Falken Wildpeak RT 01 Review

Falken Wildpeak RT as the name suggest, comes in “Rugged-Terrain” category of tires, which are also called hybrids. Such tires basically are more voided in their tread from outer margins, yet their central section remain compact like any other all-terrain tire.

Tire Sizes

The Falken Wildpeak RT comes in 16 to 22 inches rims, with following specs.

• Total sizes: 49.
• Speed rating: Only R is available.
• Load rating: SL, XL, and C to F.
• Weight range: 50 to 94 lbs.
• Tread depth range: 16 to 20/32″.
• Treadwear warranty: 50k miles on all sizes.
• Sizes only have M+S, and missing with 3PMSF ratings.
• Only available in black letter sidewall.

Tread Appearance

The Falken Wildpeak RT gives you an assertive all-season tread composition, incorporating cutting-edge silica and 3D siping technology.

Central to its tread design is a distinctive pattern of four blocks, which you can say are like irregular, poorly drawn rectangles.

These lugs are crafted with sharp offset edges, chamfered sides, and stepped designs, further complemented by multi-directional siping.

However, the sipes aren’t full depth, explaining the tire’s lack of the 3 peak mountain snowflake rating.

But they still work great on deeper snowy (or soft) terrains, thanks to the slanted lateral and longitudinal grooves of these lugs, so you get a decent self-cleaning capability.

Moving to the tire’s shoulders, these are notably segmented by wide circumferential channels, interspersed with equally expansive lateral grooves, within which stone ejectors are situated.

These blocks are staggered and incorporate a mixture of thick and narrow siping slits. And following them, are thick biting sidewall lugs.

Compare Wildpeak RT with:

• Wildpeak AT3w
• Toyo Open Country RT Trail
• Mickey Thompson Baja Boss AT

Directional Grip

Directional grip refers to a tire’s performance on straight roads, gauged primarily by its braking distance and acceleration time.

And this grip is typically assessed by examining the tire’s central tread section. But why?

Well, because this is where most of the tire’s weight rests during straight travel.

Now the Falken Wildpeak RT’s pronounced Z-shaped central grooves, are what you can say, Achilles’ heel in this aspect, potentially compromising its direct and consistent road contact.

In other words, due to lateral gaps between the lugs, the tire isn’t able to form a good enough contact with the road, limiting braking distances (as seen on tests).

Though still, its still above average compared to other R/Ts in the market, thanks to the stepped edges on the blocks which create a good enough bite still.

Dry Handling

Dry handling, which has a lot to do with steering feedback during cornering, hinges largely on the contact established by a tire’s outer shoulder lugs.

This is because, as the vehicle turns, its weight converges on the tire’s outer area, emphasizing the critical role of the shoulder lugs (contact with the ground).

And so that’s the reason why the Falken Wildpeak RT, being a hybrid with mud-terrain-inspired shoulders, encounters some problems here.

As already mentioned in the design section, its structure features very wide lateral shoulder voids, impeding optimal road contact. And additionally, those shoulder lugs are also missing with any kind of reinforced foundational supports, leading to delayed steering feedback.

Though its overall steering response is still better compared to Toyo R/T and the Nitto Ridge Grappler, just a FYI.

Wet Performance

The Falken Wildpeak RT wouldn’t be my first pick when navigating wet terrains. The tire is very prone to slippage on corners, which also gets poorer with wear/time.

During cornering, the tire displays initial understeering that quickly evolves into oversteering. So what do I mean by that?

Well, the understeering is linked to the tire’s weight, while the oversteering can be attributed to the tread’s rigidity, and lack of full depth siping.

Sipes basically suck up the water particles coming under, and on this tire, those siping slits don’t have enough room, as they don’t go all the way deep.

So overall, most of the wet traction comes from grooves, which are also in charge of providing good enough hydroplaning resistance.

Hydroplaning is simply floating of the tire on water, and as the Wildpeak RT here is equipped with multiple channels or tread voids in both lateral and longitudinal directions, you don’t get to see this problem here.

In fact, the tire emerges as a strong contender in straight and curved water tests among rugged terrain tires.

To clarify, “float speed” describes the peak speed at which a tire can navigate water without losing surface contact.

Noise

There’s no shortage of factors contributing to on-road tire noise, yet air remains a significant contributor here.

Air basically come in through shoulder voids on tires, and circulate from various angles, striking the tread walls and producing unwanted sound waves.

That’s why when it comes to off-road tires, the mud terrain tires are the loudest of all.

