Best All Terrain Tires Under 300: Now the LT Tires Fit

At the cheaper tier, the answer was always the same: the tire you want exists, but not in the load rating your truck actually needs. The standard-load version fits the budget. The LT version — built for towing and hauling — sits on the other side of the line, and roundups quietly price the wrong one.

Raise the ceiling and the class changes character. At this tier, priced at one fixed size — 265/70R17, in the load version named — the LT tires finally walk through the door: four of the six picks below are genuine load range E tires, including the successor to the most famous name in all-terrain history. Two more are standard-load versions of premium models whose LT versions still cost too much.

The honest limits come with the headline. One famous name is still missing — its documented prices at this size remain above the line — and exactly one pick carries a verified Amazon listing; the other five are retailer-sold and say so on every surface. Our wider all-terrain tires pillar guide covers the class; our Best All Terrain Tires Under 250 guide covers the cheaper SL and XL shelf.

Quick picks

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† No verified Amazon listing: the button opens the verified alternative, the Falken Wildpeak A/T4W. Buy the marked tire via Sources. LT tires are exempt from UTQG grading — normal, not a defect.

All-terrain tires by budget route

One famous name is missing on purpose. At 265/70R17, every documented price we captured for the BFGoodrich KO2 sat above this guide’s ceiling — the KO3 below is its successor, and it is the BFGoodrich that fits. Two more versions failed the same test: the Falken’s and Toyo’s LT versions both price above the line, which is why those picks are the SL tires and say so. The wider step up lives in our step-up all-terrain guide; the cheaper shelf is our tightest-budget all-terrain guide.

One size, two load stories: SL and LT

This table is the whole guide in miniature. At the cheaper tier, the LT row was empty — every load range E tire priced above it. Here it fills with four tires, and the question flips: not whether you can afford an LT, but whether your placard, trailer or trails actually call for one.

Detailed reviews

Six tires, each checked at 265/70R17 in the load version named. One carries a verified Amazon listing; five are retailer-sold under the written-alternative pattern.

Best Overall: BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3

Best Overall

Why the BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3 is our pick

The KO3 is the tire the KO2’s reputation was waiting for: BFGoodrich’s successor, with CoreGard sidewall technology from its Baja race program, a deflection design against sidewall snags, and serrated shoulders with mud-phobic bars. In load range E it fits this tier on multiple documented prices — at the very top edge, so verify your seller’s price for the exact load version. Its survey record is the strongest here.

BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3 key specs

• Size: LT265/70R17 123/120S, load range E
• BFGoodrich part number: 09100
• UTQG: none (LT fitment, exempt)
• Max load: 3,415 lbs at 80 psi
• Tread depth: 16/32 in
• Weight: 55 lbs — the heaviest pick here
• Diameter: 31.6 in
• 3PMSF: yes — every size in the line
• Sidewall tech: CoreGard; Advanced Deflection Design
• Warranty: 50,000 miles (maker terms)

BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3: fits and best for

Best for LT-placard trucks splitting miles between highway and genuine trail work — rock, gravel and mud — in the class’s benchmark name, current generation.

BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3 pros and watch-outs

BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3: what owners report

BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3: who should not buy

Skip it if your placard is standard-load and your miles are pavement — you would pay in weight and ride for capacity you never use. Skip it if your retailer’s E-version price has crossed the line.

BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3: pair it with

Pair it with our off-road all-terrain guide.

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 Sources. The button below opens the verified alternative — the Falken Wildpeak A/T4W.

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Best SL All-Rounder: Falken Wildpeak A/T4W

Best SL All-Rounder

Why the Falken Wildpeak A/T4W is our pick

The A/T4W is the standard-load benchmark here — and the one pick shared with our Best All Terrain Tires Under 250 guide, where it earned Best Overall. It genuinely anchors both tiers: the strongest SL survey record, a 65,000-mile warranty, and the only verified Amazon listing on this page. If your placard is standard-load, this is the default buy; the LT picks are for different work, not better work.

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 LT); road hazard 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 — and anyone who wants the verified one-click listing.

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 its LT version breaks the budget. The four LT picks are your shelf.

Falken Wildpeak A/T4W: pair it with

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

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Best Highway Balance: Toyo Open Country A/T III

Best Highway Balance

Why the Toyo Open Country A/T III is our pick

The A/T III was the under-250 guide’s headline exclusion — every documented price at this size sat above its ceiling. At this tier it walks in: two retailers agree on an in-tier SL price, and the SL tire is a strong one — a 65,000-mile warranty, a severe-snow rating Toyo itself filed for this exact size, and a brief built around wet braking and a quiet ride. Its LT version remains above the line; the pick is the SL.

