BFGoodrich KO2 vs Goodyear Wrangler (2026): 3 Picks

Figures are for the reference fitments named in each review and vary by size. The DuraTrac depth conflict is explained in its review below.

How to choose between the KO2 and the Wrangler lines

Five decisions separate these brands in practice. Work through them in order and one of the three tires usually wins clearly. The full field, including the other brands we compared, sits in our best all-terrain tires guide.

Sidewall construction decides rock survival

Sidewalls end more rocky-trail days than tread does. BFGoodrich answers with CoreGard rubber borrowed from its Baja race program; Goodyear’s newer answer is the DuraTrac RT’s three-ply sidewall with a Durawall compound. The original DuraTrac lists no equivalent named sidewall system in the sources checked, which is why rock-first drivers land on the KO2 or the RT, not the original.

Tread pattern: rock and gravel versus mud and snow

The KO2’s tighter, interlocking tread with stone ejectors suits rock, gravel and aired-down driving, and it is the calmer pattern on pavement. The original DuraTrac runs the most open voids here, with TractiveGroove edges that clear mud and bite in deep snow. The RT sits between them: an extended over-the-shoulder pattern with more biting edges than the original, aimed at grip without giving up the sidewall story.

Load range and towing headroom

All three lines offer stronger LT versions, but the listed fitments differ: the KO2 listing is an LT load range C tire, the DuraTrac and RT listings are standard-load tires for daily-weight trucks. Tow regularly and step to the LT E versions in either brand’s line, matching or beating the door-jamb placard’s load index. Never fit a lower load index than the placard states, whatever the brand.

Winter rating and the stud question

All three tires carry the 3PMSF severe-snow symbol, so the winter floor is equal. The separators are detail: the original DuraTrac is pinned for studs and holds the deepest-snow owner record here; the RT adds biting edges but publishes no stud pinning; the KO2’s surveys praise snow work early in life and question wet grip as it wears. Ice still favours a dedicated winter tire. Plow rigs: see our winch for snow plow guide.

Highway manners and wear discipline

All three carry the same 50,000-mile mileage warranty, so the paperwork does not separate them. Behaviour does: open tread patterns hum more and punish skipped rotations, and the DuraTrac’s owner record is clearest on both points. The KO2 is the more settled daily pattern of the two original rivals. The RT’s long-term owner record is still thin — it is the newer line — so its wear story is a maker claim, not an owner consensus.

Size coverage and the successor question

Both brands are moving on: BFGoodrich’s KO3 succeeds the KO2 and Goodyear’s RT succeeds the original DuraTrac. The older tires remain on sale with the widest size coverage and the deepest owner records, which is why this comparison is built on them plus the RT. If your exact size exists only in the newer line, that settles the brand question by availability, not merit.

Factory tire sizes for common trucks and Jeeps

The factory fitments readers most often replace with one of these three tires. Trims vary, so confirm size and load index on your door-jamb placard before ordering, and never fit a lower load index than the placard states.

Building a trail truck around the tire choice? The recovery half is covered in our best winch for Bronco guide and our best winch for Jeep Gladiator guide.

KO2 vs Wrangler by budget

No prices are printed — tire pricing moves with size and season, and both brands price by fitment. The tiers describe what each band of this comparison buys, with the tire that fits it.

Three approaches to all-terrain

The brand badges differ less than the engineering briefs do. Each tire here is a different answer to the same question.

Detailed head-to-head reviews

Each review follows the same order — why it earned its place, published specs, fit, pros and watch-outs, owner reports, who should skip it, and pairings. Listings shown are for the stated 265/70R17 fitment; tire listings are size-specific, so check your own size before ordering.

Best for Rock and Gravel: BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2

Best for Rock and Gravel Best for rocky trails, gravel roads and aired-down driving.

Why the All-Terrain T/A KO2 is our pick

The KO2’s case is durability with evidence behind it: a CoreGard sidewall, a cut-and-chip resistant compound, stone ejectors, and the longest owner track record of the three tires here. Against either Goodyear, it wins when the trail surface is hard and sharp rather than soft.

