- Excellent on-road performance
- Very good high-speed stability
- Very good traction on gravel and dirt
- Outstanding 50,000-mile treadwear warranty
- Value for money
- Deep mud traction isn’t stellar
- The ride quality isn’t the best around
In recent years, we see a resurgence in off-road driving – there are many car enthusiasts that simply love exploring the wilderness. The rejuvenation of off-roading saw a big rise in new off-road-focused tires, some from manufacturers that never ventured in that business before. One of those companies is Atturo, a manufacturer that just recently started attacking the market with value-oriented tires and one that specializes in SUVs, trucks, and crossovers.
The Atturo Trail Blade AT is the bread and butter offering from the company – it is an all-terrain tire. This means that the tire is designed to tackle both on-road and off-road conditions, something that most SUV and truck owners value greatly. However, that also means that Atturo enters a category that already has a dozen of established products. Tires like the BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2, Goodyear Wrangler All-Terrain Adventure, Falken WildPeak A/T3W, Firestone Destination A/T, Yokohama Geolandar A/T G015, and Kumho Road Venture AT51 already have a big portion of the market, so it will be hard for Atturo to make a big impression.
Still, as a new and relatively unknown manufacturer, Atturo promises to offer high-quality tires are bargain prices. The Trail Blade AT is one of the cheapest all-terrain tires on the market right now, at least when compared to the established competitors. Considering the price, we recommend this tire to owners of older SUVs and trucks, such as Jeep Wrangler and Cherokee, Toyota 4Runner, Land Cruiser, Tacoma, Tundra and FJ Cruiser, Ford F-150, Ranger and Bronco, Hummer H3, Chevrolet Silverado, Dodge Ram, Land Rover Discovery, Chevrolet Silverado and Colorado, etc.
But, how does the Trail Blade AT perform in the real world? We’ve put these tires through our paces and tested in every category that you might encounter with your SUV or truck. But, let’s cut the chase and dig into the Atturo Trail Blade AT review and find if it suits your driving needs.
Contents
- What are the features of the Atturo Trail Blade AT?
- What are maintenance indicators?
- Is it good for off-road driving?
- How does it behave on a dry tarmac?
- How is it over wet and slippery roads?
- With that being said, how is it on snowy roads?
- Is it comfortable and refined?
- Should I buy the Atturo Trail Blade AT?
What are the features of the Atturo Trail Blade AT?
According to Atturo, the Trail Blade AT is a tire with a tread depth of 12mm, which should aid traction for off-roading, but also extend the tread life. The tread area features an additional four deep grooves and multiple sipes in the tread blocks for excellent wet traction and competence in snow and mud. Like most competitors, the Trail Blade AT is 3PMSF rated, which means that it can be used in severe wintry conditions.
That said, a quick look at the competitors shows that this tire doesn’t have the deepest nor the most aggressive tread, which means that it’s more of an on-road-focused tire, rather than off-road focused. Nonetheless, Atturo offers the Trail Blade XT for drivers that want better off-road traction.
If we dig deeper into the tread pattern, we can see broad shoulder blocks with jagged sipes, designed to offer all-season traction. Furthermore, four wide channels cover the circumference of the tire and link to the lateral channels, which vacuums water from the surface and improves wet performance.
In the center of the tread pattern, there are interlocked stepped treads for better highway stability. These treads are also siped, which further aids the wet traction. The Trail Blade XT also features four wide circumferential grooves that channel the water to the lateral channels for better hydroplaning resistance.
The Atturo Trail Blade AT is available in metric and LT-rated sizes, ranging from 15-inches to 20-inches. This means that the available sizes can fit both lighter and heavier-duty SUVs and trucks. The LT-rated models utilize a heavy-duty carcass with a 3-ply sidewall construction, which is good to hear. All models are equipped with a rim protector that will take care of your shiny rims.
What are maintenance indicators?
Atturo doesn’t specify maintenance indicators on the Trail Blade AT, which means that you’re left with a visual inspection of the tread. In other words, you’ll need to inspect the tire with the penny test. Start with sticking a penny in the tire tread grooves. If the tire tread is at least touching Abraham Lincoln’s upside-down head, the tire tread depth is at least 2/32”.
