Top Three Traits to Look for When Tire Shopping | Products & Tips

It’s that time again, where I start looking for my next set of tires. That is a lie. I am always looking for the next set of tires. I am your typical woman when it comes to this, I am indecisive. Super indecisive. I know I want fat meats (aggressive looking) under my truck, but at the same time I don’t want mud terrains. Been there, done that; they didn’t last long and were. So. Loud. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind some noise to them, but not the way this set sounded when they probably had four to six months of tread left to them. Also, one time when I was tire shopping, I was dead set on having a set of Dick Cepeck tires; all of the ‘mom and pop’ tire stores in my town, were like “Who?”, followed by a “Little lady, you sure are looking for some weird named tires. I have never heard of this Dick Cepek?” Wait, what?

My husband asked me yesterday, in the attempts of helping me shop, what are the things I look for when I look at tires. I instantly began thinking, ‘What are the first things I notice on tires?’. I came up with a small list of those things, unfortunately, when it comes to sound and wear on them, you have to be able to talk to someone who has ran them, or find out for yourself.

These were the Dick Cepek tires I was looking for years ago, the most recent set of mud terrains I have ran on this truck. I loved the way they looked, and were pretty impressive as far as ability, but they of course, didn't last long!

Top Three Traits to Look for When Tire Shopping:

Size- Size is one of the first things I look at when I check out my own tires, especially someone else’s tires. To me, the size of your tire is the ‘eye catcher’, what draws my attention to your lower half- your wheels and tires. Tire size (width and height) can make your truck; along with a great set of wheels and maybe some offset! While size is the number one thing that catches my eye, it is not one of the first things I check when looking for availability to purchase.

Tread- Tread comes next, almost simultaneously to size. Here is where I especially look at aggressive features. I want a unique tread pattern, an asymmetric tread, if you will. Tires that are asymmetric have a continuous unique design across the width of the tire’s tread. My eye is really drawn to tires in which the tread pattern rolls on to the side of the tire, like you would see commonly, on mud terrains; more and more all terrains are coming out with this trait, too.

These Cooper hybrids are currently what I am running, and I have gotten great wear out of them!

Wear- This is something I consider during the entire process of purchasing and shopping for tires. Some people think ‘wear’, they immediately think, ‘how many miles am I going to get out of this set?’, ‘how many years can I run these?’; while all of these questions are important, and I ask them frequently, I also want to know, are they going to wear evenly. I feel that I am really good at rotating and having my tires balanced, but things still happen. I am not always a ‘ride or die’ type girl, like, I need to know the answers, or at least be reassured my research. to edit.

Side note, I am also not one to follow all the trends, unless it is something I LIKE. I prefer to run brands that are reputable, but at the same time, not every person in town is running. Like Open Toyo’s, I like them, I think they look great and are impressive, but, every person with a nice truck in my town runs them. Truth is they are on my list to consider, but on the bottom, only because I feel like the fact that everyone runs them, makes them basic. Once again, no disrespect to them or you if you run them (because they are truly 'eye catchers', in my opinion), this is just my personal opinion and thoughts.

I am rounding up a list of great options for all terrain tires, and I will be choosing a set for my truck off that list, more than likely!

What are you running and what are some of the things you need to have when tire shopping?