All-Terrain T/A KO2 key specs

• Winter rating: 3PMSF (three-peak mountain snowflake)
• Mileage warranty: 50,000 miles
• UTQG: Not published (government UTQG ratings do not apply to LT sizes)
• Tread depth: 15/32 in (reference size)
• Load ranges: C, D and E across the line
• Construction: TriGard three-ply polyester (two-ply on load range C)
• Sidewall: CoreGard technology; serrated shoulder design
• Reference fitment: LT265/70R17/C 112/109S, max load 2,470 lb at 50 psi
• Maker part number: 66255 (reference size)
• Weight: About 45 lb (reference size)
• Successor note: The newer KO3 exists; the KO2 remains on sale

All-Terrain T/A KO2: fits and best for

Jeeps, mid-size trucks and half-tons on rocky or gravel trails and aired-down driving. The load range C reference size suits Wrangler and Tacoma-class trucks; step to load range E in the same line for heavy half-ton work.

All-Terrain T/A KO2 pros and watch-outs

All-Terrain T/A KO2: what owners report

• Tire Rack’s long-running owner survey credits the KO2 with durability and off-road confidence across very large sample sizes (Tire Rack owner survey)
• Fitment Industries buyers rate it highly for gravel and trail use (Fitment Industries)
• The recurring complaint in both sources is wet grip and noise as the tread wears — rotate on schedule to slow it (Tire Rack owner survey)

All-Terrain T/A KO2: who should not buy

Skip it if mud or deep snow is your main terrain — the original Wrangler DuraTrac’s open tread clears slop better. Skip it if your size has already moved to the KO3 line only; availability, not merit, decides that one.

All-Terrain T/A KO2: pair it with

Trail use at low pressure demands a rated recovery point. Our tree saver strap guide covers anchor protection, and the GearAmerica strap is the verified listing we use: Check the GearAmerica tree saver on Amazon.

Check Price on Amazon

We may earn a commission at no cost to you. Listing shown for LT265/70R17/C 112/109S — check your size before ordering.

Best for Mud and Deep Snow: Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac

Best for Mud and Deep Snow Best for mud, deep snow and drivers who want mud-terrain flavour.

Why the Wrangler DuraTrac is our pick

The original DuraTrac is Goodyear’s soft-ground answer: an open tread with TractiveGroove edges, a stud option and the 3PMSF symbol. Against the KO2 it trades highway polish for the strongest mud and deep-snow brief here.

Wrangler DuraTrac key specs

• Winter rating: 3PMSF (three-peak mountain snowflake); pinned for studs
• Mileage warranty: 50,000 miles (listed for the reference fitment)
• UTQG: Not published for the reference fitment
• Tread depth: Not published for this fitment (conflict note in this review)
• Load ranges: SL, plus LT C and E across the line
• Tread features: TractiveGroove technology; highly angled tread blocks
• Protection: Built-in rim protector
• Reference fitment: 265/70R17 115S, max load 2,679 lb at 51 psi
• Maker part number: Not published in the sources checked

Wrangler DuraTrac: fits and best for

Trail trucks and Jeeps in mud country and snow belts, for drivers who accept highway hum as the price of grip. The listed fitment is standard-load for daily-weight trucks; LT versions in the line suit heavier work.

Wrangler DuraTrac pros and watch-outs

Wrangler DuraTrac: what owners report

• Owner pages credit the DuraTrac with deep-snow and mud traction beyond most all-terrains (Extreme Customs owner listings)
• Retailer range notes repeat the cost: tread hum at highway speed that grows if rotations slip (Pep Boys DuraTrac range notes)
• Owners who rotate on schedule report the noise and wear stay manageable — the pattern punishes neglect, not use (Extreme Customs owner listings)

Wrangler DuraTrac: who should not buy

Skip it if your commute is long and paved — the KO2 is calmer every day. Skip it if sidewall specification decides for you; the DuraTrac RT’s three-ply sidewall is Goodyear’s published answer to that brief.

Wrangler DuraTrac: pair it with

Soft ground plus a winch is the classic pairing: our best Jeep winch guide covers the Jeep side, and the tree saver protects the anchor when you self-recover: Check the GearAmerica tree saver on Amazon.

Check Price on Amazon

We may earn a commission at no cost to you. Listing shown for 265/70R17 115S — check your size before ordering.

Best Goodyear Sidewall: Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac RT

Best Goodyear Sidewall Best for Goodyear’s newer, stronger-sidewall brief.

Why the Wrangler DuraTrac RT is our pick

The RT is Goodyear’s updated answer to the KO2’s durability brief: DuPont Kevlar in the tread area, a three-ply sidewall with a Durawall compound, and an extended over-the-shoulder tread with more biting edges than the original DuraTrac. Same 3PMSF rating, same 50,000-mile warranty.

