Just like how performance tires are made to deliver speed and controls, mud terrain tires are made to help you go over the more extreme condition. They are built to be rugged and reliable, especially on loose surfaces like mud which is what Toyo Open Country MT Vs Nitto Ridge Grappler are great for. These tires are highly rated for their ability off the road and if you wonder which of the two will be the better choice, see our comparison below.
In this comparison, we are going to talk about:
- What to Choose Between AT and MT Tires
- What are Toyo Open Country MT and Nitto Ridge Grappler
- What are the Feature on Toyo Open Country MT
- What are the Feature on Nitto Ridge Grappler
- How are Toyo Open Country MT and Nitto Ridge Grappler on the Road
- How are Toyo Open Country MT and Nitto Ridge Grappler for Off Road
- Toyo Open Country MT Vs Nitto Ridge Grappler
All-Terrain and Mud-Terrain Tires
The ability of your car is dependent not only on the engine and how well you treat them over time but also with the set of tires they are paired with. Chances are those fitted by the company are going to be enough for the typical application your vehicle’s type is often used for. Just like how sedans and CUV are usually fitted with all-season or summer tires, light trucks and SUV are often paired with an all-season or all-terrain tires.
All tires are designed to be more specific into what they are capable or best of. Of course we have all-season and all-terrain such as Cooper Discoverer Vs Goodyear Wrangler that can be the jack of all trade for typical daily application but for those who are driving on the road rarely traveled by others, we may need something more durable and reliable. This is where an MT comes forward to offer you an alternative of all-terrain with a beefier profile.
When talking about off-road, mud is often the key distinction whether your set of tires are considered great. No matter how much horse power or ground clearance the vehicle has, if the tire blocks are not able to clean itself, we will get stuck and spend too much time spinning in place just wasting the fuel. This is the reason why MT tires have the most aggressive and rugged appearance, it is to allow the tire to easily shake off the sticky mud.
There is another type of loose terrain and this is sand, depending on where you live there is probably such area fun to drive on. This is a tricky one however because the rugged tires are often bad to bring along. The rugged tires tend to dig in the loose terrain so MT is not that ideal for dry and loose sand compared to AT. What we need is paddling effect and a wide tire surface to help the vehicle stay afloat and move forward.
Another typical terrain for off-roading is rocky hills and this is probably where you want to opt for AT instead as well. In theory AT has a more packed pattern to help in gripping the rocks’ surfaces to let you have better grip. Additionally, if deep snow is where your concern is, AT also tends to work better in case studded tires are overkill. This is probably because they are more compact preventing snow from packing into the gaps. Moreover, there is nothing that can beat AT in terms of versatility throughout the year.
About Toyo Open Country MT and Nitto Ridge Grappler
Now we are sure you already chose which tire to install based on the type of terrain they can handle. Most tires will be just as good for a more moderate application so even if you have a light truck for example, as long as they are not driven on unpaved roads, a set of all-season will last long as well as stay reliable all year around including with mild snow. But, for those going off the road, AT or MT will be the more suitable options.
What is a bit confusing is that both AT and MT have bad rep for road applications such as noise, comfort, and fuel economy. Thankfully, nowadays tires are engineered to be more versatile and yes this includes these rugged options as well. Most brands of tire such as Toyo and Nitto have a complete collection of tire types in their catalog so you can always find the most suitable options. These two are very well-known for their rugged and reliable tires, especially for off-road application.
For those who are often doing some adventures but also stay on the road on a daily basis, the Toyo Open Country MT and Nitto Ridge Grappler are two ideal alternatives to consider. These tires are highly praised for their ability to tackle the rough terrain but also still useful on the regular road and as your daily driver. The two are similar to AT for certain areas such as rigidity and overall acceptable performance on the highway but not exactly the same as well.
For example, the Open Country MT is a long favorite option in the off-road segment for the durability and amazing performance across different off-road conditions so they may look great for mud but in fact you can handle almost anything with this tire. On the other hand the Ridge Grappler is newer in comparison and the most interesting point about the design is that this tire is made as a hybrid between AT and MT. Sometimes we want a capable MT but with a versatility of AT so this tire comes with both qualities.
