Since Toyo released its original Open Country Rough Rerrain (RT) tire, this hybrid segment has exploded in popularity. Bridging the gap between the jack-of-all-trades all-terrain (AT) and off-road focused mud-terrain (MT) tires, RTs promise decent on-road handling without sacrificing hardcore off-road traction.
Reviews are mixed on how off-road worthy Toyo’s original RT tire is, with some arguing that they’re more for aesthetics than performance. However, this category has evolved into a tire with formidable adaptability in the past few years. At the end of 2022, Toyo released the R/T Trail, a more off-road-focused tire that also looked more the part. In response, Falken came out with the Wildpeak R/T.
Table Of Contents
Falken R/T01
Specs:
- 50,000 Mile Warranty
- 3-Ply Sidewall
- High-contact ratio center tread for better road manners
- Step-down tread blocks for better towing stability
- Mud & stone ejectors
- Aggressive sidewall design
- Available in C-F load, metric, and flotation sizes
These tires look much more aggressive than Falken’s all-terrain Wildpeak A/T4W and lack the 3PMSF rating. However, if you want the looks and benefits of an MT tire, the R/T01s are about as close as you can get. While all tires in this hybrid category have similar claims, few look the part.
A notable difference between these and the Toyo R/T Trails is the high mileage warranty of 50,000 miles. That may not matter in real-world use, but it sets the bar on what can and should be expected of a premium tire.
If I needed an aggressive off-road tire from Falken, I would easily choose these over their MT. The former looks outdated and is very heavy compared to other modern MT tires.
Check out my initial impressions for a deeper dive.
Toyo R/T Trail
Specs:
- 45,000 Mile Warranty
- 3-Ply Sidewall
- Symmetrical tread to reduce road noise and irregular wear
- Integrated rim protection
- Lateral zigzag grooves with stone ejectors
- Circumferential grooves to reduce hydro-planing
- Available in SL-F load, metric, and flotation sizes
While not as aggressive-looking as the Falkens, the Toyos look sleek. I see them as a “refined off-roader”, if such a term existed. I ran these for about 8,000 miles before the Falkens, and not once have they let me down off-road. I’m a bit (just kidding, very) OCD, and the tread pattern of the Toyos resonates with me more. This company does a great job designing tread that looks just as good as it performs.
Toyo’s MT tires are an OG and a staple in the off-road community. Despite their top-tier looks and off-road performance, though, these types of tires aren’t ideal for daily commuters. No one can refute that. The R/T Trails slot in perfectly between those and Toyo’s A/T III.
Comparison
On paper, it’s hard to distinguish between the two tires. Both promise uncompromising performance on and off the pavement. While we know there are limitations to this statement (AT and MT tires still exist for a reason), surely, one tire has to be better than the other, right?
That’s a tricky question to answer. Having driven on both, I can say there are a couple of distinct pros and cons to each.
Falken
Falken’s more aggressive tread pattern and step blocks give it an edge with off-road traction and towing stability. However, this comes at the cost of a slightly louder tire on pavement and marginally more weight.
Toyo
If you’re OCD, you’ll probably favor Toyo’s extremely symmetrical tread comprising straight lines and edges. I’m unsure if this directly correlates with the fact that I’ve broken traction on the pavement in the rain several times. However, they are quieter on pavement and weigh a couple of pounds less than the Falkens.
Verdict
Determining the “winner” depends on your needs (sorry for the indefinite answer). If you spend more than the weekends off-road, the Falkens would probably win my vote. Their more aggressive sidewall offers better traction and protection from trail debris and obstacles. If off-roading is an occasional occurrence, I would choose the Toyos. They look a bit less “overland” and don’t stand out as much.
Neither tire will leave you stranded, as both have the core off-road features – 3-ply sidewalls- offered in C-F load ratings. In all honesty, comparing their real-world performance is splitting hairs.
Special Mention – Arroyo Tires Tamarock RT
Since the RT category has become so popular, I wanted to include one more tire to consider. The Arroyo Tires Tamarock RT. It was released within the last year.
The reason this one deserves attention is the performance for the price point. Konrad did an initial impression review on his Tacoma. Long term review coming soon! But long story short… for roughly half the cost of the premium brand mentioned in this post, you can get a really good tire that’s got really good tread life with comparable performance to more expensive counterparts.
Final Thoughts
In all honesty, I like both tires. I like the Falken R/T01 for its aggressive tread that makes my rig “look” tougher than I probably am. They’re the epitome of if their Wildpeak A/T3W (and now A/T4W) and M/T tires had a baby. On the other hand, I think the Toyo R/T Trails blend in better on the road. They’re similarly capable off-road without screaming, “I’m an off-road tire!”
In my opinion, you can’t go wrong with either. I’ll be first to admit that I don’t have the time to get off the beaten path as much as I’d like. As such, I spend most of my time on pavement, and the Falkens are probably overkill. I switched from MT tires to RT tires for the same reason. If you go off-road more frequently, though, I’m envious and would likely recommend Falken.
What size did you run the Toyo tires? Lt or P?
I have the Falken’s. I was open to getting either. Got a good price on some 285/75/17s and I absolutely love them. Biggest surprise is how quiet they are on road. I was not prepared for that. My AT3Ws were louder.