As I deflated my Toyo Tires, I looked up to catch the last moments of the sunset over the canyons of southern Utah. The air was quiet and still. I was on my way to join a few friends to witness a solar eclipse. This rare event happened right over Utah, my home state. With my tires’ air pressure reduced to 22 pounds, my Toyota Land Cruiser “floated” over the bumps and rocks on the trail as I ventured toward our meeting spot.
Overlanding gear and appropriate equipment empower the adventurer to wander and explore planet Earth. What does the adventurer need? A short question with possibly a long answer. For certain, all vehicles need a solid, high-quality tire; it’s the vehicle’s platform and contact point to the road. Tires might not be as “flashy” as a set of offroad lights or a front bumper with a winch, but a high-quality set of tires can take you and your vehicle to many wonderful places. Today, many companies offer good, well-constructed tires for a variety of vehicle platforms. I tested the capabilities of the Toyo tires in the wilds of Utah.
Toyo’s Open Country AT III’s come in many sizes and load ratings to meet your vehicle’s specifications. My Land Cruiser 200 Series was sitting on set of 285/70/r17s in the E load rating. The 22 pounds of pressure in each tire made the ride comforting and smooth. The tires absorbed the bumps and rolled over the slickrock steps in the dirt two-track as I made my way to our rendezvous point. The lug pattern of the tires expelled rocks easily and effectively. The lug pattern and lateral grooves also provided excellent traction on dirt, slickrock, and gravel. According to Toyo, the lug pattern provides increased traction on snowy surfaces as well. (However, I have never driven with these tires in snowy conditions). The grip of the tires was noticeable on the smooth sandstone of southern Utah and helped keep my vehicle “planted” to the road.
Todd Bergeson, Sr. Manager, Product Planning and Technical Services at Toyo Tires, stated, “To improve both treadwear and wet performance, we developed a high-silica content tread compound to apply to our P/Euro-metric sizes, while the LT-metric tires would receive a new compound with increased levels of natural-rubber to further enhance durability levels. Multiple versions and revisions of tread compounds, tread designs, and construction were tested throughout the US and in Japan to achieve our performance targets. The end result is a durable tread that is more resistant to cut and chip as well as lug compression, while achieving high levels of wet handling and braking performance without sacrificing dry performance or wear life.” Toyo must be proud and believe in their product, since the tires come with a 65,000-mile warranty.
I doused the embers of the juniper fire before I turned-in for bed. The following morning dawned clear and cool. Ideal conditions to watch an eclipse. We drank coffee and ate breakfast while we prepped our photography equipment and waited for the sun and moon to cross paths. For an hour, we watched the moon pass between the Sun and Earth creating, Johnnie Cash’s “ring of fire.” We snapped pictures and watched this unique event develop over the wilds of Utah’s canyon country.
For every backcountry adventure I take, the road home is always paved. Whether a two-lane highway or a multi-lane interstate, tires need to perform on tarmac because let’s face it, that’s is where we roll through the majority of time. I cruised north on scenic Highway 95. The road twisted and curved through red rock country; the Toyo Tires, now inflated to 40 psi, handled my Land Cruiser with ease. Braking and overall handling were excellent. The truck felt planted and secure as I weaved my way along this one-time, old wagon route to the shores of the Colorado River. Tire noise was nonexistent, and the ride was smooth, comfortable, and pleasing.
Now, you might not be able to adventure to a solar eclipse, the next one is in October 2024, in South America. No matter where your adventures might take you, your vehicle needs a solid, high-quality tire. I suggest that you give Toyo Open Country AT IIIs a try. Better yet, outfit your vehicle with Toyo’s Open Country AT IIIs and enjoy the adventures along miles to come.
