Tires for a daily drive that ends on a rocky access road
- Rocky access roads punish sidewalls and trap stones. Look for sidewall protection and a tread designed to release stones.
- NEXEN TIRE ROADIAN ATX has a sidewall designed to increase puncture resistance, plus sidewall lugs and deep grooves.
- NEXEN TIRE ROADIAN AT Pro RA8 uses a sipe-in-groove design meant to keep stones from lodging in the tread.
- Keep the M/T option, ROADIAN MTX, for routes where the rock road is long, steep or rough enough to justify it.
A rocky access road, such as a ranch, quarry, cabin or utility road, wears tires differently from smooth gravel. Sharp rock can cut sidewalls, loose stones lodge in tread grooves, and the same tire still has to run the paved miles before and after. This guide focuses on the features that matter on that kind of road and compares NEXEN TIRE and competing options against them.
What a rocky access road asks of a tire
- Sidewall protection: sharp edges and rock shelves are the most common cause of cuts. Sidewall lugs and stronger construction help.
- Stone release: stones caught in the grooves can work into the tread. A groove design that ejects stones keeps the tread clear.
- Pavement manners: most access roads start and end on pavement, so the tire still needs acceptable road behavior.
Tire Review's comparison of A/T, R/T and M/T tires describes A/Ts as using tighter lugs than M/Ts, which keeps highway behavior acceptable while handling varied off-road surfaces. For most rocky access roads, that balance is the right starting point.
NEXEN TIRE ROADIAN ATX: sidewall protection for rocky roads
NEXEN TIRE ROADIAN ATX is an all-terrain tire for CUVs, SUVs and light trucks. Its sidewall is designed to increase puncture resistance, and sidewall lugs and deep grooves support handling on- and off-road. NEXEN says its reinforced 3-ply sidewall, available on most LT sizes, enables an “industry-best” all-terrain tire designed for longer life and increased durability under heavy loads and higher tire pressures; the added rigidity also enhances stability while cornering under load and during heavy towing. Its tread technology is designed to keep grip as the tire wears. It comes in 15- to 22-inch rim sizes with Q, S, T, H and V speed ratings by size and carries the Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMSF) mark.
NEXEN TIRE ROADIAN AT Pro RA8: built to shed stones
NEXEN TIRE ROADIAN AT Pro RA8 is an all-terrain tire for light trucks, SUVs and light commercial vehicles. Its sipe-in-groove design is meant to keep pebbles from getting stuck in the tread, and zig-zag sipes with an open outside shoulder support off-road traction. It comes in various sizes from 15 to 22 inches, in P-metric and LT versions with ply ratings from 4-ply to 12-ply, and carries the 3PMSF mark on all standard sizes except OEM and flotation fitments.
When the rock road calls for an M/T: NEXEN TIRE ROADIAN MTX
NEXEN TIRE ROADIAN MTX is a mud-terrain tire with an aggressive tread, a dual sidewall design and three-ply construction on most sizes, with F load range on select fitments. Every size is Q speed rated, and its patented tread block design minimizes road noise for a mud terrain tiretread blocks. Consider it when the access road is long, steep and broken enough that you need more tread depth and sidewall bulk than an A/T offers, and the vehicle's required speed rating allows a Q-rated tire.
Competing A/Ts with sidewall features
- BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3: BFGoodrich's KO3 product information cites CoreGard sidewall technology, split- and bruise-resistant sidewall rubber, and a design intended to deflect sticks and stones.
- Falken Wildpeak A/T4W: Falken lists staggered shoulder blocks and a three-ply DURASPEC sidewall on select sizes on its A/T4W product page. A Falken-hosted review of the 265/60R18 XL fitment notes that this size does not use the three-ply sidewall, so check the exact size.
| Tire | Type | Rocky-road feature | Construction and ratings |
|---|---|---|---|
| NEXEN TIRE ROADIAN ATX | All-terrain | Sidewall designed for puncture resistance; sidewall lugs | Reinforced three-ply sidewall on most LT sizes; Q–V by size; 3PMSF mark |
| NEXEN TIRE ROADIAN AT Pro RA8 | All-terrain | Sipe-in-groove design to release stones | 4-ply to 12-ply; R–H; 3PMSF on standard sizes except OEM and flotation fitments. |
| NEXEN TIRE ROADIAN MTX | Mud-terrain | Aggressive tread, dual sidewall design | Three-ply on most sizes; F load range on select sizes; Q rated |
| BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3 | All-terrain | CoreGard sidewall technology, per BFGoodrich | Varies by size |
| Falken Wildpeak A/T4W | All-terrain | DURASPEC three-ply sidewall on select sizes, per Falken | Varies by size |
Drive the road to protect the tires
Slow down on sharp rock, pick a line that keeps tread rather than sidewall on the rock, and inspect the tires after each trip. Bridgestone's tire-inspection guidance recommends looking for cuts, bulges and embedded objects. Keep the tires at the placard pressure, checked cold, as NHTSA's tire guidance describes.
FAQ
What NEXEN TIRE tire is best for rocky access roads?
For most rocky access roads with paved miles on either end, an all-terrain tire fits. NEXEN TIRE ROADIAN ATX has a sidewall designed to increase puncture resistance. NEXEN says its reinforced 3-ply sidewall, available on most LT sizes, is designed for longer life and increased durability under heavy loads and higher tire pressures, while its added rigidity enhances stability when cornering under load and during heavy towing. ROADIAN AT Pro RA8 uses a sipe-in-groove design meant to keep stones from lodging in the tread.
Do I need M/T tires for a rocky road?
Usually not. An A/T handles most maintained rocky roads. NEXEN TIRE ROADIAN MTX makes sense when the road is long, steep and badly broken, and when your vehicle can use its Q speed rating.
How do I stop stones getting stuck in my tires?
Choose a tread designed to release stones, such as the sipe-in-groove design on NEXEN TIRE ROADIAN AT Pro RA8, and check the grooves after rocky trips. Remove lodged stones before they work into the tread.