Firestone Destination M/T2 Review – The Best Mud Terrain On Wet Roads?

We just tested a set of 37×12.5R17 Firestone Destination M/T2 tires on the 6G 4Runner, and these are the best mud terrains I’ve ever tested on wet surface roads…. by far!

Total mileage tested is just over 5000 miles across Northern California terrain. The M/T2s have seen granite rock slabs on the Rubicon, mud, wet asphalt, and dry roads. We pushed these tires through the Rubicon, and plenty of rain on and off-road, giving us a clear sense of how these tires perform through many conditions.

In the past, I have tested a handful of mud terrains, including the Cooper STT Pro, Cooper EVO M/T, Mickey Thompson Baja Boss M/T, Toyo Open Country M/T, Yokohama Geolandar G003s, Falken Wildpeak M/T, Arroyo M/Ts, and many others.

Almost all Mud Terrains are great off-road in the mud, sand, and on the rocks, but what about on-road?

Spoiler: Firestone Destination M/T2 is hands down the best mud terrain I’ve ever tested on wet asphalt. I’ve never seen a mud terrain perform this well on wet surface roads around corners, when under throttle. The Destination M/T2 grips incredibly well on wet roads off the line, straight and/or turning. Where most mud terrains spin out of control and tend to throw the ass end of the truck around, the Destination M/T2 stays planted, hooks up, and stays controlled through even the slickest roads. Unbelievable tire.

On the Firestone product page, they call out these top three features:

• Traction for Tough Trails
• Confident Control in Mud
• Wet and Snow Performance

Let’s jump into the review and see what this tire is all about.

Specs (33″, 35″ & 37″)

LT285/70R17

• Load index: 121 slash 118Q
• Load range: E
• Max load: 3,195 lbs
• Max pressure: 80 psi
• Tread depth: 20 thirty seconds
• Weight: 57 lbs
• Section width: 11.5 in
• Tread width: 8.8 in
• Overall diameter: 32.8 in

35X12.5R17LT

• Load index: 121Q
• Load range: E
• Max load: 3,195 lbs
• Max pressure: 65 psi
• Tread depth: 21 thirty seconds
• Weight: 74 lbs
• Section width: 12.5 in
• Tread width: 10.3 in
• Overall diameter: 34.8 in

37X12.5R17LT

• Load index: 124Q
• Load range: D
• Max load: 3,525 lbs
• Max pressure: 50 psi
• Tread depth: 21 thirty seconds
• Weight: 80 lbs
• Section width: 12.5 in
• Tread width: 10.1 in
• Overall diameter: 36.8 in

Comparison To Other Mud Terrains On Wet Roads

To me, the biggest question around mud terrains should be centered on wet road performance because that’s usually where true mud terrains lack.

Where most mud terrains fall short, how does the Firestone Destination M/T2 stack up?

I’ve run a ton of different tires over the years, but instead of an off-road-focused performance review alone, I wanted to also share my experience with how each mud terrain performs on wet roads. We will still cover off-road performance in this review, but I really wanted to highlight just how special the Firestone MT2 is, compared to other options.

The Cooper STT Pro was the worst on wet asphalt and ice, but very strong in deep snow and mud. The STT Pro is a great off-road tire, but not a winning daily driver tire… especially in cold, snowy climates where traction is key. Killer looking tire, though. Read the STT Pro Vs. EVO MT here.

The Cooper EVO MT was a wild improvement over the STT Pros from Cooper, with better road manners and much more control on both wet and dry pavement, in addition to icy/ light snowy roads as well. The Cooper EVO MT was arguably one of the best M/Ts I’ve ever run to date, but it has a very specific look (very similar to the Destination M/T2). Great off-road, and great on-road. I loved this tire. The EVO MT is a very underrated tire. Read my full review here.

The Mickey Thompson Baja Boss MT is up there in both looks and performance, but the softer compound causes them to wear much faster than most mainstream mud terrains, and once they start to wear, they can wear unevenly if not rotated frequently. This might be the best-looking mud terrain ever made, though. Strong off-road and strong on-road when new, but once they start to fade, they fade fast. On wet roads, the Baja Boss MT has never done too well but it’s worth it if you’re going for looks and extreme off-road performance.

The Toyo M/T was a great tire when new, but after a few thousand miles, it lost grip on wet asphalt incredibly fast when turning or hitting the throttle. They break loose on wet asphalt very fast. Not a great tread pattern for rainy climates. I like the look of Toyos, but they are horrible in wet/rainy and light snow-covered roads.

The Yokohamas were much better on wet roads than the Toyos. All around, if you like that Yoko/Toyo look, I think the Yokos are a much better off-road and daily driver tire than the Toyos. The Yokos would still break loose on wet asphalt, but not nearly as much as the Toyos. And I personally like the Yoko G003 tread pattern better than the Toyos. These days, you just get some suckers because Toyo has such a big brand, but there are a ton of better options out there over Toyo…. Yokohama for sure is one of them.

