Best tires for the northwest?

I get that there's a compromise. I'm clear that nothing will beat the snow/ice traction of those Blizzaks, and I also get that a good all season will be quieter than ANY AT tire. But the Blizzaks aren't that great in the wet (which we have a lot of here), and the Blizzaks aren't all that quiet, and they sure wear quickly. I've read in all sorts of different places that the Duratracs do pretty well in snow - I'm interested to find out how well. If they're significantly better than all seasons in snow and ice, at least for braking, and if they wear almost as well as all seasons, and are not much louder than the Blizzaks (which, in turn, are a little louder than all seasons), and do as well or better in wet compared to all seasons, then they would look to me like a pretty damn good all-year-round compromise - especially because they'd do so much better on dirt/logging roads than all seasons.

So I'm interested in what people in our region who use their trucks the way I do (mostly highway miles, but a bit of very mild offroad use and frequent trips to the mountain during ski season) have experienced with these.

 

I am in the same boat as you. I look forward to hearing more input.

 

I have the bfg km2s M/Ts I love them but I would not recommend them if you dont plan on going off roading a whole lot, I was impressed with how they do in the rain and snow for a mud tire.

 

I went with the cooper at3 after reading a lot of good reviews/feedback regarding their all around capabilities while not being annoyingly loud. Fantastic in wet. Great in the last few days of snow we've had. A fraction louder than stock, and I do mean fraction.

Can't really know a tire without putting 20k miles on it, but it's been great so far

 

The newer "hybrid" tires do a pretty good job. My Nitto Ridge Grapplers were great in the snow, really quiet on the street (compared to a true MT) and read from others online that they are quieter than KO2s. I haven't taken them wheeling yet but they're more aggressive with big lugs than any other AT. They also come in a C load range which was a plus for me.

 

How much less puncture resistant is a c load over e? Looking to switch up tires but I only occasionally make it off road and that's generally wabdr-ish style stuff so forest service roads etc mixed in with way more on road daily driving. I want the piece of mind that my tires aren't going to puncture outside of the most extreme circumstances but have heard E's can ride very stiff. Considering a 255/80/17 St Maxx.

 

Load ratings have no bearing on puncture resistance. It's an old wives' tale. That being said, I chose C because they ride way softer than the previous 255/75/16 KM2 E-load tires I had and this is my DD.

I am actually going on the WABDR in a few weeks and will let you know how they hold up.

 

I just did the wabdr from Cashmere to Canada on a p rated tire ironically enough but I had friends in other cats and no kids with me so I was more willing to deal with a puncture.