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If you are looking to improve your off-road driving, tall and skinny tires are the best way to add more performance to your vehicle at a low cost.

Tall and skinny tires are unique and often underrated when discussing off-road driving. We consider the best tall and skinny off-road tires to be the General Grabber A/TX, BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2, and Goodyear Wrangler Workhorse AT. Each of these tires makes off-road driving performance better.

Tall and skinny tires are defined by the size they are purchased in. For example, the higher the aspect ratio, the taller the tire sidewall. That also means that the lower the section width, the skinnier the tire is. When you combine both of these features, you get a tall and skinny tire perfectly constructed for off-road driving.

Testing tall and skinny tires first requires us to find the correct sizing. After we are able to find solid off-road tires in the right size, we can put them to the test on the off-road track and see how they perform. Our experts compile all research and data and put it in a readable guide like this for your consumption.  

Table of Contents

5 Best Tall & Skinny Offroad Tires

A tire is the only part of the car in contact with the road, which means that it has a huge impact on safety. The best tall & skinny off-road tires are high quality and offer good traction in both wet and dry conditions.

They are usually sized differently than wider tires with a focus on a higher aspect ratio and lower section width. This creates a tall and skinny tire that provides more grip in wet conditions.

The best tall & skinny off-road tires are also versatile - they can be used to drive on rough terrain, but also for everyday use on paved streets.

General Grabber A/TX - Best Overall

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The Grabber A/TX has sidewall lugs that offer superior traction in wet conditions, and they provide good stability and handling on the pavement and highways. It has an aggressive tread pattern with an open shoulder design to provide better off-road performance.

The General Grabber A/TX is a multi-purpose, all-terrain tire that provides an excellent blend of performance and durability. This offroad tire focuses on maintaining all-season traction despite the driving surface and performs even better in tall & skinny sizes.

General Grabber A/TX tall and skinny off-road tires are perfectly designed for challenging terrains. The tire has a higher traction rate and long-lasting capabilities which increases the safety of your vehicle.

General made this tire a versatile option for both on-road and off-road use. It has a very aggressive tread pattern, which provides good traction on off-road terrain. The ATX features aggressive side-slip resistance, which ensures that the driver remains in control of the vehicle even in extreme conditions.

Not only does General make an amazing tire, but they price it as one of the best values available too. It can be found at Tire Rack for only $184.99 per tire with free shipping included in every purchase.

Pros

  • Excellent off-roading driving ability
  • Solid tread life with a stable internal construction
  • Quiet driving even on rough terrains
  • Capable of aggressive driving without any issues

Cons

  • Not the best overall option when driving on pavement

BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 - Best Mud-Terrain

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The BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 is an off-road tire that provides the driver with the best traction on any terrain but with a specific focus on mud.

It has a long, skinny design that is specifically made for offroading. The design of these tires provides stability and helps to prevent hydroplaning on wet surfaces. They are specifically designed to provide stability during bumpy rides and they allow you to explore dirt tracks without worrying about getting stuck in the mud or getting lost in the snow.

The tire has a low-profile tread for a smooth, comfortable ride. The BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 also delivers excellent water evacuation and mud clearing abilities to maintain optimal driving performance at all times.

This tire handles with precision and BFGoodrich even provides a 50,000-mile treadwear warranty, ranking near the top of the all-terrain tire. It handles mud with accuracy and gives plenty of security and tread life.

If you are shopping at Tire Rack, you will find this tire available at $204.99 per tire along with free shipping and plenty of variety. Another retailer option is Tire Buyer and they offer the same pricing at $205 per tire.

Pros

  • Cut and chip resistant rubber casing
  • Rock crawling capabilities
  • Mud traction is best-in-class for all-terrain tires
  • Excellent braking ability on wet surfaces

Cons

  • Road noise can be an issue
  • Not the best ice or snow traction

Goodyear Wrangler Workhorse AT - Best All-Terrain

The Goodyear Wrangler Workhorse AT is a low-profile, all-terrain tire that offers stability and performance in a wide range of conditions.

The tall & skinny model has been designed to offer comfort and stability on all terrains while still offering a quiet ride. There is also an aggressive tread design that provides sure footing even when driving over rough terrain.

This tire offers a variety of features for different kinds of drivers. The tread pattern is designed to provide traction in wet and dry conditions, the sidewalls are thick and durable, and the sipes provide excellent grip on snowy or icy surfaces.

We consider this the best all-terrain option because it is above average on all types of terrains, including traditional pavement and on-road driving situations. There is enough comfort and braking stability to make drivers feel safe too.

This is a new tire recently released by Goodyear and after running our traditional tests and analysis, we were blown away at the versatility it can offer. Drivers should expect to pay a solid price for this tire but the performance can match it.

Tire Rack offers this tire for interested buyers for only $190.99 per tire with free shipping included in tall and skinny sizes.

