Best All Terrain Tires Under 250: the Size Trap Nobody Mentions

You found the tire you want, in your truck’s size, inside your budget — right up until the load rating changed. The SL version fits the budget. The LT version your towing calls for does not, and most roundups never mention the two were priced differently.

That quiet swap is how roundups mislead. A model name is not a price: at any given size, the standard-load and load range E versions of the same tire can sit on opposite sides of a budget line. So this guide fixes one size — 265/70R17 — and checks every pick at that size, in the load version named.

The honest result: the standard-load versions of several top models genuinely fit this tier, each severe-snow rated with a real maker warranty behind it. The LT versions mostly do not, and three of the most searched names in the class are absent — their documented prices at this size say why. Our wider all-terrain tires pillar guide covers the class without the size anchor; this page prices the anchor.

Quick picks

Quick compare

† No verified Amazon listing: the button opens the verified alternative, the Falken Wildpeak A/T4W. Buy the marked tire via Sources. ‡ Two Hankook part numbers share this size with different grades — see the review.

All-terrain tires by budget route

Three famous names are missing on purpose. At 265/70R17, every documented price we captured for the BFGoodrich KO2 and the Toyo Open Country A/T III sat above this guide’s ceiling, and the only size-anchored prices we could verify for the Yokohama Geolandar A/T G015 were its LT versions — also above it. They live in our step-up all-terrain guide; the cheaper shelf is our tighter-budget all-terrain guide. One more model, Kenda’s Klever A/T2, was profiled in depth and dropped while building: no major retailer would anchor a price to the reference size, and this guide does not print a pick it cannot price to the size.

One size, three different tires: SL, XL and LT

Same numbers on the sidewall, three different tires underneath. The load version decides both the price and whether the tire suits your truck’s work — which is why every pick here names its version, and why a roundup that does not is comparing tires that are not really the same product.

Detailed reviews

Six tires, each checked at 265/70R17 in the version named. Two carry verified Amazon listings; four are retailer-sold under the written-alternative pattern.

Best Overall: Falken Wildpeak A/T4W

Best Overall

Why the Falken Wildpeak A/T4W is our pick

The A/T4W is the tire this guide is measured against: Tire Rack files it as Off-Road All-Terrain, it is three-peak snowflake rated, and its owner-survey record is the strongest here. DURASPEC sidewall tech and a heat diffuser target the mixed commute-and-trail life. In SL fitment it fits the tier; the LT version does not.

Falken Wildpeak A/T4W key specs

• Size: 265/70R17 115T, load range SL
• Falken part number: 28844300
• UTQG: 660 A B
• Max load: 2,679 lbs at 51 psi
• Tread depth: 14/32 in
• Weight: 46 lbs
• Diameter: 31.7 in
• 3PMSF: yes
• Sidewall tech: DURASPEC 3-ply (HD sizes); heat diffuser in the lower sidewall
• Warranty: 65,000 miles (60,000 for LT sizes); road hazard protection in Falken’s terms

Falken Wildpeak A/T4W: fits and best for

Best for half-ton and midsize owners whose placard calls for this size in standard load — highway, gravel, moderate trail, real winter.

Falken Wildpeak A/T4W pros and watch-outs

Falken Wildpeak A/T4W: what owners report

Falken Wildpeak A/T4W: who should not buy

Skip it if your placard or towing calls for load range E — this SL is no substitute, and the LT version breaks this guide’s budget. Skip it, too, for glare-ice winters; a winter tire is the honest answer.

Falken Wildpeak A/T4W: pair it with

Pair it with a full-size spare plan — our guide to rear bumpers with tire carriers covers carriers that hold a 31.7-inch spare.

Check Price

We may earn a commission at no cost to you.

Best Warranty: Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme

Best Warranty

Why the Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme is our pick

The Dynapro AT2 Xtreme (the RF12 — not the older RF11) carries the longest treadwear warranty here: 70,000 miles on P-metric sizes, 60,000 on LT and flotation sizes. A Max Mileage compound and noise-control block design do the work, and every size is three-peak snowflake marked — confirmed for this size on Hankook’s own EU product-information sheet.

Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme key specs

• Size: 265/70R17 115T, load range SL, raised white letter
• UTQG: 660 A B on part 1029842; a second 115T part (1035120) lists 520 A B — confirm the part when you order
• Tread depth: 12.5/32 in (retailer table, part 1029842)
• 3PMSF: yes — every size in the line
• Warranty: 70,000 mi P-metric / 60,000 LT — longest here
• Sits between Hankook’s HPX and MT2 lines

Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme: fits and best for

Best for high-mileage drivers who rotate on schedule — the warranty is only worth its headline if the rotations happen.

Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme pros and watch-outs

Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme: what owners report

Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme: who should not buy

Skip it if you are shopping old RF11 listings by mistake — the Xtreme is the current tire, and the warranty belongs to it. Skip it if you need a verified one-click listing.

Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme: pair it with

Pair it with our all-terrain tires pillar guide, where its warranty meets the full field.

Buying note (written alternative): No verified Amazon listing exists for this tire at this size, so it carries no button of its own in this guide. Buy it via the Tire Rack listing in Sources. The button below opens the verified alternative — the Falken Wildpeak A/T4W.

Check Price

We may earn a commission at no cost to you.

Best Off-Road Lean: General Grabber A/TX

Best Off-Road Lean

Why the General Grabber A/TX is our pick

The Grabber A/TX is the trail-leaning end of this set: DuraGen cut-and-chip compound, Comfort Balance tread, stud pins, and a Tire Rack instrumented test behind it. It clears this guide’s ceiling by the narrowest margin here — verified in tier at two major retailers on build day, and flagged because it can drift over. The pick is the SL tire.

General Grabber A/TX key specs

• Size: 265/70R17 115T, load range SL, raised white letter
• General part number: 04507630000
• UTQG: 640 A B
• Tread depth: 14/32 in
• Max load: 2,678 lbs at 44 psi
• Weight: about 42 lbs
• Diameter: 31.6 in
• 3PMSF: yes
• Studdable: yes
• Warranty: 60,000 mi metric / 50,000 LT and flotation

General Grabber A/TX: fits and best for

Best for drivers whose weekends leave pavement — gravel, dirt and rock — and snow-belt drivers who want the stud option.

General Grabber A/TX pros and watch-outs

General Grabber A/TX: what owners report

General Grabber A/TX: who should not buy

Skip it if you came for the Grabber X3’s mud aggression — different tire, different brief. Skip it if your retailer’s price has drifted over the ceiling; the Falken is the same-money alternative.

General Grabber A/TX: pair it with

Pair it with our off-road all-terrain guide, which ranks it against the class’s aggressive end.

Buying note (written alternative): No verified Amazon listing exists for this tire at this size, so it carries no button of its own in this guide. Buy it via the Tire Rack or Quadratec listings in Sources. The button below opens the verified alternative — the Falken Wildpeak A/T4W.

Check Price

We may earn a commission at no cost to you.

Best Value: Kumho Road Venture AT52

Best Value

Why the Kumho Road Venture AT52 is our pick

The AT52 is the honest value pick: the lightest tire here, the highest UTQG treadwear grade (680, the only A temperature grade), and a Kumho USA warranty confirmed in the maker’s own statements — 55,000 miles P-metric, 50,000 LT. Tire Rack files it as On-Road All-Terrain: the road-biased end of the class.

Kumho Road Venture AT52 key specs

• Size: 265/70R17 115T, load range SL
• Kumho part number: 2304403
• UTQG: 680 A A — highest treadwear grade here; only A temperature grade
• Tread depth: 13.5/32 in
• Max load: 2,679 lbs at 51 psi
• Weight: 41 lbs — the lightest pick here
• Diameter: 31.7 in
• 3PMSF: yes — maker-filed for this size
• Warranty: 55,000 miles P-metric / 50,000 LT (Kumho Tire U.S.A.); one-year road hazard; 30-day satisfaction trial

Kumho Road Venture AT52: fits and best for

Best for commuters who want all-terrain looks, a real snow rating and light steering — dirt meaning graded roads, not rock.

Kumho Road Venture AT52 pros and watch-outs

Kumho Road Venture AT52: what owners report

Kumho Road Venture AT52: who should not buy

Skip it if your trails threaten sidewalls — the Grabber and Falken carry tougher briefs. Skip it if you tow near the placard limit; that work belongs to XL or LT rubber.

Kumho Road Venture AT52: pair it with

Pair it with our tighter-budget all-terrain guide if its retailer price has climbed.

Buying note (written alternative): No verified Amazon listing exists for this tire at this size, so it carries no button of its own in this guide. Buy it via the Tire Rack listing in Sources. The button below opens the verified alternative — the Falken Wildpeak A/T4W.

Check Price

We may earn a commission at no cost to you.

Best On-Road Comfort: Firestone Destination A/T2

Best On-Road Comfort

Why the Firestone Destination A/T2 is our pick

The Destination A/T2 is the road-manners pick: full-depth interlocking 3D sipes, HydroGrip wet grooves, and a 90-day buy-and-try guarantee no other pick offers — fit them and change your mind under Firestone’s terms. Its limit is plain: P-metric only. Note the generation — it replaced the original Destination A/T, whose figures still circulate.

