The Milestar Patagonia XT shows that the overall market has made some serious progression over the years in providing decent budget pick. Let’s see what this tire is really capable of!
Being a tire engineer, my testing show that the Milestar Patagonia XT is a pretty impressive tire only when it comes to wear resistance, noise reduction (thanks to its advanced pitch sequencing technology), and cornering abilities (in dry conditions), with it’s laterally arranged lugs. And the tire needs improvement in terms of wet traction and off-road performance (when on more rugged tracks).
Sizes Specs
Milestar Patagonia XT comes with 15 to 22 inches with following specs.
- Speed ratings: Q, S and T.
- Load ratings: C to F.
- Weight range: 50 to 86 lbs.
- Tread depth: 15 to 19/32″.
- Ratings: M+S and 3PMSF.
All sizes get to have 3 peak mountain snowflake, as well as M+S symbols (these are basically severe winter ratings) and they all also come with 40k miles tread wear warranties too.
Tread Pattern
Milestar Patagonia XT presents a beautiful combination of lateral and longitudinal tread voids.
In the middle, you see sharp triangular lugs with deep stepped biters engraved on them.
These combined with sharp/chamfered edges, and full depth sipes (which split open the lugs), provide superb off-road traction.
And since these blocks are laterally arranged, they also act as paddles on loose ground such as sand, fluffy snow and mud.
They are separated from the outer blocks, by wide zigzag circumferential grooves, embedded with powerful stone ejectors on its base.
The shoulder lugs on the other side of these longitudinal grooves, although are not as aggressive, they still form staggered outer edges, and join up with thick enough sidewall lugs.
And yes, worth reminding, they also have wave-like sipes on them (different compared to the ones in the middle).
Tread Life
Milestar Patagonia XT’s treadwear performance remains its strong selling point as our tests concluded the tire to be very long lasting for its category, especially with the sizes of lower speed ratings.
The tire is designed with a stiffer tread compound that enhances its resistance to wear, contributing to a longer tread life.
It weighs up to 90 pounds, yet with closed up lugs arrangement, that weight gets divided evenly.
Moreover, it’s tread depth is also pretty great, reaching up to 19/32″, which further add to the tread longevity.
Its impressive wear resistance is backed up by its 40,000-mile, five-year tread wear warranty. This may be a point of consideration for some users when comparing the tire to others in the market.
Compare Patagonia XT with:
Ride Quality
The ride comfort is primarily determined by two key factors: noise levels and the overall ride experience. And the Milestar excels in one of these aspects.
In comparison to other aggressive all-terrain tires, the Milestar Patagonia XT does not possess as flexible a tread compound or internal construction, which means it is less effective at smoothing out road imperfections.
Additionally, the tire lacks substantial tread depth, particularly for an aggressive all-terrain tire. This results in less rubber between the road and the vehicle, leading to a reduced capacity for dampening bumps before they impact the rider’s comfort.
On the other hand, the Milestar Patagonia XT performs exceptionally well in terms of noise reduction. The tire features closely spaced shoulder lugs that restrict airflow, reducing the volume of air particles colliding and generating noise.
Furthermore, the tire utilizes advanced pitch sequencing technology, which effectively minimizes noise levels. This technology entails placing rubber connectors between the shoulder lugs, preventing air from easily flowing in and out of the tread. In summary, while the Milestar Patagonia XT may not offer the most comfortable ride in terms of handling road imperfections, it excels at reducing noise levels for a quieter experience.
Dry Performance
When assessing dry performance on pavements, several factors come into play: traction (which includes grip and handling), stability, and steering response. Let’s examine each of these aspects in more detail.
Dry Directional Grip
Dry grip is largely dependent on the amount of tire rubber that makes contact with the road. Although the Milestar Patagonia XT features a lateral orientation of lugs, they are positioned more closely together compared to other tires in its category.
As a result, the tire offers better dry grip, compared to other (popular) hybrid tires out there.
Dry Handling
On dry roads, handling primarily involves the tire’s sides. This is because when a tire turns, most of the pressure is applied to the shoulders. In other words, the sides make the most contact with the pavement during cornering.
A positive aspect of the Milestar Patagonia XT is that it establishes decent rubber-to-surface contact on the sides, as its tread blocks have minimal tread features. Additionally, all lugs are reinforced by solid foundational supports underneath, resulting in a harder secondary rubber layer.
This design contributes to stable handling. However, tires with higher load ratings can experience increased oversteering, which may negatively impact handling efficacy.
Mud Performance
In muddy conditions, effective tires require scooping tread blocks and efficient tread voids for evacuation. However, the Milestar Patagonia XT falls short in providing both of these features.
While the tire’s central lateral grooves do offer adequate mud evacuation pathways, the relatively compact shoulder lugs (compared to other hybrid tires) limit its overall traction capabilities.
Furthermore, the tire lacks proper mud scoops. The staggered arrangement of each lug means that the scoops are not thick enough to offer effective paddling in muddy terrain.
Nonetheless, the Milestar Patagonia XT’s slanted triangular blocks, which are arranged laterally in the center, do provide some degree of paddling effect, partially compensating for its shortcomings in muddy conditions.
On Rocks
Navigating rocky terrain demands tires with both lateral and vertical gripping capabilities, and the Milestar Patagonia XT meets these requirements without any major issues.
The tire boasts an effective combination of lateral and longitudinal channels, featuring sharp biting edges facing in all directions. This design ensures ample traction from every angle.
Although the tire’s lugs are not particularly pliable, this limitation can be mitigated by reducing the air pressure, allowing the lugs to grip onto the rocky surface more effectively.
Additionally, the tire’s full-depth sipes assist in splitting open the lugs as they make contact with the rocky terrain, further enhancing the tire’s overall performance on challenging surfaces.
On Sand
On sandy terrain, the Milestar Patagonia XT’s extended scooping lugs demonstrate decent performance. However, its heavier weight and rigid compound limit its flexibility and overall sand traction, especially on inclines.
Consequently, the tire’s performance on sandy surfaces falls below average when compared to other rugged terrain tires available in the market.
The increased weight of the tire causes it to dig into the sand, while its harder compound fails to conform to the sandy surface effectively.
Additionally, the tire’s sharp edges and staggered lugs on its shoulders do not contribute positively to preventing digging in sandy conditions, further impacting its overall performance on such terrain.
Winter Traction
The Milestar Patagonia XT, while not providing particularly effective sipes for wet conditions, is specifically optimized for handling snowy terrain.
The tire’s sipes, accompanied by numerous notches and a network of lateral and longitudinal tread voids, grant it exceptional snow retention capabilities. These features work together to capture snow particles and maintain contact with the ground, offering enhanced grip due to the natural adhesive properties of snowflakes.
Additionally, the tire is equipped with traction scoops on its shoulders, thanks to the staggered arrangement of its lugs. When paired with the slanted central lugs, this design allows the tire to efficiently paddle through deeper, powdery snow tracks.
As a result, the Milestar Patagonia XT has earned the 3-Peak Mountain Snowflake rating, along with the M+S designation, highlighting its superior performance in snowy conditions.
Take Home Points
The Milestar Patagonia XT tires emerge as a competitive choice for off-road enthusiasts seeking a balance of performance, durability, and affordability.
The tire features superb self cleaning capabilities and provide excellent durability with it’s 3 ply sidewalls and cut resistant rubber lugs on top.
Although some concerns regarding road noise and ride comfort may be raised, the overall value and performance of these tires outweigh these minor drawbacks.
