Top 10 Best Light Truck Tires: Latest Options

Looking to buy a new set of tires for your truck, but the plethora of models available on the market make your head dizzy? You are not alone! The tire market is flooded with light truck tires of various types and from various companies that it's hard to follow, even for a professional like me!

Besides, tiremakers recently accelerated the launch of new tires, with new models coming out every 5-6 years, which is unprecedented for the industry.

And the newly-launched models are also a pretty big upgrade over their predecessors, which makes things even harder for reviewers, as we need to compare them to their rivals all over again.

But you don't need to worry about that, as in this article I'll give you the latest best light truck tires available on the market (2024), including the newly-launched models.

As always, I'll focus on quality since I believe that tires are the single most important part of any vehicle. Besides, cheap tires look undeserving on a well-engineered modern truck!

Unlike other tire review websites, though, here I'll give you my picks in every tire category that's designed for light trucks, including highway, all-terrain, off-road, and winter tires. The idea is for every truck owner to find a set of tires that suits their driving style and the climate in their area.

So, without further ado, let's have a closer look at the best light truck tires currently available on the market, along with short reviews for each one of them.

In-Depth Reviews of the Best Light Truck Tires Available in 2024

1. Continental TerrainContact H/T

Best Highway All-Season Light Truck Tires

The TerrainContact H/T is easily the best light-truck tire for people that don't go off-roading frequently, as it provides the best traction and drivability in all climates.

Notably, this is the best highway all-season tire in wet conditions, providing exceptional acceleration traction and best-in-class braking. Its wet handling is also a notch above the competition, with very good behavior at the limit.

Furthermore, this is a tire that provides outstanding grip and traction on dry roads, with balanced handling and strong braking.

And on top of that, the TerrainContact H/T is also very capable on snow-covered roads. Notably, the packed snow traction is the best in the category, meaning the quickest acceleration and shortest stopping distances. This model is even usable on ice, something that I can't say about most highway all-season tires.

Despite its excellent all-round performance, the TerrainContact H/T manages to be very comfortable, with a very controlled ride over bumps and quiet operation at speed. It also comes with an excellent treadwear warranty, and owners are very satisfied with the treadlife.

Like most tires, the TerrainContact H/T does have some disadvantages. Namely, the steering isn't as accurate or responsive as its rivals', and the off-road traction is significantly behind the curve. Still, if you mostly drive on the street, this tire is a winner!

2. Michelin Defender LTX M/S

Best Highway All-Season Light Truck Tires

The Michelin Defender LTX M/S is a more balanced tire than the TerrainContact H/T, as apart from its good performance on dry, wet, and snow-covered roads, it also works well on dirt and gravel.

Particularly, the tough construction means punctures won't appear as easily, and generally, the traction on hardpacked surfaces is better than on the competition.

However, the takeaway here is that the Defender LTX M/S is a small step behind its Continental rival in all metrics. Now, most people won't even notice the differences, but they are there.

Notably, Michelin's highway all-season tire provides excellent wet handling and traction, though not on the level of the Continental. The dry performance is stellar as well, but again, it trails slightly behind its main competitor.

Furthermore, the Defender LTX M/S works very well on light snow, with reasonable acceleration traction, good braking, and balanced handling. However, again, the TerrainContact H/T is slightly better in all metrics.

Apart from that, the Defender LTX M/S is one of the most comfortable highway all-season tires around, with a very smooth ride and quiet operation at speed. It also comes with an excellent treadwear warranty, and independent tests have shown it's the most durable tire in its category when it comes to treadlife.

Overall, the Defender LTX M/S is the best highway all-season tire for truck/SUV owners that need a combination of stellar on-road performance characteristics and good dirt/gravel traction.

Read Our In-depth Review!

3. Firestone Destination LE3

Best Highway All-Season Light Truck Tires

The Destination LE3 is another excellent highway all-season tire that undercuts its premium competition in price without sacrificing too much in terms of performance. 

The only area where it shows its lower price is the ride, which doesn't feel very smooth when compared to other P-metric tires. Oh, yes, the elephant in the room – the Destination LE3 is only available in P-metric sizes, though with reasonably high load ratings.