Firestone Destination A/T2 key specs

• Size: P265/70R17 113S, P-metric
• UTQG: 540 A B
• Load index: 113 — 2,535 lbs
• 3PMSF: yes
• Construction: full-depth 3D sipes; HydroGrip grooves (Firestone)
• P-metric only — no LT fitments in this model
• Warranty: 55,000 mi, plus 90-day buy-and-try guarantee

Firestone Destination A/T2: fits and best for

Best for trucks living on pavement and graded dirt, with a settled ride and a snow rating in reserve. Its 113 index is the lowest here.

Firestone Destination A/T2 pros and watch-outs

Firestone Destination A/T2: what owners report

Firestone Destination A/T2: who should not buy

Skip it if your placard demands index 115, or you tow at the top of a half-ton’s ratings — the XL Cooper or an out-of-tier LT is the tool. Skip it if silence comes first; the survey points to the Hankook.

Firestone Destination A/T2: pair it with

Pair it with our all-terrain guide for trucks for the road-manners and load view.

Buying note (written alternative): No verified Amazon listing exists for this tire at this size, so it carries no button of its own in this guide. Buy it via the Tire Rack or Hibdon listing in Sources. The button below opens the verified alternative — the Falken Wildpeak A/T4W.

Check Price

We may earn a commission at no cost to you.

Best Rugged Pick: Cooper Discoverer Rugged Trek

Best Rugged Pick

Why the Cooper Discoverer Rugged Trek is our pick

This pick comes with its story told straight. The Cooper slot was reserved for the Discoverer AT3 LT — a true LT tire. At build, no live sub-ceiling price for it at 265/70R17 could be captured; the documented evidence straddled the line. So the slot passed to its designated alternate: the Rugged Trek in XL fitment, verified on Amazon at this size, with the deepest tread here (16/32 in), Stone Blockades ejectors and dual sidewall designs. What it is not is an LT tire.

Cooper Discoverer Rugged Trek key specs

• Size: 265/70R17 116T, XL (extra load)
• Cooper part number: 171101005
• UTQG: 600 A B
• Tread depth: 16/32 in — the deepest in this set
• Max load: 2,756 lbs at 50 psi
• Diameter: 31.8 in; width 10.4 in
• Rim width: 7.0–9.0 in (measured 8.0 in)
• 3PMSF: yes (Cooper listing copy)
• Features: Rough Terrain pattern, Stone Blockades, Whisper Grooves
• Sidewalls: two designs — Mountain Pass and Knife-Edge
• Warranty: 60,000 mi treadwear (Cooper listing copy)

Cooper Discoverer Rugged Trek: fits and best for

Best for owners wanting the rugged look, the deepest tread here and more headroom than SL — trucks that carry weight often but do not tow at LT levels.

Cooper Discoverer Rugged Trek pros and watch-outs

Cooper Discoverer Rugged Trek: what owners report

Cooper Discoverer Rugged Trek: who should not buy

Skip it if you need a genuine LT tire for heavy towing — the step-up tier is the honest route. Skip it if highway quiet is the priority; that tread is audible at speed.

Cooper Discoverer Rugged Trek: pair it with

Pair it with our truck wheels guide — an XL-rated tire deserves a wheel chosen with the same load thinking.

Check Price

We may earn a commission at no cost to you.

Spec comparison

The Hankook, General, Kumho and Firestone buttons here open the verified alternative, the Falken Wildpeak A/T4W, as in the quick compare — those four are bought via Sources.

Find your fit in seconds

How to choose an all-terrain tire at this size

Start with the size, then price the version

A tire’s price belongs to a size and a load version, not a model name. Fix your size first — 265/70R17 is this guide’s method; your placard size is yours — then price the exact version. A roundup that prices a small size and recommends the model is spending your money on a number you cannot buy.

Load rating honesty: SL, XL and LT are different products

SL covers most placards at this size. XL keeps a P-metric carcass and adds headroom. LT load range E is a different construction — heavier, higher-pressure, built for towing stability — and costs more than this tier allows. Match or exceed your placard’s load index; never let a same-named SL tire stand in for an LT requirement.

Read the warranty like a contract

Every mileage figure here is a limited, prorated warranty: wear the tire early and you receive credit, not a free set. It lives only if you rotate every 5,000 to 7,500 miles and keep records. A 70,000-mile headline with lapsed rotations is worth less than a maintained 55,000-mile warranty.

