When it comes to properly outfitting your truck camper rig, few things are more important than your tires. Like we always say, everything is riding on them, literally. Indeed, a good set of tires connects your rig to the road and allows you to steer safely on all kinds of road surfaces. They also provide your truck camper rig with traction, allowing you to go where other types of RVs can’t. One of the benefits of doing what we do here at Truck Camper Adventure is our exposure to the marketplace. Tires is a big one. We were happy with the Nitto Terra Grappler G2 all-terrain tires we originally had on our truck, but after five years and 48,000 miles, it was time for a change. With so many tires to choose from, making the right decision can be difficult. Fortunately, the truck camper community is a pretty tight-knit group that freely shares information on what works and what doesn’t. Based upon the recommendations from others and great reviews, we decided to try out a set of Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT all-terrain tires. So far, we’re very glad that we did.
What makes the Cooper Discoverer AT3 different? First, Cooper is a trusted name in the automotive industry. The American company has been in business for over 100 years, with the Discoverer line of truck tires in existence for over 40 years. Cooper recently launched the Discoverer AT3 family of tires, consisting of three versions—the 4S (4 Season) for SUVs and light-duty pickups, the LT (Light Truck) for medium- and heavy-duty trucks, and the XLT (Extreme Light Truck) for pick-up trucks capable of extreme hauling and aggressive off-roading. In all, the Discoverer AT3 comes in 58 sizes from 15- to 20-inch and three load ranges, including Load Range E, with the most popular size, according to one tire provider, being the 265/70R17. We have size 275/70R18s on our truck.
The Cooper Discoverer AT3 is not your typical, all-terrain tire. First, it features what Cooper calls its “Durable-Tread Technology,” enhancing its durability on dirt and gravel roads. The tread pattern also helps your truck stop better than other makes, at least 10 feet shorter on wet roads and over 20 feet shorter in snow. But that’s not all. The AT3 XLT also features a “Rugged Traction Shoulder,” which has big side-biting cleats that grip onto rocks while at the same time providing additional resistance to abrasions and cuts when driving through sharp, rocky terrain. This special shoulder also has alternating scalloped shoulder blocks called “Earth Digger Edges” that act as a powerful crankshaft to enable trucks to plow through loose dirt and sand or sticky mud. The addition of “Whisper Grooves” in the shoulder help make for a quiet ride without sacrificing off-road traction.
We’ve only had the Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT tires on the Truck Camper Adventure rig for a couple of months now, but so far, we’ve been incredibly impressed with them. The most striking thing about them is how quiet and smooth they are on pavement and how well they grip on smooth rock and in soft dirt. If you’ve been thinking about getting a set for your rig, go with the XLT version rather than the LT version because of the aforementioned rugged shoulders. The XLT also comes in larger sizes than the other Discoverer AT3 variants and comes with a 60,000 mile warranty. Look for a detailed review in June/July after we thoroughly evaluate them.
Nice looking tire, those wheels really add a lot to the package.