Now, while you can't tow some really big and heavy trailers with the Destination LE3, Firestone's tire is still capable of carrying quite a bit of cargo in the bed. And it will do that successfully, thanks to the excellent stability at speed and strong lateral grip, accompanied by the surprisingly linear and responsive steering.

The braking distances are also comparable to some more expensive tires, which is a big plus.

Moreover, Firestone's highway all-season tire performs very well in rainy conditions, with balanced handling and good behavior at the limit and short stopping distances. It's even usable on packed snow, thanks to the predictable handling, though the overall traction falls behind its premium rivals.

Finally, the Destination LE3 comes with a 70,000-mile treadwear warranty, which is the best in its price range.

Read Our In-depth Review!

4. Yokohama Geolandar A/T G015

Best All-Terrain Light Truck Tires

The Geolandar A/T G015 has become the gold standard in the all-terrain category lately, thanks to its combination of excellent on-road performance and usable off-road traction.

Although not very aggressive, Yokohama's all-terrain tire still works very well on hardpacked surfaces, such as dirt and gravel, and I found that it even works well when the surfaces are wet. Mud traction isn't as good, but that's not what this tire really is for.

On the road, the Geolandar A/T G015 is one of the best all-terrain tires, with solid steering and excellent drivability on dry roads. It also provides excellent lateral grip and strong braking on dry roads, with good behavior at the limit.

The wet traction is also among the best in the category, accompanied by surefooted handling.

Furthermore, the light-snow traction is also very good for such a tire, and the handling feels balanced. On top of that, the Geolandar A/T G015 is very quiet at speed, up there with the best all-terrain tires. However, the ride isn't very smooth, especially when you drive over repetitive impacts. 

On a more positive note, the treadwear warranty is among the longest in its category, and the construction seems very sound.

Read Our In-depth Review!

5. Falken Wildpeak A/T3W

Best All-Terrain Light Truck Tires

The Falken Wildpeak A/T3W is one of the best all-terrain tires for people that visit the wilderness often, as it comes with a very aggressive design and deep grooves.

As a result, it provides exceptional traction on dirt, gravel, and turf, and it also works very well on mud and rocks, sand dunes. It won't beat a proper off-road product, but as far as all-terrain tires go, it's one of the best around.

The elevated off-road traction had a detrimental effect on how this tire feels on the road, though. Namely, the steering isn't very responsive, making the whole driving experience sloppier than with other tires. That's a shame because otherwise, it performs very well, with solid traction and balanced handling on dry and wet roads.

The Wildpeak A/T3W also shines in the winter, providing excellent acceleration and braking on packed and unpacked snow, along with surefooted handling.

On top of that, I was pleasantly surprised by the dell-damped ride and the moderate noise on the highway, particularly because this is a more aggressive all-terrain tire.

Finally, Falken provides a 55,000-mile treadwear warranty, but crucially, the tire also has a cut-and-chip-resistant casing for driving on abrasive surfaces.

Read Our In-depth Review!

6. Vredestein Pinza AT

Best All-Terrain Light Truck Tires

The Pinza AT is a relative newcomer to the category, and it immediately won me over with its strong dirt/gravel traction and excellent on-road performance.

Particularly, the Pinza AT is one of the best all-terrain tires on the road, with excellent handling at the limit, short stopping distances, and very responsive and linear steering. 

It also performs excellently in rainy conditions, providing tons of traction and very balanced handling. The tire is also easy to drive on snow-covered roads, but in this case, it lags behind the class leaders quite significantly.

Nonetheless, you won't have issues with comfort, as the Pinza AT glides over any surface and doesn't produce unwanted noise at highway speeds. Moreover, Vredestein provides a class-leading 70,000-mile treadwear warranty on P-metric sizes, which is another big selling point for this tire.

7. Sumitomo Encounter AT

Best All-Terrain Light Truck Tires

Sumitomo has a knack for producing excellent tires at lower price points, and the Encounter AT is a prime example. It's not a tire without disadvantages – the ride is harsh and noisy, but for the price, you'll hardly find anything better.

Notably, the Encounter AT provides you with sound traction on dirt, gravel, and turf while delivering solid on-road characteristics. For instance, it competes with some more expensive all-terrain tires on dry roads, thanks to the precise steering, high overall traction, and balanced handling.

Furthermore, the rain traction is also very good for such a tire, and there is enough traction for snowy conditions. Add to that the excellent treadlife, and you have a winner!

