalls, the tire’s propensity to become mildly clogged with mud, and its desire to dig in sand when romped on hold it back from being a stellar performer in all areas.
Rating
Street: 3 stars
Heavy Rock: 3 stars
Sand: 3 stars
Snow: 3 stars
Mud: 3 stars
Ice: 2 stars
Super Swamper Bogger
Look up mud tire in the dictionary and you’ll be looking at a Bogger. It’s the kid that comes to town and wrecks the place. Making no excuses for its poor road manners, incredible street howl, or near inability to take a balance, the Bogger simply rules the roost in the mud and sand thanks to its paddle-like construction. Likewise, in the rocks the Bogger’s long, wide treads act like little hands or tank treads to provide forward traction up just about any jagged rock face or ledge it can get a grip on. However, the lugs don’t grip well on smooth surfaces like slickrock or rounded boulders. Lateral stability also suffers due to the tires’ lack of biting edges. Usually Boggers that have met the grooving iron exhibit better lateral traction in the mud and rocks.
Rating
Street: 1 star
Heavy Rock: 4 stars
Sand: 4 stars
Snow: 3 stars
Mud: 4 stars
Ice: 1 star