The Pro Comp Xtreme MT2 and the Nitto Trail Grappler are mud-terrain tires which can be used on highways and are popular choices for those wanting to give their truck/jeep a more aggressive appearance. However, it’s important to note that this bold style may have some drawbacks. Lets find them!
In my professional opinion as a tire engineer, Nitto Trail Grappler is a better tire for dry handling, and rocky terrains, and on mud both tires are on par with each other. On the other hand, the Pro Comp Xtreme MT2 is one of the best ones out there when it comes to tread wear, and on roads, tire offers better overall dry and wet grip.
Table of Contents
Structure of Tread
The Nitto Trail Grappler creates a very biting tread.
It features 4 total ribs, where the inner form hook shaped lugs.
These lugs carry full depth siping, have chamfered edges and offset sharp sides.
They wrap around the shoulder lugs, to form 3 longitudinal grooves for vertical evacuation.
While the shoulder lugs create wider lateral grooves for horizontal cleaning, consisting of thick stone ejectors in the middle.
These shoulder lugs carry thicker sipes with wider slits, and towards outer edges they feature staggered edges and dual sidewall lugs.
With this the tire features a side with thicker lugs in comparison, creating a slightly better off-road bite (with lowered air pressure values).
Moving on towards it’s competitor, the Pro Comp Xtreme MT2 although gives you a similar structure, there are some key differences to note, that would explain how one performed over the other (in their respective performance sections).
Starting from the sides, the tire features staggered shoulder lugs with scalloped edges on one, and X shaped markings on the other.
It’s sidewall lugs are although not as thick (in comparison), they sure get to cover a lot more area, providing slightly better footprint off road (though not as much bite).
In the middle, you get to see more curves on it’s lugs, and better overall siping.
These lugs are also placed in a way to enhance directional grip, (as they form very straightforward streamlined central most longitudinal grooves).
Detailed Review of Pro Comp M/T2: https://tiredriver.com/pro-comp-xtreme-mt2-review/
Detailed Review of Nitto Trail Grappler: https://tiredriver.com/nitto-trail-grappler-mt-review/
Available Sizes
The Pro Comp Xtreme MT2 comes in limited total number of sizes of 15 to 22 inches (wheel diameter). They have following specs:
- Speed Ratings: Only Q.
- Load Ratings: C to F.
- Weight Range: 40 to 80 lbs.
- Tread Depth Range: 18 to 24/32″ (mostly sizes have 20/32″).
- 40k miles warranty.
On the other hand, Nitto Trail Grappler comes with 53 total sizes in 15 to 26 inches. And all sizes have following specs:
- Speed Ratings: P or Q.
- Load Range: C to F.
- Weight Range: 61 to 116 lbs (heavier).
- Tread depth: 19/32″ to 21/32″ (smaller, comparatively).
- No tread wear warranty.
Durability
Mud tires are made tough with their internal construction (plies) and the thick cut resistant rubber on top.
But with more plies in internal make and a thicker rubber on top causes weight to drastically increase up and that is not desirable when it comes to handling and fuel economy.
That’s why some tires like the Pro Comp Xtreme MT2 only offers a single cap ply.
Whereas others, like Nitto Trail Grappler have 3 ply polyester casing with 2 steel belts and 2 nylon layers on the very top.
Fuel Economy and Tread Life
Fuel and tread are although depend on a lot of factors including, rolling resistance, weight, tread depth, and compound composition.
And all these variables speak in favor of Pro Comp Xtreme MT2. (That’s why I’ve also rated this tire in my list of top M/T tires).
This tire basically provides a better new gen compound with stronger Kevlar reinforcements, and it’s smaller weight puts less force upon its lugs, which then don’t create as much rolling resistance.
Moreover, it’s tread depth further add to things, as it reaches up to 24/32″ (one of the highest you’d find in mud-terrain category), so it lasts a very long time.
The Nitto Trail Grappler in comparison although weighs less, it’s stiffer compound is also very good at resisting tread wear.
And in terms of fuel although it yields larger rolling resistance values, it’s less tread depth still does not allow it’s rubber to waste a lot more energy in to flexing the lugs.
Yes tread depth negatively impacts fuel usage.
So in terms of fuel economy, I am going to rate these tires equally.
Snow Traction
When in comes to winter performance, there are a lot of various types of terrains to consider, there’s ice, then there’s on road snow, and lastly, there’s deeper snowy areas.
And right off the bat, we can eliminate the hard packed snow, and ice, as mud tires are the worst there. It doesn’t matter what MT tire you have, you can’t run them on hard packed surfaces.
Though when it comes to softer snow, they are good enough, despite not having 3 peak mountain snowflake ratings.
And out of them, I am going to go with Pro Comp M/T2, as its rubber is less prone to getting stiffen up with freezing temperatures.
The Nitto Trail Grappler in comparison, is already pretty rigid and with snow, it’s lugs get brick solid, and the tire isn’t able to use it’s biters.
Dry Performance
On highways, mud tires are notorious for performing poorly, though these two still give you some kind of hope.