8. Firestone Destination M/T2

Best Off-Road Tires for Light Truck

The Destination M/T2 is currently my favorite mud-terrain tire because it works wonders on every off-road terrain, including deep mud and large rocks. Besides, the tough casing ensures you won't get punctures when off-roading, which is very important for such a tire.

But the best thing about the Destination M/T2 is that it works pretty well on the street, particularly on dry roads. Rain traction is lower than the class-leading tires, but it's not too bad, really.

Meanwhile, the packed and unpacked snow traction is excellent, meaning this tire is usable in the winter, both on-road and off-road.

As for comfort, the ride is excellent for a mud-terrain tire, but sadly, you'll be hearing these tires inside the cabin, even at lower speeds.

Read Our In-depth Review!

9. Bridgestone Blizzak LT

Best Light Truck Winter (Snow) Tires

The Bridgestone Blizzak LT is by far the most accomplished studless winter tire for light trucks at the moment, as it works excellently regardless of the surface.

As expected, it's particularly good on snow, where it provides best-in-class braking and very balanced handling. Ice traction is also very good, though the Blizzak LT is not studdable.

Furthermore, Bridgestone's light-truck winter tire works very well on dry and wet pavement, with a strong grip and excellent drivability. And thanks to the tough construction, this is the best winter tire for towing large trailers and hauling heavy cargo.

However, although owners are satisfied with the treadlife, Bridgestone doesn't provide any treadwear warranty.

10. Firestone Winterforce LT

Best Light Truck Winter (Snow) Tires

The Winterforce LT is sort of a cousin to the Blizzak LT, as Bridgestone owns Firestone. What the Japanese tiremaker did here was giving Firestone the task to design a studdable winter tire while developing a studless tire on its own.

Regardless, the Winterforce LT is an excellent accomplishment, particularly for harsh wintry conditions. Even without the studs, it provides very good traction on snow and ice, but the studs completely change its personality and make it a real plowing tire.

Firestone's studdable winter tire is good in other areas, providing good traction on dry and wet surfaces. It's also pretty good for towing and hauling, thanks to the sound construction.

However, it can get a bit noisy over rough tarmac.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

• What's the difference between P-metric and LT-metric tires?

The main difference is in the construction of the tire. While P-metric tires are designed to work at regular pressures, i.e., for use in mid-size trucks, LT-metric tires have a stiffer construction that enables them to work at smaller pressures.

Hence, LT-metric tires can also carry quite a bit more weight, meaning they are perfect for people who frequently tow their trucks or carry a lot of cargo in the bed/trunk. These tires will also work better for off-roading, thanks to the tough construction that can withstand punctures and cuts much more easily.

Nonetheless, there are a few disadvantages to LT-metric tires. For instance, due to the stiffer structure, these tires don't provide a smooth ride, which you can feel on most roads. Besides, they are heavier, which can negatively affect performance, efficiency, and, most importantly, performance.

So, for most mid-size and even full-size truck/SUV owners, P-metric (or Euro-metric) tires are the way to go. They already come in good load ratings for most things you'll do with your truck and provide much better stability on the highway, along with a smoother and quieter ride.

However, if you plan to tow or haul, or you use your truck for work purposes, I recommend going for a set of LT-metric tires. In the end, use what the manufacturer specified, and you should be fine!

• Are highway all-season tires good for off-roading?

As their name suggests, highway all-season tires are designed primarily for on-road driving. However, most of them can work quite successfully on some light off-road terrains, like dirt and gravel, provided you don't encounter too many steep inclines.

For most people, I think that these tires will suffice in most off-road situations, particularly for campers.

However, if you plan to go overlanding in some remote place that you didn't visit already, I suggest going for all-terrain tires. With this category of tires, you'll get much higher traction on inclines and slippery terrain, including wet dirt and gravel.

Moreover, all-terrain tires will give you usable traction in shallow mud, a surface where highway all-season tires will struggle significantly.

Conclusion

Finding a set of good light truck tires might seem daunting, especially with all the models on offer. However, if you know what you want from your tires, I'm confident that reading through the reviews in this article will help you.

A friendly piece of advice – always choose tires that suit your driving and budget, as only then you'll be completely satisfied with the purchase!