For the off-road enthusiast, it becomes a challenging task to choose the best off-road tire most of the time. If you are in a dilemma whether you should go with the Toyo Open Country Mt or Nitto Trail Grappler, then this post is for you.
Here we will be reviewing both of these popular mud-terrain tires. Added to that, we will also provide a buying guide to help you decide on the best option between these two tires on your own. We have an incredible amount of experience running mud tires on our 4×4 Iveco Turbodaily. We have mixed experience (both good and bad) with the Toyos. In other words, we are not totally happy with them. Having said that, based on our first-hand experience, are the Toyos better or worse than the Nitto Trail Grappler? Read on to find out.
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Toyo Open Country vs. Nitto Trail Grappler – Reviews
Review of Toyo Tire Open Country M/T Mud-Terrain Tire
Toyo Tires doesn’t need any introduction to off-road enthusiasts. And, this particular tire from them comes in a size of 35 x 1250R20 121Q.
That means the section width of this tire is 12.5 inches and the rim diameter of this tire is 20 inches.
Of course, this tire is available in more sizes. But this particular one we are reviewing has a speed rating of ‘Q’, which means it can go up to 99 mph without any issues.
And the load index rating of ‘121’ refers to the fact that it can withstand a load of up to 3197 pounds or 1450 kg. This radial tire is suitable for most SUVs and full-size trucks.
It has a 3-ply construction that offers impact resistance and easy handling in rough terrains. The aggressive tread pattern helps to deliver exceptional traction off-road.
At the same time, the advanced compound of the tire is suitable for great performance on-road as well. It comes with built-in shoulder blocks that make the tire suitable for sandy, snowy, and even muddy conditions.
One of the most notable features of these tires is that it is very quiet for an off-road tire. The rugged build quality and the fairly comfortable riding experience on and off-road have made this tire a top choice for many overlanders.
What Previous Buyers Said?
These tires have become a top-favorite option for off-road rims to many customers. One of the buyers told that he bought a second set of this tire after getting above 80 thousand miles on the first set.
They also talked about the extreme traction of the tires both on and off-road. Thus, they are recommending these mud-terrain tires to others.
Pros:
- Very quiet for a mud-terrain tire
- Boosts fuel-efficiency
- All-season, mud-terrain tire
- Comes with a spaced tread pattern to eject dirt and stones
Cons:
- Poor traction in wet condition
Review of Nitto Trail Grappler M/T
This Mud-Terrain tire is available in various sizes. But, the size of the tire we are going to review here comes with the size of 285/65R18 125Q.
That means it has a rim diameter of 18 inches and the section width is 28.5 cm.
The speed rating of this tire is Q, which indicates that it can withstand a top-speed up to 99 mph. Similarly, the load index rating of ‘125’ tells us that it can sustain a load of up to 3638 lbs. or 1650 kg.
This radial tire comes with a bolt pattern of 1 inch.
They have designed this tire taking inspiration from two of their renowned tires – the Mud Grappler and the Terra Grappler. It comes with a 3-ply sidewall construction that makes the sidewall strong and puncture-proof.
The manufacturers have used a unique and thick rubber compound for long-lasting performance even in harsh off-road conditions. The aggressive tread surface will ensure extra forward and lateral traction off-road.
It comes with 2 steel belt construction that offers stability and greater tread strength. They have utilized an advanced sound analyzer for making this tire quiet both on and off-road.
The Z-grooves on the tread surface will help it to get superior traction in muddy, snowy, and dirt conditions. The shoulder grooves are reinforced to improve the tread life of the tire.
These mud-terrain tires can be suitable for light pickups, jeeps, and SUVs of all sorts. For the price, you can’t go wrong with this mud-terrain tire.
What Previous Buyers Said?
Almost all the current users of this mud-terrain tire have said that it is one of the best investments for their overlanding rigs. They admired the rugged build quality of the tire.
One of the buyers said that he is getting a second set for his vehicle as his first set gave him over 75,000 miles of mileage. All in all, they are overjoyed with their purchase.
Pros:
- Comes with stone ejectors
- All-season and a mud-terrain tire
- Long-lasting off-road performance
- Superior traction in wet condition
- Will prevent hydroplaning
Cons:
- A bit louder (it is expected from an off-road tire)
Are Toyo and Nitto tires the same?
As Nitto and Toyo are part of the same parent company, the only differences between most tires are in sidewall and tread designs. Both brands build these onto the same carcass.
Buying Guide – Toyo Open Country MT Versus Nitto Trail Grappler
Traction and Handling
When it comes to traction and handling between ‘Trail Grappler’ versus ‘Open Country MT’, it is very hard to choose a winner. Because both of these tires come with outstanding traction off and on-road.
However, it is reported that the Toyo tires have poor traction capability compared to the Nitto Trail Grapplers in wet and rainy conditions.
So, this time, the winner between Nitto vs Toyo would be the former one. But if the wet condition performance is not an issue for you, you can go with the other one.
Durability
Both of these tires are well-known for their longer treadlife. However, to be precise, the Toyo Open Country MT will give you a few thousand more miles of mileage compared to the other option.
Additionally, both of these tries come with 3-play sidewall construction for the highest durability.
Road Noise
This is one of the main concerns when it comes to off-road tires. There’s no denying that all off-road tires will produce some road noise.
If you compare Nitto Trail Grappler vs. Toyo Open Country MT in terms of road noise, then the Toyo Open Country MT wins this time.
The Nitto tires are known for being a bit louder compared to the other one. But that doesn’t mean that riding in Nitto is unbearable. Rather, it is also one of the quieter off-road tires.
Price
It is clear that the Trail Grappler is cheaper than the Toyo. So, this time, it depends on your budget with which you will go.
Off-Road Performance
When it comes to off-road performance, the Toyo Open Country will be ahead of the Nitto. However, both of these tires are ruggedly built keeping the off-road performance on the mind.
Thus, they both can perform their best off-road. So, in terms of off-road performance, both tires are like BF Goodrich vs Michelin. That means there’s no issue going with either of them.
On-Road Performance
At the same time, as both of these tires are mud-terrain tires, you will be impressed by their performance on-road.
Then again, if you want a winner between Nitto Trail Grappler vs. Toyo Open Country MT regarding on-road performance, we have to consider a few things like road-noise, ride comfort, and treadlife.
Interestingly, we have seen that between Toyo MT vs. Nitto Trail Grappler, the former is quieter than the latter.
Also, when it comes to ride comfort and tread life between Nitto Trail Grappler vs. Toyo MT, the latter wins by a fraction.
Conclusion – Nitto Trail Grappler vs Toyo Open Country MT
Simply put, both of these tires are top-quality tires when it comes to mud-terrain tires. However, they both have their benefits and drawbacks.
For instance, even though the Toyo Open Country is quieter and comes with extreme off-road traction, it is pricier than the Nitto.
On the other hand, the Nitto Trail Grappler might be cheaper, but it will give a tad bit less mileage and ride comfort compared to the Toyo Open Country MT tires. Having said that, both are very soft-compound tires, so they will wear quickly if you use them on asphalt on a daily basis.
But if you decided to by mud terrain tires and need to choose between the two, our recommendation for Toyo vs. Nitto is: BUY the TOYO
Have you considered all-terrain tires as well? Read our comparison between Goodyear vs BF Goodrich