Toyo Open Country A/T III key specs

• Size: 265/70R17 115T, load range SL
• Toyo part numbers: 356270 (white letter) / 356260 (blackwall)
• UTQG: 600 A B
• Max load: 2,679 lbs at 44 psi
• Tread depth: 13.4/32 in
• Weight: 42.3 lbs — the lightest pick here
• Diameter: 31.7 in
• 3PMSF: yes — maker-filed for this size
• Warranty: 65,000 miles (P-metric sizes); 50,000 for LT sizes

Toyo Open Country A/T III: fits and best for

Best for highway-first drivers who still need real all-terrain and winter credentials — commuters and SL-placard trucks that see gravel and snow rather than rock.

Toyo Open Country A/T III pros and watch-outs

Toyo Open Country A/T III: what owners report

Toyo Open Country A/T III: who should not buy

Skip it if you need load range E — its LT version is priced out of this guide; the four LT picks are your shelf. Skip it for regular rock work; its brief is balance, not armour.

Toyo Open Country A/T III: pair it with

Pair it with our all-terrain guide for trucks.

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 Sources. The button below opens the verified alternative — the Falken Wildpeak A/T4W.

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Best Off-Road LT: General Grabber A/TX LT

Best Off-Road LT

Why the General Grabber A/TX LT is our pick

Our under-250 guide profiled this model’s SL version. This is the other tire under the name: the load range E Grabber, with DuraGen compound on a heavier carcass, stud pins no other pick offers, and four Tire Rack captures for this exact size and load — every one inside this tier. For trail work under an LT placard, it is the pick.

General Grabber A/TX LT key specs

• Size: LT265/70R17 121/118S, load range E
• UTQG: none (LT fitment, exempt)
• Max load: 3,195 lbs at 80 psi
• Tread depth: 16/32 in
• 3PMSF: yes — severe snow service rated
• Studdable: yes — the only studdable pick here
• Compound: DuraGen cut-and-chip resistant; Comfort Balance tread
• Warranty: 50,000 miles (LT sizes); 45-day satisfaction trial

General Grabber A/TX LT: fits and best for

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

General Grabber A/TX LT pros and watch-outs

General Grabber A/TX LT: what owners report

General Grabber A/TX LT: who should not buy

Skip it if your placard is standard-load and your trails are graded dirt — the SL version in our under-250 guide is the same brief for less. Skip it if you came for the X3’s mud aggression.

General Grabber A/TX LT: pair it with

Pair it with our off-road all-terrain guide.

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 Sources. The button below opens the verified alternative — the Falken Wildpeak A/T4W.

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Best for Towing: Cooper Discoverer Stronghold AT

Best for Towing

Why the Cooper Discoverer Stronghold AT is our pick

The Stronghold was excluded from the under-250 guide on a single documented price — the same Tire Rack figure that puts it inside this tier, re-captured fresh and in stock while building this guide. The extra money buys the towing brief: the joint-highest load capacity here on a reinforced casing, stone-ejector ledges, and a 60,000-mile warranty — the longest LT warranty on this page.

Cooper Discoverer Stronghold AT key specs

• Size: LT265/70R17 123/120R, load range E
• Cooper part number: 170293047
• UTQG: none (LT fitment, exempt)
• Max load: 3,415 lbs at 80 psi
• Tread depth: 16.5/32 in — the deepest here
• Weight: 51 lbs
• Diameter: 31.7 in
• 3PMSF: yes — severe snow service rated
• Construction: two-ply polyester casing; twin steel belts
• Warranty: 60,000 miles; 45-Day Test Drive (Cooper terms)

Cooper Discoverer Stronghold AT: fits and best for

Best for trucks that tow or haul near their ratings and want lateral stability under load, split with gravel and job-site work.

Cooper Discoverer Stronghold AT pros and watch-outs

Cooper Discoverer Stronghold AT: what owners report

Cooper Discoverer Stronghold AT: who should not buy

Skip it if you rarely load the truck — the Yokohama gives you an LT carcass with an on-road brief, and the SL picks ride softer. Skip it if your seller’s price is the above-tier one; Tire Rack’s listing is the in-tier anchor.

Cooper Discoverer Stronghold AT: pair it with

Pair it with our all-terrain guide for trucks.

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 Sources. The button below opens the verified alternative — the Falken Wildpeak A/T4W.

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Best On-Road LT: Yokohama Geolandar A/T G015 LT

Best On-Road LT

Why the Yokohama Geolandar A/T G015 LT is our pick

The G015 was the under-250 guide’s most revisit-worthy exclusion: the only size-anchored prices it could verify were LT versions, above that ceiling. Here they sit inside it — Tire Rack lists the LT tire in stock in tier, re-captured while building. The combination is unusual: a genuine load range E carcass under the class’s most road-mannered filing, with the deepest survey mileage here.