Toyo Open Country MT Features
Before checking what Toyo Open Country MT and Nitto Ridge Grappler can offer, let’s see how they are designed for the purpose first. Starting with the MT, this tire is claimed to be made with high turn-up, 3 ply polyester construction for excellent durability. As you can see the tread pattern is quite aggressive with a hook-shaped design to help with excellent off-road traction while maintaining the on-road performance. These scalloped shoulder blocks on each side will be handling off-road traction and grip on muds or loose surfaces.
When you move to the sidewall, the MT tire is also featured with a tread pattern drawn slightly over the shoulders for an improved traction on deep snow or mud. On the tread blocks itself, we can see some long siping which should be helpful on wet surfaces.
Nitto Ridge Grappler Features
Moving to the Ridge Grappler, this tire is designed with a variable pitch tread pattern in order to minimize the possible noise it can make when rolling on the highway, considering many people will install them on their daily driver, this is a necessary point for comfort. The shoulder grooves of Ridge Grappler are arranged in alternating widths and lengths to make sure muds and dirt will be ejected as the tire is spun to maintain traction while its Z grooves are in zig zag shape for grip and traction.
Unlike the MT that only has one design for the sidewall, the Ridge Grappler is considering the styling as well with dual sidewall design so you can flip the tire or choose the type of look best paired with the vehicle; one is more aggressive and the other one is more traditional.
Toyo Open Country MT and Nitto Ridge Grappler on Road
Now for the most important point of Toyo Open Country MT and Nitto Ridge Grappler which is the performance. Starting from the road application, the two are already very different from each other and we do think you can feel which one is Toyo and which one is Nitto here. What we are not very fond of MT tires, especially when they are new is the comfort because this tire feels less smooth compared to Ridge Grappler. You can feel the tread pattern really well and in addition it is not as quiet either.
On wet roads the MT is also not the best and it seems the AT variant of this tire also suffers from the same problem which is slippery and while it resists hydroplaning really well, the wet traction is not as satisfying compared to Ridge Grappler which in general we have no complaint about. It rides smooth and grippy on paved roads.
Toyo Open Country MT and Nitto Ridge Grappler for Off Road
Next is for their off-road traction and between Toyo Open Country MT and Nitto Ridge Grappler, you can already guess who is the winner and yes, it is the MT from Toyo. This tire just shines bright in terms of off-roading and those tread patterns will be at huge advantage in this area. Mudding with them is just as fun and the traction is definitely there with how the tires effectively remove sticky muds while towing away from the depth.
The Ridge Grappler may struggle more if facing the same condition with the same vehicle but in general it is still very reliable. On hard packed roads the two are equally amazing, similar to rock climbing but in comparison MT is also slightly better, probably because of the compound, it bites into the rocks’ surfaces easier than Ridge Grappler.
Toyo Open Country MT vs Nitto Ridge Grappler
Both Toyo Open Country MT and Nitto Ridge Grappler are good tires but they are meant for different users with MT focusing on off-road performance while the Ridge is more similar to an AT tire. They are very capable for adventure but MT will be more dependable especially if you need tires that can handle mud and are soft enough to climb harsh terrain. But, when it comes to everyday application or on pavement, Ridge Grappler is more comfortable, quiet, and stays grippy on wet surfaces.
| Toyo Open Country MT | Nitto Ridge Grappler |
|---|---|
| - MT tires | - Hybrid (AT/MT) |
| - Loud | - Quiet |
| - Vibrate on paved road | - Comfortable on the road |
| - Softer | - Firmer compound |
| - Best for off-road | - Best for versatility |
Conclusion
You have to choose based on the tire’s application or what you plan to drive on with these tires. If you are like us who are using the car on the daily for commuting and some adventure on the weekend, we do highly recommend going for the Ridge Grappler.