But where does the Falken Wildpeak RT stand?

Well, the tire isn’t so bad after all. It incorporates superb variable pitch technology.

This tech basically involves designing the tread blocks so that they interact with air particles to produce varying frequencies across different regions, effectively neutralizing noise.

Winter Traction

Navigating snowy terrains introduces a different set of challenges, from deep snow and light on-road snow to icy paths.

Although the Falken Wildpeak RT isn’t certified with the 3 peak mountain snowflake (3PMSF) rating, it still impresses with its snow performance, I mean when comparing with other R/T tires out there.

For clarity, the 3PMSF rating primarily gauges a tire’s acceleration on snowy roads. A tire with this stamp indicates an acceleration performance that’s about 10% better than the average all-season tire.

Keeping this in mind, the Falken Wildpeak RT may not shine in terms of acceleration or icy grip, but it excels on deep snow, especially when the snow is over 2 feet deep.

Its grooves adeptly capture and interlink snow particles, ensuring stability, while surplus snow is smoothly channeled out.

Moreover, the tire’s serrated shoulders also play a role, scooping snow and aiding in propulsion.

Fuel Consumption

Fuel consumption is greatly influenced by the tire’s design and construction, where the tire’s weight and tread composition is closely inspected.

And I have to tell you, its the weakest point of Falken Wildpeak RT.

With tread depth going up to 20/32″ and such wide web of grooves everywhere, the tire isn’t able to maintain a solid grip with the road, causing blocks to flex and mold more, consuming extra energy.

In other words, the blocks form a lot of rolling resistance values, resulting in greater fuel usage.

Tread Wear

Although the longevity of tire tread is also significantly influenced by the tire’s rolling resistance, the Falken Wildpeak RT, with its more rigid compound and substantial tread depth, showcases impressive performance values still.

That’s why it makes sense why you get 50k miles warranty with this tire.

Basically there are two things involved when it comes to tread life. The tread wearing time, and wear rate. With harder rubber compound, and not having full depth sipes, the Wildpeak burns slower.

And with tread depth going up to 20/32″, it takes more time (comparatively), to reach down to 2/32″ threshold, which is the legal limit for driving tread depth.

Off-Road Traction

The Falken Wildpeak RT performs admirably in a variety of off-road conditions. Let’s check them all out.

Muddy Tracks

Mud is often seen as the ultimate off-road challenge, as it demands a tire with superior self-cleaning capabilities.

That’s why here, mud terrain tires do best.

But where does Falken stand?

Well, the Wildpeak RT stands out here with its commendable performance, thanks to its web of grooves running every which way.

While these evacuate the mud out efficiently, the staggered shoulders and thick sidewall lugs supply with dedicated mud scoops, which aid in efficient movement even on knee deep muddy trails.

Sand

Despite not being the lightest contender, the Falken Wildpeak RT still maintains its momentum on sandy surfaces, thanks to its unique lug design.

On sandy terrains, avoiding excessive sinkage is crucial, which is why reducing tire pressure is a common practice.

And here, the Falken’s laterally aligned lugs further enhance its performance. Additionally, its thick sidewalls, equipped with robust lugs, expand to increase contact with the sandy surface, ensuring better traction.

Climbing Rocks

In the rugged terrain tire category, I have to say, the Nitto Ridge Grappler still remains my preferred choice for rocky landscapes, as its the most reliable and hasn’t disappointed me yet. But still you can say, the Falken Wildpeak RT doesn’t lag far behind, in my personal experience.

This tire has withstood a variety of rocky challenges, be it gravel-laden roads, jagged rocks, or terrain littered with sharp wooden debris and thorns.

Though the tire could have done a lot better if it had full depth siping, as with those, the lugs flex on rocky surface better.

Take Home Points

The Falken Wildpeak RT emerges as a strong contender in the rugged terrain tire category, as it demonstrates outstanding performance in diverse conditions, from deep snow to muddy tracks.

While it does have its weaknesses, such as compromised fuel consumption and potential challenges with wet terrains and directional grip, its strengths in off-road traction and tread wear significantly outweigh these concerns.

Further reinforcing its credibility, the tire comes with a 50k miles warranty, a testament to its long-lasting tread life and Falken’s trust in the product.

While there’s always room for improvement, and no tire is a one-size-fits-all solution, the Falken Wildpeak RT, with its array of features, will appeal to those looking for a versatile rugged terrain tire with a balanced performance profile.