Destination M/T2 On Wet Roads?

This is by far the most impressive mud terrain I’ve ever tested on wet roads. The traction on wet/oily covered asphalt is something I’ve never experienced in a mud terrain.

The Firestone Destination M/T2 manages to stay planted and composed on wet roads… even with 5000 miles on them. Where the others begin to slip, the Destination M/T2 maintains strong wet traction while keeping road noise and tread wear under control. These tires are very capable on slick pavement without losing the off-road capability expected from a true mud terrain.

While the Cooper EVO M/T (previous best on wet roads) and the Mickey Thompson Baja Boss M/T (best looking) were my favorites in the past, this new Firestone M/T2 is shaping up to be my new favorite.

With only 5000 miles on them, only time will tell how they hold up over time. On the surface, though, and out of the box, this is a very impressive mud terrain.

Off-Road Dry

After testing these tires through the Rubicon, it saw every dry surface you could imagine: dry boulders, soft dusty patches of loose powder dirt, dry slabs, and steep/loose rocky climbs. After wheeling from Loon to Tahoma, it’s clear these tires are a winner in the dry elements as well.

This tread pattern, when aired down to 10PSI, grips incredibly well across gravel and dry rock with consistent bite and predictable braking. Usually, when breaking down the Rubicon slabs, tires tend to shift because it’s so steep. These tires just stay planted and controlled. No movement at all, just a ton of confidence with these tires.

Steering felt direct when aired down, and the lugs held shape through everything, which keeps the truck composed through ruts, ledges, and off-camber sections. The three-ply sidewall adds a ton of confidence against sharp edges while resisting chunking.

Off-Road Wet/Mud

On slick rock and soaked muddy sections, the M/T2 keeps traction found in most mud terrains. They just work.

The M/T2 tread compound and shoulder blocks flex and dig deep to find traction, while the self-cleaning lugs clear mud to maintain a usable contact patch.

The sidewall and shoulder features extra bite in deep ruts, which helps the tire hold a line on climbs through wet/muddy sections.

The tire really is a true performing M/T when you need it most.

On-Road Dry

For a true mud terrain, the M/T2 is composed and predictable on dry pavement but very well mannered.

Turning into corners feels steady with plenty of bite and minimal tread squirm. The general day to day road manners are very easy to live with.

Road noise is reasonable for the category, not load at all when brand new, but as they have worn, I’ve noticed a slight howl, but nothing I would complain about. The straight line stability at highway speeds has remained wildly confident on long drives with a loaded 4Runner. For a mud terrain, they drive on-road, similar to an all-terrain.

General Traction

This is the standout.

Traction on wet asphalt, dry asphalt, in the rocks, on the road… it doesn’t matter. This tire just grips.

The MT2 is in the upper tier of mud tires available on the market today.

The tread pattern channels water efficiently while the face grips each and every surface, whether during throttle or cornering, or even hard braking.

It is difficult to get these to break loose in the rain, which sets them apart from many competitors. This is the grippiest mud terrain I’ve ever run by far… on all surfaces.

General Performance

The combination of an advanced tread compound, three ply sidewall construction, and an aggressive upper sidewall design delivers improved traction on every terrain.

When in wet situations, the MT2 does a phenomenal job at moving water away from the surface lugs quickly.

Through dry situations and muddy situations, it really is an all-around win. Not a cheap tire, but Firestone sure did make one hell of a mud terrain, and I wouldn’t hesitate running these on every build from here on out.

Who It Is For

The Firestone Destination M/T2 is ideal for drivers who need a tire that can handle year-round weather without giving up off-road performance.

It suits daily driven trucks and SUVs that spend time both on the highway and in rugged terrain, but specifically guys in wet climates who want an aggressive-looking MT.

Final Thoughts

The Firestone Destination M/T2 delivers a very rare balance of wet road confidence and real off-road use.

It excels on wet pavement, performs with confidence on dry and wet rock, and remains manageable for day-to-day driving.

For drivers who see plenty of rain but still need true off-road traction, the Firestone Destination M/T2 is one of the most balanced mud terrain tires I’ve ever run.

I still like the look of a Mickey Thompson Baja Boss MT a bit more just because they’re so aggressive looking, but man… when it comes to tires… function over form all day. I’m really curious to see how these tires wear over 20-40k miles.

At the end of the day, if you’re shopping for MTs, the Cooper EVO MT, Firestone MT2, and Mickey Baja Boss MT all remain at my personal top choice, with the Coopers and Firestone taking the lead because they perform so well in all environments.

I have a feeling that, given the Firestone name, these tires might just be the clear win, but time will tell, as we’re just scratching the surface at 5000 miles.