You love your ATV, you love it even more when it’s in the mud throwing up chunks of disaster plaster that could barrage the poor folks riding too close behind you. Ok, that’s the fun part. But, what ARE the best mud tires really? Is there a need for a dissertation on this or is it pretty simple?
A few things to keep in mind.
#1 and the biggest factor in your decision should be circumference. Can your ATV handle bigger tires? You’ve got to remember that a 27 inch tire might give you more clearance than a 25.5 but there is a trade, and that’s that you’ll lose some power.
#2. How often do you get stuck? You can’t blame it on your old tires all the time. If you get stuck in bad tires, you’ll get stuck LESS in good ones. But it’ll still happen. I know people who actively blame their equipment for anything that goes wrong, like the guy who trips and blames his shoe.
#3. Some mud tires do not make good trail tires. The reason for this is because the tread is angled outwards to displace the mud, which makes them perfect for their purpose. But, the ride will be a little bit bumpier on solid ground than it would be with even treading. How often are you riding on a trail compared to mud? If it’s frequently – you’re just going to have to see what works best for you. My suggestions are geared towards someone who will be primarily using mud tires for mud.
Here are the 4 Best Mud Tires for your ATV:
ITP Mud Lite ATV Tires 25"
Highest Rated
Muddy conditions require some battle armament – the ITP Mud tires are ready for duty. If you offroad you’re bound to frigging love these guys, and they’re HEAVY – and heavy duty. This highly rated set is 150 lbs in total. Just to make sure you start looking like Popeye when you put your arms to work lifting them up. If you’re used to your stock tires and in muddy conditions you’ll be breathing a sigh of relief after switching to ITP. The deep treading will give you the traction power to keep you grinding through a muddy pit or a sloshy part of the trail. They still ride relatively comfortably as well for general use, and shine by allowing you to get to places you never thought possible. This includes a set of 4, 2 for the front and 2 for the back.
Wanda ATV/UTV Tires
Wandas ATV Six Ply tires includes a full set of tires. They are specialty made for mud but they’re fine for regular terrain also, just not as good as smooth of a ride as general use tires. Coming in three different sizes, you can choose if you’d prefer a bigger set or something a bit smaller. These work excellent for displacing mud and are relatively light compared to other options. The deep seated tread will help dig you out of the toughest predicaments and while the 27 inch tires are a bit expensive, the 25″ are on par with other options in their class. Remember that inflation adds an inch – so if you get 27s you’ll really have about 28s. So, make sure that your ATV will have enough clearance for that. For how deep the tread is on these babies, the ride is smooth because of the soft rubber. Definitely a solid choice, and a cool aggressive look to match!
Bestroad ATV/UTV Tires
These mud tires from Bestroad offer a 25 inch 6 ply design. They even have color coded stripes so you know which is which – it’s the little things. They are our best value in terms of price for what you get. If you’re looking for something that works well in mud and other terrain but still keeps within a tight budget, then the Bestroad ATV tires are calling you. They’re pretty light overall – at 82 lbs. Some of the lightest mud tires we’ve looked at. Which is a positive, these are perfect for those rough trails. Use them on your ATV for a hunt in difficult grounding, you won’t be disappointed.
SunF Power ATV UTV All-Terrain Tires
Do you get muddy sometimes, but not too muddy? If that sounds like you, these tires are perfect. The SunF Power ATV tires have deep tread that’s able to handle all conditions, mud included. While they may not float through super muddy obstacles as easy as the others, they’re going to do good to great on all conditions. These tires are best for someone who lives in terrain that doesn’t get super muddy – just a little muddy. They’re a six ply 25″ inch design and a great deal! So, take a chance on these for your moderately muddy environment.
Do I need ATV Mud Tires?
Well, are you out in the South or the East or are you out West? If you’re anywhere near Muskeg or swampy conditions – it’s not a bad idea to grab yourself some mud tires. It can make a huge difference in your riding. If you’re out in the West and you rarely come across deep mud, then it’s best to stick to All Terrain Tires for your ATV. Riders should always be real with themselves and know that mud tires are not going to be as comfortable for all terrain riding as tires made for that purpose. It’s just the nature of the beast, deeper tread means a greater distance between contact of the ground. Some brands do take this in mind and use a softer rubber, which helps a lot. But, it’s not the same as having a dedicated pair for the purpose.
It never hurts to have an extra pair if you feel your regular tires aren’t up to par. There are even all terrain tires with a bit deeper tread that might do well for mud. They definitely will not compare to a specifically made mud tire, though. So the answer is – it depends on your conditions! Those conditions vary a lot by where riders live.
Are ATV Mud Tires good in snow?
Is the snow tightly packed? If the snow is loosely packed, your ATV mud tires are going to dig deeper into the snow than you would like. You’ll lose power and patience trying to navigate through conditions like that. A dedicated snow or all-terrain tire works best in this situation, snow tires are pretty expensive though. As long as the snow isn’t too “fluffy”, you’ll be okay.