Yokohama Geolandar A/T G015 LT key specs

• Size: LT265/70R17 121/118S, load range E
• Yokohama part number: 33530
• UTQG: none (LT fitment, exempt)
• Max load: 3,195 lbs at 80 psi
• Weight: 50.5 lbs
• Diameter: 31.6 in
• 3PMSF: yes — severe snow service rated
• Construction: Enduro Core (Yokohama positioning)
• Retailer category: On-Road All-Terrain
• Warranty: 50,000 miles (LT sizes); 60,000 for P-metric sizes

Yokohama Geolandar A/T G015 LT: fits and best for

Best for LT-placard trucks that live on pavement and want E-load capacity without an off-road tire’s noise and ride penalties.

Yokohama Geolandar A/T G015 LT pros and watch-outs

Yokohama Geolandar A/T G015 LT: what owners report

Yokohama Geolandar A/T G015 LT: who should not buy

Skip it for regular trail work — its brief is the road; the Grabber and KO3 carry the off-road LT briefs. Skip it for ice-country winters; no pick here solves ice.

Yokohama Geolandar A/T G015 LT: pair it with

Pair it with our truck wheels guide — an E-load tire deserves load-rated wheels.

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 Sources. The button below opens the verified alternative — the Falken Wildpeak A/T4W.

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Spec comparison

The BFGoodrich, Toyo, General, Cooper and Yokohama buttons here open the verified alternative, the Falken Wildpeak A/T4W — those five are bought via Sources.

How to choose an all-terrain tire at this size

Start with the placard, then price the version

Your placard decides the load story before price enters it. If it calls for LT rubber, the four LT picks are your guide and the SL picks are not substitutes at any price. If it calls for standard load, both halves are legal — the choice becomes ride, warranty and work.

When load range E earns its money

An E carcass earns its premium in three situations: towing or hauling near the truck’s ratings, where lateral stability under load is the product; sharp gravel and job-site surfaces, where the heavier casing resists cuts; and constant heavy payloads. Outside those, it buys weight, a firmer ride and shorter warranties.

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. Note the split — the SL picks promise 65,000 miles, the LT picks 50,000 to 60,000.

3PMSF: what the snowflake does and does not promise

Every pick here carries the three-peak mountain snowflake, certifying a severe-snow traction threshold. It does not certify ice braking — survey data names ice as the weak condition across this set. Real winter capability for snow; no substitute for a winter tire on ice.

UTQG grades: why the LT picks show none

LT tires are exempt from UTQG grading, so the four LT picks publish no grades — paperwork, not a warning. The two SL grades are maker-assigned anyway, comparable only within a brand. Judge LT picks on load index, tread depth, construction and survey record.

Let the category filing tell you the brief

Retailers file these tires honestly: On-Road (Yokohama) means road manners first even on an E carcass; Off-Road (KO3, Grabber, Stronghold, Falken) means a genuine trail brief. Choose the brief your truck lives, and the shortlist writes itself.

Installation and fitment basics

Match the placard first

Size, load index and speed rating must match or exceed the placard. Two picks carry index 115; the LT picks carry 121 to 123. If placard and pick disagree, the placard wins.

Pressures change with the carcass

The SL picks rate maximum load at 44 to 51 psi; the LT picks at 80 psi. Set pressures from the placard and the load carried, not habit — an E-load tire run at SL pressures is under-inflated for its work.

Rim width and full-lock clearance

Check rim width first: the KO3 and Stronghold approve 7.0 to 8.5-inch rims, the Toyo 7.0 to 9.0. Every pick sits near 31.6 to 31.7 inches overall, so a stock swap changes nothing measurable; confirm full-lock clearance anyway.

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, and the longest-life owner reports are uniformly the rotators.

Safety essentials

Troubleshooting

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

Three picks live near this tier’s edge. The KO3 is the top-edge pick — in tier on three documented sources, but close enough that a seller’s drift ends the argument; the Falken is then the verified answer. The Grabber LT’s captures spread across the top of the tier too. The Stronghold carries the one open conflict: Tire Rack’s fresh in-stock listing is in tier while one national chain’s starting price for the same size sits above it — we anchored to the fresher record and printed the conflict in its review.

Generation traps are the second note. The KO3 is not the KO2 — different tire, different price story, and the KO2 remains above this tier on every size-anchored record we hold. The Grabber’s SL and LT versions share a name across two of our guides; they are different tires with different warranties.

Finally, the tier itself is the note. The honest reason to spend at this level is a load rating or a premium SL brief — not a name. If neither applies, our under-250 guide’s slate does the same job for less.

