Nitto Ridge Grappler vs Goodyear Wrangler All-Terrain Adventure with Kevlar tires

We’re going to compare two premium all-terrain tires designed for excellent offroad performance, a composed ride, capable handling, good road manners, and low noise on pavement: the Nitto Ridge Grappler and Goodyear Wrangler All-Terrain Adventure with Kevlar.

These tires are tough and durable, offering great performance and value, but they also have some key differences. In this product line comparison, we’ll touch on some of those differences and the strengths and weaknesses in each tire for a good compare-and-contrast perspective. You’ll see us refer to SimpleScores for each one. If you’re not familiar with SimpleScore, it’s the system that our team at SimpleTire has developed to assign a numerical value for the categories of handling, traction, and longevity, as well as an overall SimpleScore average. We look at customer reviews and other data points, then distill them into a number value that gives you an easy at-a-glance idea of what to expect with a tire. For these tires, SimpleScores are as follows:

Nitto Ridge Grappler:

• Traction: 8.4
• Handling: 8.5
• Longevity: 7.6
• Overall average: 8.1

Goodyear Wrangler All-Terrain Adventure with Kevlar:

• Traction: 9.6
• Handling: 9.2
• Longevity: 8.3
• Overall average: 9.0

Nitto Ridge Grappler tires

The Ridge Grappler from Nitto is designed to blend on-road comfort with top-notch performance. It draws on Nitto’s expertise in the performance and rock-solid durability of its mud-terrain tires, along with the pavement comfort and predictable handling of its all-terrain models, neatly splitting the difference between the two.

The Ridge Grappler is designed with a variable-pitch tread pattern tuned to cancel certain frequencies and resonances to minimize highway noise. Its reinforced tread block foundations help deliver excellent handling and stability on the highway and boost off-road traction and durability.

Offroad performance is where the Ridge Grappler shines, though. Its tread pattern features stone ejectors built into the base of the tread grooves, removing mud and debris to protect the casing from stone drilling. Zigzag lateral grooves work as a system to provide more biting traction, regardless of the terrain. Alternating shoulder grooves also help to clear mud from the tire’s tread pattern, and rugged, staggered shoulder lugs provide great lateral grip for cornering or clawing out of ruts, mud, or soft dirt.

Like other tires from the Nitto Grappler line, the Ridge Grappler lets you customize your truck’s aesthetics with a choice of sidewalls: one side has a traditional pattern with wraparound lugs extending onto the shoulder, and the other side of the tire has a more aggressive blocky look to the sidewall.

Goodyear Wrangler All-Terrain Adventure with Kevlar tires

The Wrangler All-Terrain Adventure with Kevlar is just about the top of the game for Goodyear’s all-terrain tire line. It’s a hybrid tire designed for versatility without compromising on on-road competence or off-road performance.

The Wrangler All-Terrain Adventure with Kevlar features a custom-designed tread compound that resists cuts, chips, chunks, and punctures (Pro-Grade tires in this product line have even more durable, damage-resistant tread compound for improved wear properties in high-torque applications). The symmetric tread pattern features a multi-faceted system with open shoulder blocks and traction ridges at the base of the outboard circumferential grooves for better performance in mud and snow. Speaking of snow, the Pro-Grade iterations of the Wrangler All-Terrain Adventure with Kevlar have the 3 Peak Mountain Snowflake rating for severe winter service.

It’s durability and ruggedness where this tire shines, though. The Wrangler All-Terrain Adventure with Kevlar’s internal construction details include Goodyear’s Durawall technology, protecting the polyester cord body of the sidewalls against impacts and punctures. The tire features a polyester casing reinforced by twin high-tensile steel belts and a spiral-wrapped next-generation DuPont Kevlar cord layer, combining strength and stability with ride comfort. Pro-Grade Wrangler All-Terrain Adventure with Kevlar Tires has thicker steel belts with two Kevlar layers. Unlike the Nitto, the All-Terrain Adventure with Kevlar is covered by a 60,000 mile manufacturer’s treadwear warranty.

Nitto Ridge Grappler vs Goodyear Wrangler All-Terrain Adventure with Kevlar tires on traction

Regarding traction, the Goodyear registers a SimpleScore of 9.6, and the Nitto comes in at 8.4. A SimpleScore of 8.4 in any category is pretty respectable, but there’s not much of a comparison here. Reviews indicate that the Nitto has poor traction on wet pavement and in mud or snow, while the Wrangler All-Terrain Adventure with Kevlar delivers a consistent and confident grip in mud, loose dirt, or winter conditions. The harder tread compound of the Nitto might deliver great durability, but it compromises performance in subfreezing weather and on snow or slush. And of course, the Goodyear has the 3PMSF rating for severe winter service, so our call is:

ADVANTAGE: Goodyear Wrangler All-Terrain Adventure with Kevlar

Nitto Ridge Grappler vs Goodyear Wrangler All-Terrain Adventure with Kevlar tires on handling

In the handling category, the Goodyear comes out on top with a SimpleScore of 9.2 versus 8.5 for the Nitto. Control, road manners, steering response, and driver feedback are better with the Goodyear. The Goodyear doesn’t lose its composure on rough or irregular pavement, and its driving dynamics are predictable and stable. Our decision:

ADVANTAGE: Goodyear Wrangler All-Terrain Adventure with Kevlar

Nitto Ridge Grappler vs Goodyear Wrangler All-Terrain Adventure with Kevlar tires on longevity

This one is a pretty easy call. The internal construction of the Goodyear is designed for durability in extreme conditions (especially the Pro-Grade models in this tire line). Of course, it has the bonus of Kevlar reinforcement plies. The Goodyear has a 60,000 mile manufacturer’s treadwear warranty, while the Nitto doesn’t have any mileage warranty. Our decision:

ADVANTAGE: Goodyear Wrangler All-Terrain Adventure with Kevlar

When to use each

What do you use your truck for? Do you have to haul heavy loads or pull trailers? Do you live in a part of the country that sees rough winter weather and snow that might remain on the roads for days? If so, the Goodyear Wrangler All-Terrain Adventure with Kevlar is probably the better choice. On the other hand, if your truck spends a lot of time getting through mud and loose dirt, or if you like to do some occasional rock crawling, you might consider the Nitto Ridge Grappler.

Which one should you choose?

No two truck owners have the same needs for their vehicles, and the Nitto Ridge Grappler and the Goodyear Wrangler All-Terrain Adventure with Kevlar both have their strong points. Both tires are equally at home and capable of being on or off the pavement. Still, the internal construction of the Goodyear is more durable (with the upgraded steel belt package heavy-duty tread compound, and reviews point to the Goodyear delivering better traction offroad. On the other hand, the Nitto is designed to offer the best performance and durability characteristics of a mud-terrain tire and all-terrain model. It’s a tire that should do just fine for most drivers of 4WD trucks, while the Goodyear is a little more durable and delivers better winter traction.

Still unsure which tire to buy? Fortunately, SimpleTire is here to help. Our helpful agents are more than happy to assist you in selecting the right tire for your ride and budget.