For off-roaders, one of the most challenging decisions to make regarding modifying their vehicles is opting for either all-terrain or mud tires. Our guide will offer a breakdown of all-terrain vs. mud-terrain tires and the basics you need to know before deciding.

The Basics of All-Terrain & Mud Tires

Today, all-terrain and mud tires are much more similar in design and build than they used to be just a decade ago, especially regarding size and tread pattern. As the name implies, all-terrain tires are built to be versatile—capable of traversing various terrains but still serving as solid road tires for regular driving.

A good way to think of it is that all-terrain tires are a compromise between regular street tires and mud tires. Mud tires are for one purpose—traversing treacherous, muddy terrain with larger tread blocks and thicker walls.

Advantages of Mud Tires

The primary advantage of mud tires is that they’re the best for navigating muddy terrain. Mud can be fun and terrifying to off-roaders as it can turn an off-road joyride into a messy, rollicking good time or a nightmare as the vehicle gets stuck with wheels spinning in place.

What makes mud tires unique is the prominent void between treads, which helps clean out the mud between the tread blocks, so it’s much more capable of escaping mud’s grip. But, these unique designs have drawbacks—particularly when driving on paved roads as they’re incredibly loud (although quieter than they used to be). If you spend a lot of time off-roading or want tires for muddy days, there’s no substitute for a mud tire.

Advantages of All-Terrain Tires

While all-terrain tires may not be exceptionally capable of traversing difficult terrains like mud, they still offer many advantages. For one, all-terrain tires are much better on paved roads than mud tires and are much quieter.

All-terrain tires are also much safer than mud tires in challenging road conditions like wet pavement from rain or snow. And all-terrain tires are still capable, even better than mud tires, in certain environments like sand and snow.

Which Tire Is Better?

What you need to know about all-terrain vs. mud-terrain tires is that both have unique advantages, and the choice will come down to the individual owner’s preferences and driving situation. For those who only want tires for off-roading and are regularly mucking up rain-soaked fields, mud tires are the clear choice.

But all-terrain tires are excellent choices for those who split their time between paved roads and muddy paths and still need to traverse challenging terrain. Whichever tire you choose, RNR Tire Express has tires in Tucson and many of our other locations across the country! Shop online for your new all-terrain or mud tires today.

Locations: Tucson (E 22nd St), AZ