As for warranty, Atturo offers a 3-year warranty for manufacturing defects and up to a 50,000-miles treadwear warranty on the Trail Blade AT. That’s a very good number considering the price of the tire and should give you 4-5 years of carefree motoring. Sure, some manufacturers offer a 60,000-mile treadwear warranty, but they are also much more expensive.
Is it good for off-road driving?
It really depends on how far you’re prepared to go. For lighter off-roading, the Atturo Trail Blade AT is very good indeed. On gravel and dirt, we found it to be very responsive, especially on faster sections. Traction is also sufficient, while the lateral grip is very good for the price. Thanks to the not overly-aggressive tread pattern, the Trail Blade AT is also very good for driving in sand, especially when deflated to lower pressures.
That said, while the tire does offer better traction than highway tires in mud, we wouldn’t push it too much. Shallower mud shouldn’t pose a big problem for the tires, but deeper mud should be out of the question. That’s the case with most all-terrain tires, for sure, but even then, the Trail Blade AT falls short of the competition. Driving over larger rocks is also not ideal with these tires.
Nonetheless, if you just want a dependable solution for driving on moderate off-road surfaces, the Trail Blade AT is certainly more than good enough. If you are an off-road enthusiast, though, you should look elsewhere.
How does it behave on a dry tarmac?
What the Trail Blade AT loses in deep mud, gains on the road. We were pleasantly surprised at how this tire handled everyday driving. In our Atturo Trail Blade AT review, we found that the tire is very responsive, almost like a highway tire. Highway stability is also very good – driving at 70mph feels completely safe.
Moreover, the tires also possessed enough traction for hard accelerations, good grip in the corners, and strong braking. Again, there are better all-terrain tires for street driving, but considering the price, the Trail Blade AT is more than good enough.
How is it over wet and slippery roads?
Atturo’s focus on giving the Trail Blade AT better wet traction paid off. The hydroplaning resistance is excellent, even in puddles of water. Traction is also outstanding, while braking is top-notch. The Trail Blade AT is comparable to some pricier competitors on wet surfaces, which is high praise indeed.
With that being said, how is it on snowy roads?
Looking at the Trail Blade AT’s tread pattern, many people will expect outstanding snow performance. However, even though all-season all-terrain tires offer better snow traction than all-season highway tires, they are still no match for real winter tires.
Atturo’s all-terrain tire comes with the 3PMSF symbol, which means that it is ready for severe wintry conditions. However, in our Atturo Trail Blade AT review, we found that it lacks the proper traction on packed snow to fully recommend it for folks that live in the northern areas.
Don’t get us wrong, the tire is fully capable of tackling unpacked snow, and it does offer some packed snow traction, but the overall performance is still not sufficient for harsh wintry conditions.
Honestly, though, that’s a trend that we see with most all-terrain tires – it’s certainly not unique to this one. Like with most competitors, we recommend going for proper winter tires in the winter.
Is it comfortable and refined?
Many all-terrain tires suffer from noise on the highway, which is understandable given the deeper and more aggressive tread pattern. Luckily, though, the Atturo Trail Blade AT isn’t as bad as some competitors, which is probably a result of the milder tread pattern.
On the highway, the tires produce more noise than highway tires, which is expected. However, as far as all-terrain tires go, the Trail Blade AT is one of the quietest in its category. You certainly won’t be disappointed with the next road trip.
The ride quality isn’t as impressive, though. Due to the stiffer sidewalls, the tires transmit more vibrations in the cabin, especially on broken pavement. Still, that’s expected, given the low price of the tire.
Should I buy the Atturo Trail Blade AT?
It really depends on your needs and expectations. The Trail Blade AT certainly doesn’t break any new grounds when it comes to performance. In other words, there are many better all-terrain tires, both for off-road and on-road driving. So, if you care about having the best-performing all-terrain tires, we recommend going for some of the premium products.
Still, there aren’t many tires that can match the price-to-performance ratio of the Trail Blade AT. When you put the price into consideration, this is one of the best all-terrain tires around. On the road, it performs admirably, both on dry and wet surfaces. For off-roading, it has enough traction to tackle gravel and dirt, and even shallower mud.
Overall, we think that you should by the Trail Blade AT if you own an older SUV or truck, or just want a value-oriented tire.
LIST OF ATTURO TIRE REVIEWS