3PMSF: what the snowflake does and does not promise

The snowflake certifies a severe-snow traction threshold, and every pick here carries it. It does not certify ice braking — survey data names ice as the weak condition across this set. Genuine winter capability for snow regions; no substitute for a winter tire on ice.

UTQG grades: compare inside one brand only

UTQG grades are assigned by each manufacturer to its own tires, so a 680 from one maker and a 660 from another are not measured on one ruler. Compare within a brand only. LT tires are exempt from grading — a missing grade there is paperwork, not a warning.

Let the category filing tell you the brief

Retailers file these tires honestly: On-Road (Kumho) means road manners first; Off-Road (Falken, General, Firestone) a genuine trail brief; Rugged (Cooper) means presence and tread depth lead. Choose the brief your truck lives, and the shortlist writes itself.

Installation and fitment basics

Match the placard first

Your door-jamb placard is the contract: size, load index and speed rating must match or exceed it. Five picks carry index 115; the Firestone carries 113. If placard and pick disagree, the placard wins.

Diameter changes move the speedometer

Every pick sits within a tenth of an inch of 31.7 inches overall, so swapping a stock 265/70R17 changes nothing measurable. Step away from stock diameter and the speedometer and gearing feel follow the new number. Our truck wheels guide covers the wheel side.

Rim width and full-lock clearance

Check rim width before the tire arrives: the Cooper is approved for 7.0 to 9.0-inch rims. Confirm clearance at full lock and full compression — a fitment that clears parked can still rub at lock.

Rotation is a warranty condition, not a suggestion

Rotate every 5,000 to 7,500 miles and keep the invoices. Makers write rotation into the warranty terms across this set, and the longest-life owner reports are uniformly the rotators. A five-tire rotation keeps the spare the same diameter as the set.

Safety essentials

Troubleshooting

In the real world: notes that do not fit a spec table

Prices drift, and two picks live near this guide’s edges. The Grabber A/TX cleared the tier at two major retailers on build day by the narrowest margin here — if your retailer has moved it over the line, the Falken is the same-money answer. The Cooper slot is the other honesty item: the AT3 LT was the intended pick, its prices straddled the ceiling, and the Rugged Trek took the slot in the open.

Generation traps are the second note. The A/T3W is discontinued in favour of the A/T4W; the RF11 still sells beside the RF12 Xtreme; the original Destination A/T’s figures circulate beside the A/T2’s. Every spec here is generation-checked.

Finally, rotation discipline is the least glamorous, most valuable line here. Warranties, survey scores and long-life owner reports all lean on the same habit — 5,000 to 7,500 miles, documented.

Who should NOT buy these tires

You tow or haul at the top of your truck’s rating. You need a load range E LT tire, and every one priced at 265/70R17 sits above this guide’s ceiling. The step-up all-terrain guide is the honest shelf for that work.

Your winters are ice, not snow. Every pick here is severe-snow rated and weakest on ice. Dedicated winter tires — or studs where your state or province allows — are the correct purchase.

Your placard demands more than load index 115. Nothing here exceeds the Cooper’s 116, and the Firestone sits at 113. If you need more, this tier cannot serve you at this size.

Your truck wears a different stock size. These picks are verified at 265/70R17. In your size, the same model’s price and load versions change — re-run the size check before assuming a pick follows you.

You want mud-terrain aggression. The Grabber leans off-road and the Rugged Trek looks the part, but neither is a mud tire. For bog and clay weekends, shop the mud-terrain class.

FAQ

What size are the prices and picks in this guide checked at?

Every pick is checked at 265/70R17, the stock size on many F-150, Silverado, Sierra, Ram 1500, Tacoma and 4Runner trims. Prices change with size and load rating, so a model inside this budget at 265/70R17 can cost more in a bigger size or an LT version. Price your exact size and load rating before you buy.

Why is there no LT (load range E) tire among the picks?

Because at 265/70R17, every LT version we could price sat above this guide’s ceiling. The one LT tire profiled in depth, Cooper’s Discoverer AT3 LT, straddles the line by seller and could not be verified under it, so its slot went to Cooper’s XL-rated Rugged Trek. For a true LT tire, the step-up guide linked here is the honest route.

Why are the BFGoodrich KO2, Toyo Open Country A/T III and Yokohama Geolandar A/T G015 missing?

Price, documented at this size. Every 265/70R17 listing captured for the KO2 and the Toyo sat above the ceiling, and the only size-anchored prices verifiable for the Yokohama were its LT versions, also above it. The Yokohama is the exclusion we would revisit first if its P-metric price verifies under the ceiling.

