Falken Wildpeak AT3W vs Nitto Ridge Grappler

Read in detail: https://comparethetire.com/nitto-ridge-grappler-vs-falken-wildpeak-at3w/ Falken Wildpeak AT3w is a tire which really provides the best of both worlds. The tire simply checks all boxes on and off road. But let’s see if it can outperform Nitto Ridge Grappler, starting things off with their designs. Right off the bat with Falken Wildpeak AT3w, you’ll see Z shaped blocks which have sharp chamfered edges and attached to them are ramps. These biters, also acts as a support much like the others attached to them. These foundation supports are also seen on the surrounding C shaped blocks which besides having similar chamfered edges also have notches facing in all directions. So, with that the Wildpeak provides grip from all sides. But this grip is stronger on the Nitto Ridge Grappler, as the tire features more biters with a sturdier foundation underneath it’s central blocks. Here you see 4 sharp triangular ribs, where the two on side-ways have deep notches facing the shoulders. And the other two have all common features but one. They are seen with the rectilinear sipes, chamfered edges, and offsets… like the rest… But they are also attached with the shoulder blocks adding strength to foundations. Together these blocks make Z shaped grooves which are less wide compared to the outer circumferential channels. That’s why the tire is also considered a hybrid. Falken Wildpeak on the other hand, is not a hybrid, but it still features aggressive enough shoulder blocks. The two unique shapes here just like seen in the middle, provide you with ramps, on one block and notches on the other along with champfered edges and more siping. Here these sipes are wave-like, forming dual siping pattern unlike the Nitto Ridge where you only one design. On the outer margins, on Wildpeak, although blocks are not staggered, each block is half covered with ramps making sharp saw tooth edges on the sides. You also see U shaped shoulder lugs which provide traction during flexing sidewalls. But they are still less aggressive in comparison, as the Ridge Grappler provides thicker lugs even on the least aggressive side. The tire actually provides dual sidewall design, and on the other side, the lugs get even more bulkier. These lugs join the shoulder blocks which unlike the Falken Wildpeak make wider lateral grooves with stone ejectors embedded in them. But the tire, although with bigger mud scoops forms staggered shoulders, it offers a very minimalistic design with less siping. And this brings us to why this tire underperforms on wet roads. On corners, the tire’s sides come alive, and here Ridge Grappler does not offer a good dynamic response with these shoulders. The less no. of sipes is not able to wipe water away efficiently, and the wider spacing between these blocks compromise on grip as the tire loses rubber to road contact. Even on the central blocks where the tire offers slightly more compact arrangement, they still make wider grooves in comparison. That’s why the Falken Wildpeak provides better dry and wet traction. The tire has all the ingredients for optimal performance on road. It provides you with better interlocking siping, high density of silica in its composition and has closed up tread voids. With dual siping the tire features interlocking design on shoulder blocks which provide better stability on wet roads. And here the silica in its compound keeps its rubber softer, so those sipes are flexible enough to breath, sucking water in and spraying it out efficiently, as the tire rolls over. And all this is aided by more rubber to road contact which simply translates into a more stable grip. The tire also excels in other on road factors, like it provides better fuel efficiency as it’s lighter in weight, and it makes less on road noise where Nitto Ridge Grappler even with its variable pitch technology can not dampen the noise level as much. OFF ROAD Now being a hybrid, the Nitto Ridge Grappler provides better off road performance, that’s out there, but what’s really surprising to see is how little the Flaken WIldpeak has to compromise off road where it gave remarkable on road performance. Like on muddy terrains, where the Nitto Ridge Grappler provides better efficacy the Falken Wildpeak, even though they get packed faster in comparison, its performance is still good enough as it provides deepest tread in the category. On rocky terrains, where Nitto Ridge Grappler provides you with more biting edges for the grip, bulkier lugs which help during flexing sidewalls, when pressured down, and 3 ply polyester casing to protect those sidewalls. The Falken Wildpeak again is not too far off as it offers softer rubber compound which sticks on rocks from all sides, and good enough lugs combined with 4 ply sidewalls, where 2 ply polyester casing has 2 more layers of polyamide running around the tires bead. And besides this the Wildpeak is also 3PMSF rated making it better on snow.