Falken Wildpeak MT vs BFG KM3: Both MT tires are designed to provide the best performance on off-road surfaces especially when it comes to mud terrains.
The Falken Wildpeak MT is better at providing comfort and noise reduction due to Falken’s new manufacturing technology called Silent core which uses a layer of ether-polyurethane foam applied to the inside of the tire carcass. It absorbs most of the noise.
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.
The BFG KM3 although not very comfortable has a better tread design for mud traction and rocky climbing due to its wider grooves and larger void area.
The new aggressive tread design in BFG is an upgrade from the previous generation KM2. Meanwhile, the off-road handling Wild peak offers raises the bar for all the Mud terrain tires.
Table of Contents
Comparing Falken Wildpeak MT with BFG KM3
Falken Wildpeak M/T
BF Goodrich KM3
Vs
Despite being a mud-terrain tire, the Wildpeak still provides a good on-road dry grip. The tread pattern has thin grooves which means more contact patch and hence a better grip in dry conditions.
In wet conditions, thin grooves and larger contact patch can increase hydroplaning but that is not the case with the Falken tire. It has a large number of sipes that effectively sweep away the water hence resulting in a good wet grip as well.
The KM3 has fewer sipes compared to the Wildpeak. The grooves can still provide room for water displacement but due to the lack of sipes, we don’t recommend it for wet on-road driving.
When it comes to off-road traction, the Wildpeak ticks all the boxes. It has rigid and rugged tread blocks. The rugged corners of the tread blocks help prevent any stones from getting stuck within the grooves when driving on off-road terrains.
This tread block design provides rigidity in the contact patch hence improving the handling on off-road terrains. The grooves although not very wide still provide good dirt and mud elimination. It has offset shoulders which further increase the handling especially while cornering.
The KM3 as expected from a mud-terrain tire also gives good off-road traction. Wide grooves eliminate mud effectively. The massive tread blocks provide maximum grip at any steering angle.
It has serrated shoulders and the sidewalls are covered with notched tread rolls to further extend the grip. The tire can also flex itself when needed to further provide better handling.
On-Road Traction Comparison
The Wildpeak is pretty decent in terms of on-road traction considering it’s an MT tire.
It has a low void ratio due to thin grooves. It means that more surface area of the tire comes in contact with the road. This increase of contact patch offers great braking, cornering, and acceleration hence improved handling of the vehicle on dry roads.
It does not disappoint in terms of wet on-road traction as well. On wet roads, the large number of sipes come in handy. They channel the water outwards from the sides of the tires resulting in a strong grip. This tread design of Wildpeak also allows it to handle icy and snowy roads quite decently.
An additional perk that the tire has is the heat diffusers mounted onto the lower sidewalls of the tire. They dissipate high amounts of heat generated when the vehicle is being driven at high speeds on roads. This diffusion of heat helps make the vehicle more stable and balanced.
The KM3 does not provide satisfactory performance on roads.
Its dry on-road traction is not good as it has wide grooves hence a lot of voids. Excessive voids mean less surface area of the tire comes in contact with the road. A smaller contact patch means a decreased grip on roads.
Talking about the wet on-road traction, the KM3 is not up to the mark. The tread pattern lacks the number of sipes that are essential for water elimination. Wider grooves have the main purpose of eliminating dirt and mud on off-road terrains hence despite trying, they cannot sweep away the water on the roads as effectively.
Off-Road Traction Comparison
The Wildpeak delivers the best performance for what it is made for: Off-road driving.
The tire’s performance is great on dirt terrains. Its tread blocks provide rigidity and eliminate any small stones that get stuck in the voids. Even on heavy corrugations, they remain responsive and do not drift away.
The mud-terrain performance of Wildpeak is good as well. Its mud defense features successfully eliminate any mud from the grooves and ensure maximum grip. The offset structure of the shoulders aids in better handling especially when cornering.
When it comes to rocks, as already mentioned, it has a rock defense feature. The tread blocks have rugged corners that do not allow any rocks to get stuck within the grooves. Along with that, it possesses an aggressive upper sidewall with offset shoulder blocks that defend the tire from sharp rocks. It also provides increased off-road traction even when the tire pressure is low.
The tire can handle inches upon inches of snow. With each tire rotation, the thin grooves cause the snow to sweep outwards and do not allow any snow to settle on the tire hence maintaining grip. The soft rubber compound used helps in excellent braking and comfort in heavy snow.
The KM3 also provides up to the mark off-road performance.
The tire has very wide grooves and a lot of void area. Its grooves evacuate dirt very efficiently without losing grip or handling even on surfaces with up to one foot of dirt.
The KM3 provides around 5 percent better mud traction compared to its predecessor, the KM2. It has an armored sidewall as it’s covered with notched tread rolls that dig in and provide enhanced traction in muddy terrains. The tread blocks are shaped to reduce rolling resistance in wet and muddy climbs.
KM3 has an incredibly strong sidewall. Thus, punctures and splits in the sidewalls due to rocks won’t be an issue. The best thing about this tire is its flexible nature. When it gets stuck in obstacles while climbing rocky surfaces, it can air itself down and flex against hard surfaces according to the situation. This feature makes it great for driving in tough rocky terrains.
When it comes to driving in snow, the BFG tire provides adequate performance. Again, the armored sidewall structure massively improves traction in deep snow. Other than that, it is manufactured using a new Krawl-Tek compound that optimizes traction in snow-covered and icy roads.
Comfort Comparison
The Wildpeak has an optimized tread pattern for smooth handling and noise reduction. The three variable pitches have the tread blocks positioned in a way to provide a quiet, smooth, and comfortable ride. Falken uses an exclusive Silent core technology to ensure maximum noise reduction on both on-road and off-road terrains. A layer of ether-polyurethane foam is applied to the inside of the tire carcass. This foam absorbs most of the sound produced and ensures a much quieter ride compared to other MT tires.
On the other hand, the comfort levels in the KM3 are disappointing. It is not good at providing comfort as it is one of the less important priorities of the manufacturer. The big tread blocks hit the road and produce a lot of noise. The lack of measures taken to absorb the noise hold it back in terms of a pleasant ride. You might even have to use earplugs, especially when driving it on-road.
Durability and Treadwear
Wildpeak uses innovative proprietary technology to increase the durability of the tire. It has a DURASPEC three-ply sidewall which also offers two high-ply turn-ups. This adds a layer of protection to the tire, especially on off-road terrains. It is manufactured using a soft tread compound to make taller lugs. This results in treadwear. Despite that, it provides decent tread life for a mud-terrain tire. It is expected to go as long as 70000 miles of both on-road and off-road driving.
The KM3 on the other side, uses a Core Guard Max technology for tire durability. Its sidewall is 27 percent stronger than the previous generation MT tires by BFG and it also has extreme resistance to punctures, hence there is no question about the durability of the tire.
The KM3 is not good in terms of tread life as it also uses a soft manufacturing compound to optimize off-road traction. It offers a maximum tread life of 30000 miles but in some cases, it can wear off as early as 14000 miles.
Price Comparison
The Falken wildpeak MT is cheaper than the BF Goodrich KM3. It also lasts much longer which makes it a more cost-effective option.
Quick Summary
- The Falken Wildpeak provides decent on-road performance while the KM3 struggles at that.
- Both tires serve the purpose of great off-road performance.
- Wildpeak is much better in terms of providing comfort compared to the KM3.
- Both tires have great durability but the Wildpeak offers a better tread life.
- Wildpeak is cheaper and offers more value for money compared to the KM3.