Does the three-peak mountain snowflake (3PMSF) symbol make these winter tires?

No. The 3PMSF symbol certifies a severe-snow traction threshold; it does not make a tire a dedicated winter tire, and ice is the weakest condition in owner reports for nearly every model here. In ice-and-deep-cold winters, a proper winter tire still outperforms any all-terrain on this page.

How should I read the UTQG grades in the spec tables?

Carefully, and only within one brand. The grades are assigned by the manufacturer, so a 680 from one maker is not directly comparable with a 660 from another. LT tires are exempt from UTQG grading entirely, so a missing grade on an LT tire is normal, not a defect.

SL or XL — which load rating do I actually need?

Start with your door-jamb placard: match or exceed its load index and speed rating. SL covers most half-ton and midsize trucks at this size. XL adds headroom in a P-metric carcass for trucks that carry weight often. LT load range E is the step beyond XL for towing and hauling — and, at this size, beyond this guide’s budget.

What do the mileage warranties actually promise?

Less than the headline suggests. Every warranty here is limited and prorated: wear the tire out early and you get credit toward a replacement, not a free set. Keeping it alive means rotating every 5,000 to 7,500 miles and holding alignment and pressures. Read the terms for your exact size first.

My truck came with a different size. Can I just fit 265/70R17?

Maybe — but check first. A size change alters diameter, which affects speedometer reading, gearing feel and clearance at full lock. Compare diameters, confirm the rim width range fits your wheels, and never drop below the placard’s load index. A tire shop can confirm clearance in minutes.

Are any of these tires studdable for winter?

One pick here is pinned for studs: the General Grabber A/TX. Studs are not the 3PMSF rating, and legality varies by state, province and season. Check local rules before ordering a studded set; several regions restrict the months studs may legally be used.

Final verdict

Six tires survive a test most roundups never run: priced at one size, in the load version named, against maker documents.

For most trucks and most weeks, the Falken Wildpeak A/T4W is the buy — the deepest owner record here, a 65,000-mile warranty, a verified listing.

Check Price

For the longest warranty here, the Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme — 70,000 P-metric miles, snow-rated. (No verified Amazon listing — verified buy: Falken Wildpeak A/T4W.)

Check Price

For weekends off pavement, the General Grabber A/TX — cut-resistant, studdable, test-backed, if your retailer’s price still sits in tier. (No verified Amazon listing — verified buy: Falken Wildpeak A/T4W.)

Check Price

For value, the Kumho Road Venture AT52 — the lightest pick, the highest treadwear grade, a maker-confirmed warranty. (No verified Amazon listing — verified buy: Falken Wildpeak A/T4W.)

Check Price

For road manners with a safety net, the Firestone Destination A/T2 — full-depth sipes, the only buy-and-try guarantee here. (No verified Amazon listing — verified buy: Falken Wildpeak A/T4W.)

Check Price

For the rugged look with real headroom, the Cooper Discoverer Rugged Trek — XL-rated, deepest tread here, verified listing — bought knowing XL is not LT.

Check Price

Sources

Manufacturer documents

• Kumho Road Venture AT52 EU product-information sheet (maker filing for 265/70R17)
• Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme EU product-information sheet (maker filing for 265/70R17)
• Kenda Klever A/T2 spec sheet (pick dropped at build)
• Kumho Tire U.S.A. Road Venture warranty statements (Modern Tire Dealer)
• Falken Wildpeak A/T4W warranty terms (Firestone Complete Auto Care)

Retailer listings

• General Grabber A/TX — Tire Rack sizes and specs
• Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme — Tire Rack specs
• Kumho Road Venture AT52 — Tire Rack specs
• Firestone Destination A/T2 — Tire Rack
• General Grabber A/TX (MPN 04507630000) — Quadratec
• Firestone Destination A/T2 — Hibdon Tires
• Falken Wildpeak A/T4W 265/70R17 115T — Amazon listing mirror (Ubuy)
• Cooper Discoverer Rugged Trek — tires-easy size table
• Cooper Discoverer Rugged Trek — Tire Rack page and survey
• Cooper AT3 LT price-straddle evidence (DVA Mechanics)

Independent tests

• Kumho Road Venture AT52 field review (GearJunkie)
• Kenda Klever A/T2 comparison coverage (SimpleTire) — drop evidence

Related guides

• Best all-terrain tires: the pillar guide
• Best all-terrain tires on a tighter budget
• Best all-terrain tires: the step-up tier
• Best all-terrain tires for off-road
• Best all-terrain tires for trucks
• Best truck wheels
• Best Jeep rear bumpers with carriers