Bridgestone Dueler A/T Revo 3 vs BF Goodrich KO2: What distinguishes Bridgestone Dueler Revo 3 is the traction claw technology that helps it crush the dirt and snow, enhancing traction. But is the tire aggressive enough for rugged terrains, while providing comfortable on road experience?
And most importantly, would this tire be able to outperform the famous BFGoodrich KO2, which the company claims is their toughest tire ever.
Examine the treads on these tires closely. They hold the key to knowing which to choose. In fact if you visit my "tread design" page, picking the right tire would never bother you.
Well, to understand that, we have to dig a little in their designs.
Table of Contents
Design Differences:
BF Goodrich KO2
Bridgestone Dueler AT Revo 3
Starting with Bridgestone Revo 3, the central area of the tire is composed of 2 main ribs (with just a single unique shape).
These ribs make 3 circumferential channels where the middle one is wave-like and outer two are a little wider.
And there are a lot going on in these blocks.
All these blocks are joined together by connectors (longitudinally), and their champfered edges give them a curvy shape (so they don’t push other blocks).
They have sharp teeth facing on sides and there’s a prominent notch/incision in between to which rectalinear sipes join.
The sipes (although more in number on Revo), look very similar to the ones on KO2.
In case of BFG’s tire, the design flaunts the interlocking tread blocks with a high void ratio. It features 3 main ribs here where the central one is wrapped with other 2 in an interlocking fashion.
The 3D sipes (as they go all the way deep) divides the blocks further.
Overall, the central area of the tire is less aggressive, but it’s shoulder blocks tell you otherwise.
They vary in length and width a lot and seen with wider lateral spaces in between which carry stone ejectors.
These staggered blocks have 2 different shapes of notches, and they join in the sidewall to make competitive lugs.
These slanted lugs are bulkier in comparison, and they help the tire a lot during flexing sidewalls.
On the other hand, the Bridgestone Revo 3 don’t make bulkier lugs or staggered shoulder blocks, but they do carry thunderbolt lightning sipes and notches in the inner edges while their outer margins are saw-toothed.
The blocks are more stable in comparison as they also provide connectors in between as well.
More Design features of these tires:
| Revo 3 | BFG KO2 | |
| Weight (avg) | 44 lbs | 55.3 lbs |
| Tread Depth (avg) | 14/32″ | 15/32’’ |
| Available sizes | 16 to 20″ | 15 to 22″ |
| Sidewall Construction | 2 ply | 3 ply |
| Tread Width (avg) | 10.7″ | 11.2″ |
On-Road Traction:
The Bridgestone Revo 3 is better suited for highways. The tire simply provides a better rubber to road contact with it’s wider block valleys.
Besides providing multiple biting edges, which keep the rubber-road friction in tact, the tire also features a softer compound which simply sticks better on pavements.
The softer material of the tire also remains stable as all blocks have reinforced foundations underneath (in the form of continuous rib in the central blocks and connectors between the blocks on shoulders).
The tire also provides with more siping in comparison, and as the softer rubber of the tire give these sipes more flexibility, they are able to suck the water beneath them very efficiently, providing the tire with better wet traction as well.
The BFGoodrich KO2 on the other side, although is good on dry roads, lacks behind on wet (in comparison).
The tire does not offer as much siping, and the harder compound of the tire, don’t make them flexible enough to outperform it’s competitor in wet handling and braking performance.
But with wider grooves, the tire does provide better hydroplaning as water can easily pass through the web of tread voids the tire makes.
How are things off road?
On Mud:
On mud, although the interlocking pattern of the BFG KO2 is not good at self cleaning, the tire still performs better here, as it provides you with mud scoops on the shoulder blocks and bulkier sidewall lugs, which let’s the tire escape by digging it out.
The Revo 3 does not offer prominent serrated shoulder blocks and it’s sidewalls lugs are not thick enough.
The tire with connectors in between all it’s blocks also don’t allow enough spacing for mud to pass through.
On Snow:
Here, although the Revo 3 has an advantage of being a skinnier tire (as they do better), the tire still can not perform better here with it’s bigger ribs.
Basically, when it comes to snowy terrains, snow to snow contact is better than rubber to snow contact, so here the BF Goodrich with its web of grooves (with wider tread voids), which trap in the snow, make better snow to snow contact.
That’s why the tire is also branded with 3 Peak Mountain Snowflake rating unlike the Revo 3.
On Rocks:
This type of terrain, where the tires need to be tough, the BFGoodrcih again provides you with a stronger 3 ply polyester casing, providing more durable sidewalls compared to Revo 3 (2 ply).
So KO2 provides better puncture resistance as well.
The tire with it’s interlocking design also creates a soup of lateral and longitudinal traction and is able to provide better grip on rocks.
It’s deep sipes which split up the blocks further, are able to bite in to the rocky surface on a micro level as well.
The Bridgestone Revo 3 on the other hand, is not able to provide as much lateral traction as it’s shoulder blocks are not as agressive.
Lateral traction is the side-way grip of the tire and it helps the tire from slipping to their sides, which can also sometimes overturn the vehicle causing severe damage.
The tire’s less agressive sides also make less thicker sidewall lugs, so they don’t provide better efficacy, when the tire is pressured down off road (during sidewall flexing).
So what’s the verdict?
Well both tires are made for different terrains, despite being marketed as All Terrain tires.
When it comes to BFG KO2, the tire outperformed it’s competitor in almost all off road situations. The tire is simply more aggressive and is stronger with its 3 ply carcass with 2 steel belts which are then spirally wound with nylon, adding to the sidewall toughness even more.
On the other side, the Bridgestone Revo 3 although compromises a little off road, it’s very well suited for pavements.
So, if you are mostly staying on streets/highways, you may want to consider Revo 3, as the tire would provide you with better fuel efficiency along with better wet and dry traction.
The ride with these tires would also feel more comfortable are the softer compound of the tire provides better impact cushioning and it’s greater rubber to road contact (combined with whisper grooves technology) provides less on road noise.
Compare BFG KO2 with other AT tires:
- Nitto Recon Grappler.
- Toyo Open Country AT3.
- Falken Wildpeak AT3W.
- Cooper Discoverer AT3.
- Nitto Terra Grappler.
- Nitto Ridge Grappler.
- General Grabber ATx.
- General Grabber AT3.
- General Grabber AT2.
- Yokohama Geolandar X-AT.
- Firestone Destination AT.
- Hankook Dynapro ATM.
- Hankook Dynapro AT2.
- Michelin LTX A/T2.
- Kumho Road Venture AT51.
- Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus.
- Goodyear DuraTrac.
- BFGoodrich Trail Terrain.