So I am going to discuss the major on-road performance aspects to define their capabilities, including steering feedback, directional grip, and lateral grip. Lets begin.
Handling Feedback
The steering sensitivity is dependent on the tires communication times with your “steering” inputs.
And out of both tires, both subjectively and on paper the Nitto Trail Grappler take the back seat.
It’s lagging feedback is basically due to it’s extremely heavier inner built, where its weight reaches up to 116 lbs, making it one of the heaviest tires in the mud-terrain category.
That’s why it contributes so much to under-steering, which then takes more time to respond to your inputs.
The Pro Comp Xtreme, in comparison, does better as it’s lighter in weight. Though keep in mind that this tire is by no means “good” here, as it’s much deeper tread voids (reaching up 24/32″), don’t allow too much support and with it a satisfactory enough response.
Directional Traction
Directional grip depends on the central area of the tread, as there most of the tire’s weigh is focused. And so with more compacted lugs there, the Pro Comp Xtreme MT2 is able to generate better outcomes.
The tire basically makes more streamlined circumferential channels in the middle with it’s 2 longitudinal ribs there, so it shows up with smaller stopping distances in comparison (which is how directional grip is calculated, by the way).
The Nitto Trail Grappler on the other hand, is not able to create as much exposure with the surface from there, and so it’s grip gets to be more limited.
Lateral Traction
Handling or lateral traction depends on sides, as there most of the tire weight gets shifted on as it turns.
And with wider lateral shoulder voids on Pro Comp M/T2, the opposite happens here. The tire shoulders aren’t to meet up with the road as consistently as the Nitto Trail Grappler.
And so it’s handling times are slightly slower, even though the Nitto Trail understeers with its heavier weight.
Wet Performance
In order to achieve optimal wet traction, effective water removal is crucial. This enables better grip and hydroplaning resistance, which are both key components of wet performance.
Wet Traction
On wet roads, you need sipes, and they are very limited when it comes to mud-terrain tires. But ever wondered why is that? Well, that’s because more sipes increases the wearing tendencies and in order to make these tires “cut-resistant”, you can’t place a lot of these (which limits the wet traction).
So a good balance has to be made.
Pro Comp Xtreme M/T2 does it best, it’s wear life is great, as you’ll see, and with softer compound, and interlocking sipes, water gets wiped off effectively and quickly.
Nitto Trail Grappler lacks in providing as many sipes, and even those available aren’t that flexible enough to create proper suction, though this tire does other part of wet traction better, aquaplaning resistance.
Aquaplaning
Tires with good aquaplaning/hydroplaning resistance have wider grooves so they can channel water out fast. So mud tires with such a balder design have no problem here.
And so both tires are not going to disappoint you in this section.
Rugged Terrain Performance
Mud tires are not just built for mud, but since mud is the toughest of all terrains, these tires are named after it. Let’s discuss all these terrains.
Rocky Terrains
On rocks you need a lot biters and toughness. And both mud terrain tires have gotten those covered with their 3 ply sides, and balder design which create a lot of biting power.
Though out of both tires, I like the climbing abilities of Pro Comp Xtreme. With lighter wight and centrally aligned biters, this tire is better able to create directional grip, just like it does on roads.
Whereas the Nitto Trail Grappler provides superior lateral traction as it’s bigger shoulder lugs and thicker dual sidewall biters get to grip the rocky surface in a much better way, especially with lowered air pressure.
(Though lowering air pressure is mostly demanded by sandy terrains, coming up next).
Sandy Dunes
On sand you need to avoid as much digging as possible, and with such heavier weight and sharper sides, that’s not possible with Nitto Trail Grappler.
The tire produces one of the most weight tread in the mud terrain category, and even with lowered air pressure, its not able to provide satisfactory climbing abilities.
The Pro Comp M/T on the other side, is just a little bit better, as it’s section width (on average, across all sizes), is smaller in comparison. So it also get to push more pressure on the sandy surface.
So I am going to rate both these tires equally here.
Muddy Tracks
On muddy terrains, both tires have their good and bad. And at the end of day (after testing), you can’t really put your finger on one, saying that’s better, though there are few things to know about both tires.
Let’s discuss Pro Comp first. So this M/T2 offers better mud escaping abilities. It’s central lugs (are more closed up) digest down the mud particles, while it’s shoulder lugs help channel the mud out much more effectively (since the tread voids are wider and deeper).
But that does not mean it’s superior in overall mud capabilities comparatively.
The Nitto Trail Grappler is pretty great here as well.
This tire even though has smaller mud flow rates, it’s chunkier dual sidewall design is pretty great in throwing the mud backwards and yielding equally as impressive of a forward momentum.
Summing Up
Out of both tires, the Nitto Trail Grappler takes the lead when it comes to dry handling and rocky terrain traction, and on other off-road areas, its almost on par with its competitor.
The Pro Comp M/T2 on the other side, is very surprising when it comes to tread wear, as the tire produces minimal rolling resistance, and with yields better fuel economy.
Moreover, you also get to see better snow traction and wet road performance on this tire.