Pros

  • 50,000-mile tread life warranty
  • Unique tread pattern with extra aggressive features
  • Handles winter elements well
  • Offers excellent road stability

Cons

  • Braking features could be improved

Sumitomo Encounter AT - Best Long Lasting

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The Sumitomo Encounter AT tire is made to handle off-road conditions and long distances. They have a tread life that is more than 3x longer than other truck tires on the market.

The Encounter AT tire is designed to provide traction in all weather conditions and to help improve fuel economy too. It comes with a tread pattern designed to provide a smooth ride and to reduce noise without sacrificing traction or performance.

The tread patterns are made larger with added 3D sipes for winter performance and extra grip on slippery surfaces. These larger treads also work as a water channel for hydroplaning resistance for better braking ability.

The sidewall rubber is made from an extra-strength compound to eliminate the risk of cuts, chips, and punctures. This helps create a longer-lasting tire and eliminates the risk of flat tires and damages.

These treads are designed for all kinds of terrain in order to make sure that the driver can get to their destination safely in any condition. Sumitomo claims that it can last up to double the time of traditional tires, due to its design and treads, which ensure a better grip on any surface.

This tire is sold online at Tire Rack for an affordable price of $188.99 with free shipping and fast delivery included. Tire Rack provides plenty of support throughout the entire purchasing process too, ensuring all customers receive products in good condition and as quickly as possible.

Pros

  • Budget-friendly tire
  • Longest lasting all-terrain tire we have tested
  • Provides above average winter driving performance
  • Extra strength sidewall for flat tire resistance

Cons

  • Tire gets noisy on paved roads at higher speeds

Kumho Road Venture AT51 - Best Winter

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The Kumho Road Venture AT51 is an all-terrain tire with winter driving in mind. It is designed to enhance traction on difficult surfaces. The tread has a deep sipe pattern which provides grip on ice and snow while not decreasing fuel efficiency.

The Road Venture AT51 tall and skinny tires are an excellent choice for people who want strong traction and want to get through the snow. Winter tires can be really expensive, but this particular tire is a great option for those looking for the most affordable performance winter tire with added off-road versatility.

This tire has an open shoulder design with more contact patch than other tires in its class, which helps provide stability in slippery conditions. The wide steel belt reinforcement also ensures that the sidewalls of the tire stay stable at high speeds, even when the tread is under heavy loads, such as when you are driving through snow or slush.

The tread is a dual silica design so you can expect high-quality driving and plenty of flexibility in cold temperatures. The treads include full-depth sipes for optimal winter driving performance.

At Tire Rack, this tire can be found for only $172.00 per tire with free shipping included. For a bit more, you can check out Discount Tire where they are sold for $176.00 per tire.

Pros

  • Excellent off-road driving and traction
  • Cheapest option included
  • Top-notch winter driving capabilities
  • Plenty of tread life support

Cons

  • Does not handle well in deep mud
  • Ride comfort is questionable on highways

Benefits of Tall & Skinny Tires

A taller and skinnier tire is more aerodynamic than a wider tire. This means that the vehicle will drive with more precision and accuracy. The height of the tires also affects how easily they can grip the ground and this is important for driving on slippery roads or driving on steep hills.

Two of the primary benefits of tall and skinny tires are the ability to drive off-road with high performance and the ability to drive in winter conditions well.

Better Off-Road Performance

Tall and skinny tires are popular among off-road drivers as they provide a strong grip on uneven surfaces. They also give a lot of stability. Taller tires tend to be better at handling high speeds as well as on-road driving.

Because of the tire structure, a tall and skinny tire can offer more rock crawling support along with stability on difficult terrains like mud and dirt. These terrains are more slippery and a narrow, skinny tire can dig into the surface better to latch on.

The skinny tires also drive off-road better because they can handle tight areas better than a wider tire. Sometimes, a wide tire is simply too big and will struggle to drive through certain elements.  

Better In Winter Conditions

The wider tire will have more surface area touching the ground, so it will glide over the surfacer rather than dig in to grip the surface better. Taller tires can maintain more contact with the ground through poor weather conditions but a tall and skinny tire will apply extra traction.

Taller, skinnier tires sink into the snow but do not get stuck in it as the wide tires do. This is because tall and skinny tires have more contact with ice than short, fat ones do. This allows tall and skinny tires to create a better grip on ice than wider ones can.

What Is The Best Tall & Skinny Tire Size?

Tall and skinny tires tend to combine an average tire width with a higher aspect ratio. This combination creates a taller, skinnier tire that is made to drive better off-road with more traction, accuracy, and reliability.

Some of the best tall and skinny tire sizes include:

  • 235/85R16
  • 255/85R16
  • 235/70/R17
  • 255/70/R17

However, these are only a few options to consider and you can change the size around based on the type of vehicle you drive and the style of the tire you purchase. But for those recommended in this guide, we base our analysis on the 235/85R16 model because we love this size the most.

You will need to consider the sizes that will best fit your vehicle too. So this may not be the best size for all.

Best Tall & Skinny Offroad Tires

About The Author

Charles Redding

Charles Redding

I've spent many years selling cars, working with auto detailers, mechanics, dealership service teams, quoting and researching car insurance, modding my own cars, and much more.

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