Who should NOT buy these tires

Your placard is standard-load and your truck never tows. Four of these six picks are load range E tires whose weight and ride you would feel daily and whose capacity you would never use. The Falken and Toyo are your picks.

Your budget is the under-250 shelf. Our Best All Terrain Tires Under 250 guide verified six SL and XL picks at this size, including this guide’s Falken. Do not stretch to this tier for a badge.

You came for the KO2 specifically. It is not here: every documented 265/70R17 price for it sits above the ceiling. The KO3 is its successor and our Best Overall.

Your winters are ice, not snow. Every pick here is severe-snow rated and weakest on ice. Winter tires — or the Grabber’s studs where legal — are the correct purchase.

Your truck wears a different stock size. These picks are verified at 265/70R17. In your size, prices and load versions change — re-run the size check first.

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, in the load version named beside it. Prices change with size and load rating, so a model inside this budget at this size can cost more in a bigger size or different load version. Price your exact version before buying.

Why does this guide have LT tires when the under-250 guide had none?

Because the tier is the difference. At 265/70R17, every load range E tire priced for our Best All Terrain Tires Under 250 guide sat above its ceiling, so that slate is entirely SL and XL. At this ceiling, four LT tires verify inside it — the KO3, Grabber LT, Stronghold AT and Yokohama G015 LT.

Why is the BFGoodrich KO2 missing when the KO3 is Best Overall?

Price, documented at this size. Every 265/70R17 listing we captured for the KO2 sat above this guide’s ceiling. The KO3 is its successor: a newer tire with a stronger survey record, verified inside the tier in load range E on three independent sources. The name you wanted is here; the generation changed.

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 deep-cold, icy winters, a proper winter tire still outperforms any all-terrain on this page.

Why do the LT picks show no UTQG grades?

Because LT tires are exempt from UTQG grading entirely — the four LT picks publish no treadwear, traction or temperature grades, and that absence is paperwork, not a defect. Compare them on load index, tread depth, construction and owner-survey record. The two SL picks do carry grades, and those grades are maker-assigned and comparable only within one brand.

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

Start with your door-jamb placard: match or exceed its load index and speed rating, and if it specifies LT rubber, that settles it. Within an SL placard, choose LT only for the work — towing or hauling near the ratings, sharp gravel, constant heavy payloads. Otherwise the SL picks ride softer and carry longer warranties.

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. The SL picks promise more miles than the LT picks.

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 in its LT version. 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 the benchmark name in its current generation, the BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3 — load range E, the strongest survey record here. (No verified Amazon listing — verified buy: Falken Wildpeak A/T4W.)

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For the standard-load default — and the only verified one-click buy — the Falken Wildpeak A/T4W, with a 65,000-mile warranty.

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For highway balance in SL form, the Toyo Open Country A/T III — the lightest pick, a 65,000-mile warranty. (No verified Amazon listing — verified buy: Falken Wildpeak A/T4W.)

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For trail work under an LT placard, the General Grabber A/TX LT — cut-resistant, studdable, in tier on four captures. (No verified Amazon listing — verified buy: Falken Wildpeak A/T4W.)

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For towing, the Cooper Discoverer Stronghold AT — the joint-highest capacity here and the longest LT warranty. (No verified Amazon listing — verified buy: Falken Wildpeak A/T4W.)

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For an LT carcass with road manners, the Yokohama Geolandar A/T G015 LT — the deepest survey mileage here. (No verified Amazon listing — verified buy: Falken Wildpeak A/T4W.)

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Sources

Manufacturer documents

• Toyo Open Country A/T III product sheet (maker specifications)
• Toyo Open Country A/T III EU product-information sheet (maker filing, 265/70R17)
• BFGoodrich KO3 LT265/70R17/E — maker specs and warranty (Costco)
• BFGoodrich KO3 LT265/70R17 — size, load and warranty data (Monro)

Retailer listings

• Cooper Discoverer Stronghold AT LT265/70R17 — Tire Rack listing and survey
• Yokohama Geolandar A/T G015 LT265/70R17 — Tire Rack listing
• General Grabber A/TX — Tire Rack warranty and LT listings
• BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3 LT265/70R17 — Tire Rack page and survey
• Toyo Open Country A/T III 265/70R17 115T (part 356270) — Black Ops Auto Works
• Falken Wildpeak A/T4W 265/70R17 115T — Amazon listing mirror (Ubuy)
• BFGoodrich KO2 LT265/70R17 — exclusion evidence (eBay listing)

Independent tests and comparisons

• Cooper Stronghold AT vs BFGoodrich KO3 at LT265/70R17 (comparison data)
• BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3 — test and owner data (Tire Reviews)

Related guides

• Best all-terrain tires: the pillar guide
• Best all-terrain tires on the tightest 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