Kenda Klever RT vs AT2: Both of these off road tires are built premium and perform great without weighing too much on your pocket. Here the Klever AT2 is an All Terrain tire, while the other is a hybrid (or rugged terrain).
Both of these tires offer computer optimized footprint where the Klever RT presents with a more aggressive pattern in comparison.
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.
Let’s check out the key differences between thees tires.
Table of Contents
Starting things off with Design
Kenda Klever A/T2
Kenda Klever R/T
The Kenda Klever AT2 has a very unique and complex pattern.
It’s complicated design can be understood by considering the following.
First thing to note in it’s design, is its 3 unique blocks which make mirror images of each other.
The 2 (green colored) blocks in the center are surrounded by square shaped blocks (marked with yellow) at one side, and 2 arrow shaped blocks on the other (colored with blue).
And this pattern repeats through out.
All these blocks make a very random pattern and are equipped with rectilinear siping and offset edges.
The randomness of the blocks help with the on-road noise. The vigorous variations in these blocks create multiple pitch frequencies and they don’t allow the noise to amplify.
Also note that these blocks are not making any proper lateral grooves, but they are still clearly separated by the 2 outer circumferential grooves (diving the tread from shoulder blocks).
On the other side, with the Kenda Klever R/T, the tire does not make these circumferential grooves as prominently.
Being a hybrid tire, the Kenda R/T is equipped with Mud-Terrain tire’s shoulder blocks and compact All-Terrain like blocks arrangement in the middle.
The tire features 4 blocks in the middle which are again just 2 unique blocks, making mirror images of each other.
The two on sides, have deep curved incisions/notches in them and the other two are equipped with rectilinear siping and are edged.
These blocks are separated by a lot of spacing, (and the tire reminds me of DuraTrac’s design).
Compared to Kenda AT2, the RT features bigger blocks with wider overall spacing and more tread depth.
If we look at the shoulder blocks…The Kenda AT2 features serrated blocks here with a scoop in one and edge in the other.
Both blocks look very similar to each other and have 3D wave like siping (which is different from its central blocks).
They also barely make any sidewall lugs, so these lugs are less bulkier in comparison.
On the other side, the Kenda Klever R/T make bolder sidewall lugs which are square-shaped.
The shoulder blocks are also more serrated in comparison with one block having a bigger scoop.
Both its shoulder blocks together form a semi-circular shape and are surrounded by stone ejectors, missing in the Klever AT2.
And although the tire does not make proper circumferential grooves like the AT2, it still makes wide lateral channels which join these stone ejectors embedded block valleys.
Other than this, the Kenda R/T features an overall more durable design with 3 ply polyester casing with 2 steel belts and 2 ply nylon.
Where on Kenda AT2, the tire only has 2 ply casing making weaker 2 ply sidewalls.
Other specs of these tires:
| Klever R/T | Klever AT2 | |
| Tread Depth | either 17 or 19/32″ | either 14 or 15/32″ |
| Available sizes | 15 to 24″ | 15 to 20″ |
| Sidewall Construction | 3 ply | 2 ply |
| Load Rating Range | C to F | C to E |
On Road Performance
It’s not surprise that out of the two, the Kenda Klever AT2 presents a more satisfactory drive on road.
With less wider grooves the tire provides more contact on road and so it performs better on dry roads.
And with more overall siping, with 3D wave like pattern on the shoulder blocks the tire also provide you with a better wet road traction as well.
Other than this the tires also provides you with better ride with less road noise. The multiple variations of the random blocks placement of this tire, cancel out the sound waves and provide you with a noise free ride.
And the tire with less durable inner construction, weighs less, which translates in to a better fuel economy with them.
On the other side, the Kenda Klever R/T with it’s 3 ply sidewalls make the tire stiffer (especially on the edges). And this combined with minimal/less efficient siping, the tire loses a lot of grip on wet pavements.
That’s why the tire is more prone to slippage on corners, and it’s very hard to drive on these with traction controls off.
Still the tires are fine on dry roads, as they feature multiple biting edges and softer compound in comparison, giving a satisfactory performance here.
But they are louder and their softer compound wears faster in comparison.
Also speaking of wear, Klever R/T does not come with any warranty, where the AT2 has 50k miles on the LT sizes and 60k on P metrics.
Muddy Terrain Performance
All Terrain tires can not handle mud in a better way. And so the Klever AT2 with its less wider grooves would not allow mud to pass through.
Also as the tire has no designated stone ejectors and provides an interlocking design, mud gets trap in its tread very easily. Or in other words, the tire is very bad at self clearing from mud.
On the other side, although you can’t expect a mud terrain tire’s like performance out of it’s R/T variant, the tire is still pretty great here.
The Klever R/T features bulkier serrated shoulder blocks which scoop the mud out and away. It’s sidewall lugs are bulkier and they dig the tire way out, even when aired down deep in mud.
The tire’s 4 blocks in the middle with notches and off set edges slash through the surface and break down the mud particles.
And the lateral channels of the tire which connect with the wider spacing around its shoulder blocks having stone ejectors, make a very clear path for these mud particles to pass through.
Snow Traction
The Kenda Klever AT2 are surprisingly great on snow. And despite not having sipes like a dedicated winter tire, the tire is still 3 peak mountain snow flake rated.
This rating denotes that the tire is 25% better in accelerating in snow compared to all season tires.
The interlocking design of this tire, where it was bad with mud trapping in the particles, its better here.
Since snow sticks better on snow, the tire traps the snow in its grooves and 2 different siping patterns and shows remarkable traction values.
On the other side, although the Kenda Klever RT are not rated with 3PMSF rating, the tire still provides you with a satisfactory performance on deeper snow with its wider grooves.
Climbing Rocks
When it comes to rocky terrain, the Kenda Klever R/T is a champ.
The tire has all the ingredients of becoming a great rock climber.
Besides having multiple biting edges which grip the rocks from all directions, the tire features softer rubber compound which sticks on the rocky surface firmly.
And with wider grooves, the tire simply munch on to the rocky surface.
When pressured down, with flexing sidewalls, the tire’s bulkier lugs grab and pull the rocky surface in a much better way as well.
On gravel, the tire features bolder stone ejectors which help the tire expel out the debris so they don’t get lodged in and the tire maintains friction and traction.
And with its 3 ply sidewalls, the tire also has more protection towards the vulnerable sidewalls, against sharper rocks.
On the other side, the Kenda Klever AT2 does not feature as durable construction as well as stone ejectors.
So the tire has weaker sidewalls which are more prone to getting punctured, and on gravel the tire is more susceptible to stones getting stuck in its less wider grooves.
The tire also features a harder compound as well which is not able to stick as much.
So overall in comparison, Kenda Klever AT2 would not perform better than the R/T. But still, that does not mean the tire is not good enough here.
Given they are All Terrain, these tires are pretty great on rocks. As, all its small blocks with random shapes and multiple variants grip hug the rocky surface from all directions.
So, what’s the verdict?
Well both tires are great budget picks in their categories. The Kenda Klever AT2 being an All Terrain tire provides you with a great off road performance combined with on road comfort, just like what an AT tires are designed to do.
While things are a little more aggressive with the Kenda R/T which provide you with great off road performance and can also handle mud in a much better way, given they have mud tire’s shoulder blocks.
So if you can compromise a little on road comfort for a better performance off road, Klever R/Ts are for you.
