Nitto Tire U.S.A Inc., a manufacturer of racing, off-road, street, and SUV performance tires has announced the launch of a new all-terrain light truck tire, the Recon Grappler A/T. I’ve been a long-term user of BFGoodrich All-Terrain KO2s, and whilst I love the tire, it’s exciting to see another option become available in the Light Truck category. In the past, I’ve found that many “all-terrain” options in this class are disappointing, and in reality, are “reinforced road tires” with limited off-road performance. However, Nitto states the “Recon Grappler is designed with a bold tread pattern to provide excellent traction off-road and unmatched comfort on-road.”
The Recon Grappler is a “true all-terrain option” for compact, 1/2- and 1-ton trucks, and SUVs. The new tire sits in the company’s current lineup between the Ridge Grappler M/T and the Terra Grappler G2 and ultimately merges the two designs to provide the best of both worlds, i.e., balancing road and off-road performance. The unique tread design features a variety of wide and narrow grooves to reduce road noise, appearing more rugged than a comparable Yoko Geolandar A/T, whilst less aggressive than the BFGoodrich or General Grabber AT. Consequently, the Recon Grappler could offer a new sweet spot between off-road performance and highway comfort.
Additionally, the tire showcases deep sidewall lugs, extending 5-7 millimetres, that provide additional biting edges to improve traction. The Grapplers are engineered with an aggressive sidewall on one side and a more conservative design on the other. Thus, you can decide which way to mount them based on your objectives or simply what you prefer aesthetically. Nitto supports durability claims with an impressive Limited Treadwear Warranty of 55,000 miles, which sits between the expected tread life of the BFGoodrich (50,000 miles–I can vouch for this) and General Grabber (60,000 miles) alternatives. The Grappler will be available in eleven sizes at launch, ranging from 20 to 24 inches and covering a wide range of applications (66 sizes ranging from 17 to 24 inches will be introduced by the end of 2021).
I know firsthand how tricky it is to find a light truck all-terrain tire that’s rugged enough to handle off-road trails whilst also having a tread pattern that’s conducive to highway miles. Time will tell whether the Nitto Recon Grappler AT successfully achieves this sweet spot, but the specifications and early reviews look very promising.
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