Goodyear DuraTrac vs BF Goodrich KO2

The Goodyear DuraTrac has been there for over 10 years now, but some people still consider them mud tires given their aggressive nature.

But they are just hybrid tires having mud terrain tire’s shoulders (while their middle stays all terrain).
That’s why the Goodyear DuraTrac has more aggressive shoulders where is blocks have sharp edges and together they form a deformed semi-circle (if you will).

These blocks are staggered and have 3d wave like siping.
They are also pre-built for studs (you can install 16 of these studs to enhance winter traction further – but they only come in LT sizes).

But the most unusual thing to note about its design was to see that even with those big gaps in DuraTrac’s shoulder blocks, there are no designated stone ejectors.

Where in BFG KO2 they are very prominent and are placed on the outer margins.

Speaking of other dissimilarities, the BFG KO2 also has rectilinear siping where it’s wave like in Duratrac
And although both tires have serrated shoulders, the bigger scoop in the KO2 makes it more prominent.

Both tires also feature very different sidewall design as well. In KO2 you see that the slanted sidewall lugs are pasted on a larger surface area.

And in DuraTrac, although these lugs cover smaller area, they are still bulkier in comparison.

If we move on to the central area of these tires.

The Goodyear DuraTrac again features a more open tread design and here you can see square shaped blocks of different sizes. They are angled, have sharp edges and are equipped with wave like siping, just like its shoulder block.

But the most highlighting characteristic of DuraTrac’s design is its “Tractive-Groove technology”. Where the tire features a mini version of tread blocks which are strategically placed in those wider grooves. They break down the accumulated dirt further and maintains the tire grip even when deep in mud or snow.

On the flip side, the central area of BF Goodrich KO2 does not offer wide enough grooves to place mini tread blocks in them but they again show up with stone ejectors missing in DuraTrac.

Overall, the KO2 features compact design with hook shaped blocks which are arranged in an interlocking fashion.

And all these blocks also have sharp biting edges along with rectilinear siping.

These sipes are also deeper when compared to DuraTrac. They go all the way deep down its tread’s base, dividing these blocks further. So they can squirm or wiggle according to the surface they are on.

On Road Performance:

If we talk about on road, both tires show remarkable performance.
But if we consider the aggressive design of DuraTrac, it really amazes you with great handling especially on wet roads.

The BFG KO2 on the other side could use some wet traction. The tire has stiffer sidewalls and on wet conditions, it tends to slip more in comparison.
Ko2 is also equipped with dual compound, and once the initial softer rubber wears off, the remaining harder rubber makes its wet traction even lower.
But if we factor in all the other things…the BFG KO2 is still better suited for roads.

The tire’s compactness allows it to have superior grip while its consistent middle pattern make these tires very quiet and comfortable on road.
DuraTrac with its wider grooves although are quieter than mud tires, they are still very loud compared to All Terrain. Especially the ones with load E ratings.

They also tend to get louder with wear. But you can minimize this if you rotate these tires frequently.

Moving on to their Off Road Performance:

In snow, despite having numerous sipes like the dedicated winter tire, they are both branded with 3pmsf rating.

Here BFG KO2 is better with light snow and Goodyear DuraTrac with is wider grooves allows more snow to pass through (so it’s better with deep snow).

And in a similar manner, DuraTrac is also better with mud.

The wild grooves of the tire accumulate more mud and the mini tread blocks which they call tractive groove technology, breakdown the mud further, as it passes through its channels.

So even if you are going through aggressive terrains, the tire would still not loose its grip.

Both tires are also great on rocks. But KO2 with 3 ply sidewalls and stone ejectors comes out better (especially on gravel).