Wrangler DuraTrac RT key specs

• Winter rating: 3PMSF (three-peak mountain snowflake)
• Mileage warranty: 50,000 miles
• UTQG: 500 B B (reference fitment)
• Tread depth: 16/32 in (reference); 18/32 in (LT E version)
• Load ranges: XL (reference); LT C and E in line
• Construction: Three-ply sidewall, Durawall compound; Kevlar tread protection
• Protection: Built-in rim flange protector
• Reference fitment: 265/70R17 116T, max load 2,756 lb at 50 psi
• Maker part number: 150027991 (reference size)
• Size range: 42 sizes across the line
• Weight: Not published (retailer mirrors conflict)

Wrangler DuraTrac RT: fits and best for

Half-ton trucks and SUVs splitting pavement and rough tracks, where sidewall damage is the worry rather than deep mud. The reference fitment is standard-load; the line’s LT E version (123/120S) is the towing step-up.

Wrangler DuraTrac RT pros and watch-outs

Wrangler DuraTrac RT: what owners report

• Owner coverage for the RT is thin: it is the newer line and no mature owner consensus exists yet — treat its wear story as a maker claim, and compare the full field in our pillar guide (best all-terrain tires guide)
• Retailer listings for this exact size repeat the maker’s brief — three-ply sidewall, rim protection and 3PMSF (BJ’s Tire Center RT listing)
• Goodyear’s launch coverage positions the RT for year-round use, with the warranty stated at launch (Goodyear launch coverage)

Wrangler DuraTrac RT: who should not buy

Skip it if you need a studdable tire — the original DuraTrac is the pinned option here. Skip it if a decade of owner evidence matters more than a current line; the KO2’s record is deepest.

Wrangler DuraTrac RT: pair it with

A stronger sidewall deserves rated hardware: the AMBULL shackle set covers the connection points, and our D-ring shackle guide explains the ratings. Check the AMBULL shackles on Amazon.

Check Price on Amazon

We may earn a commission at no cost to you. Listing shown for 265/70R17 116T — check your size before ordering.

Spec comparison

Maker-published figures for the reference fitments in each review — a like-for-like comparison at 265/70R17, not a promise for every size in either brand’s line.

How the score works: each score weights the published sidewall and tread protection, tread depth, load-range coverage, winter detail and the depth and consistency of owner reports. It is editorial judgement, not test results.

Installation & fitment basics

Whichever brand wins, the fitting rules are the same: a shop mounts each tire, balances the assembly, and torques the lug nuts to the maker’s figure. Budget for valve stems or TPMS service kits so the warning system keeps working, and take a four-wheel alignment check with any size change or any set replacing an unevenly worn one — new tires on a misaligned truck inherit the old wear pattern within a season.

Before the appointment, confirm size, load index and pressures from the door-jamb placard, and make sure the spare matches closely enough to use. Re-check lug torque at about 50 miles and set a rotation reminder — the same rhythm as our winch maintenance checklist. First trail out, re-read the recovery basics in our how to use a winch guide, match the truck’s other half in our best truck winches guide, and size that winch with our what size winch for a truck guide.

Safety essentials

Three verified recovery accessories worth carrying once the tires are fitted — the full buying order is in our essential winching accessories guide:

WARN Epic snatch block — doubles a winch line’s pull, safely.

Check Price — WARN Epic snatch block

GearAmerica tree saver strap — protects anchor and rope on self-recovery pulls.

Check Price — GearAmerica tree saver

AMBULL shackles — rated connection points; see our recovery kit guide.

Check Price — AMBULL shackles

Troubleshooting

Who should NOT buy these tires

Pure highway drivers. If your truck never leaves pavement, a highway-terrain tire is quieter and better in the wet than any pick here. All-terrains earn their keep only when dirt, snow or load enters the picture, whichever brand is on the sidewall.

Deep-mud specialists. Even the DuraTrac is a compromise. If mud is the point of the trip, a mud-terrain is the honest tool — and the recovery gear in our off-road winch guide becomes mandatory.

Buyers who need the newest line only. This comparison is built on the KO2 and the original DuraTrac because their listings and owner records are verifiable today. If only-newest matters, the KO3 and the DuraTrac RT are the successors — the RT is reviewed above, and the KO3 is covered in our pillar guide.

Anyone planning to skip rotations. Open all-terrain patterns punish neglect with noise and uneven wear, and the DuraTrac’s record shows it fastest. If rotations every 5,000 to 7,500 miles will not happen, choose the mildest pattern your use allows.

Final verdict

One line per tire, in the order the chooser above reaches them:

• Best for Rock and Gravel — BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2: the durability benchmark, with the deepest owner record here. Check its price.
• Best for Mud and Deep Snow — Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac: the open, studdable soft-ground pick. Check its price.
• Best Goodyear Sidewall — Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac RT: the newer Goodyear brief — three-ply sidewall, Kevlar tread protection. Check its price.

FAQ

Is the BFGoodrich KO2 better than the Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac?

For rock, gravel and aired-down driving, yes — the KO2’s CoreGard sidewall and deeper owner record win that brief. For mud and deep snow, no — the DuraTrac’s open, studdable tread is the stronger tool. Both carry 3PMSF and a 50,000-mile warranty, so the deciding factor is your hardest surface, not the spec sheet’s headline numbers.

What is the difference between the DuraTrac and the DuraTrac RT?

The RT is Goodyear’s newer line: a three-ply sidewall with a Durawall compound and DuPont Kevlar tread protection, plus more biting edges in the tread pattern. The original DuraTrac runs a more open tread and is pinned for studs. The RT’s long-term owner record is still thin, while the original’s strengths and its highway hum are well documented.

Are the KO2 and Wrangler DuraTrac both rated for severe snow?

Yes. All three tires in this comparison carry the three-peak mountain snowflake symbol, which means they met an industry snow-traction threshold — a real step above plain M+S lettering. The symbol is a snow rating, not an ice rating: on glare ice, a dedicated winter tire still beats every all-terrain here.

Which tire lasts longer, the KO2 or the Wrangler?

On paper it is a tie: all three tires carry a 50,000-mile mileage warranty. In owner reporting, the KO2’s wear story is the best documented, the DuraTrac’s depends heavily on rotation discipline, and the RT is too new for a mature verdict. Documented rotations every 5,000 to 7,500 miles protect both the tread and the warranty.

Can I tow on the KO2 or the Wrangler DuraTrac?

Yes, provided the load index meets or beats the door-jamb placard and pressures are set for the load. The KO2 listing here is already an LT load range C tire; the DuraTrac and RT listings are standard-load fitments, so regular towers should step to the LT load range E versions offered in each Goodyear line.

Why is the DuraTrac tread depth listed as Not published?

Because the sources checked publish no depth for the listed 265/70R17 115S fitment. Third-party tables print 18/32 in for LT DuraTrac sizes, and this guide prints that conflict rather than borrowing an LT figure for a standard-load tire. The KO2 lists 15/32 in and the RT 16/32 in for their reference fitments.

Should I buy the KO3 instead of the KO2?

The KO3 is BFGoodrich’s successor, with the same 50,000-mile warranty and 3PMSF rating in retailer listings. Buy it if your exact size is only offered in the KO3 line or you prefer the current line. The KO2 remains on sale with wider size coverage and a far deeper owner record, which is why it anchors this comparison.

Are these tires noisy on the highway?

All-terrains are louder than highway tires, and the gap grows as tread wears. The DuraTrac’s open pattern hums most in owner reports, especially when rotations slip; the KO2 is the more settled daily pattern of the two original rivals. The RT’s noise record is still forming — another reason its owners section is labelled thin.

Do I need to replace all four tires at once?

On four-wheel-drive trucks, yes. Drivetrains are sensitive to diameter differences, and one new tire beside three worn ones can differ enough in circumference to strain the system. Replace in full sets where you can; if one tire is destroyed early, a good shop can shave a new tire to match the set.

Sources & changelog

Maker and spec sources: BFGoodrich KO2 page; Tire Rack KO2 specs; Graham Tire DuraTrac RT listing; BJ’s Tire Center DuraTrac RT listing; Tire Warehouse DuraTrac RT listing; Mr. Tire DuraTrac RT LT listing; Goodyear DuraTrac RT launch coverage.

Owner sources: Tire Rack KO2 survey; Fitment Industries KO2 ratings; Extreme Customs DuraTrac listings; Pep Boys DuraTrac range notes.

Changelog — October 17, 2026: guide first published.

Related guides

• Best all-terrain tires — the full six-tire pillar guide this comparison narrows down.
• Best winch for Jeep Wrangler — the recovery half of a trail build.
• Best winch for Toyota Tacoma — mid-size truck picks.
• Best winch for Ford F-150 — half-ton picks and fitment.
• Best winch for Toyota 4Runner — 4Runner picks and bumper notes.
• Best budget winch for a truck — value winch picks.