General Grabber AT2 Review: Excellent for Off-Road Driving

Off-road driving has again become very popular in the world of SUVs and trucks. If you don’t believe us, just have a look at all the tuned factory version of popular cars such as 4Runner, Tacoma, Ranger, Wrangler, etc. Instead of tunes sports cars, it seems that we’re all getting more tuned off-roaders for some reason. That is fine, though, as long as the car culture continues to move forward and enthusiasts are on the rise.

To satisfy the needs of off-road enthusiasts, tire manufacturers also started producing more tire models and categories intended for SUVs and trucks. The most popular one is probably the all-terrain category, where almost every company tries to compete. One of those companies is General Tire, which is under the umbrella of the large Continental group. Their Grabber AT2 all-terrain tire is from the second generation, now succeeded by the Grabber A/TX. Even though it is pretty old by now, you can still find it in most of the shops. The reason why General Tire keeps the older tire on the market is probably due to the slightly more aggressive tread pattern that in theory, works better for off-roading.

Apart from its newer sibling, the Grabber AT2 competes with a plethora of options from other manufacturers, such as BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2, Goodyear Wrangler AT/S and TrailRunner AT, Bridgestone Dueler A/T Revo 3, Continental TerrainContact, Cooper Discoverer A/T3, Falken Wildpeak A/T3W, Toyo Open Country AT II, Yokohama Geolandar A/T G015. Comparing it to all of these tires may prove to be very difficult as some of them are focused more towards on-road driving, while others, like the Grabber AT2, are designed for off-road driving.

This means that the AT2 is a tire that will suit off-road-focused SUVs, trucks, and commercial vehicles like a glove. Vehicles like Ford Ranger, F-150 and Raptor, Jeep Wrangler and Cherokee, RAM 1500, Toyota 4Runner, Tundra, and Tacoma (especially the TRD versions), etc. You might also want to put these tires on your crossover, which is perfectly fine. However, we think that crossover vehicles aren’t the best choice for tires like these, but hey, we certainly won’t stand in your way!

The General Grabber AT2 is available in sizes ranging from 15-20 inches in diameter. As with most all-terrain tires, LT models that are better suited for hauling and towing are also available, with the most capable models able to carry 3,042 lbs per tire at 80 psi maximum inflation pressure, which is one of the best results in the category.

With all that said, it’s time that we learn more about the Grabber AT2 and why it might be good or bad for you, depending on your needs.

What are the features of the General Grabber AT2?

According to General Tire, the Grabber AT2 is an all-terrain tire with designed with an aggressive, self-cleaning tread that provides off-road traction, durability, and impressive performance. Interestingly, they seem to have focused more on off-road driving then on-road driving, which may bother some people that want an all-terrain tire that will work seamlessly on the road as well.

To achieve the uncompromising off-road traction, the Grabber AT2 has 5-Row Tread Pattern with innovative tread design. The tire is also equipped with General’s Duragen Technology, which is a robust compound with excellent cut and chip resistance, and one that is also flexible enough for driving in freezing temperatures. Luckily, General also thought about comfort – the highly-engineered acoustic tread pattern allows the tire to remain quiet during road and highway driving.

The Grabber AT2 is also Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake Symbol rated tire, which means that it can be used in harsher winter conditions. For those that want to extract maximum traction in deep or packed snow, the Grabber AT2 can be equipped with metallic winter studs, with an optimized arrangement of pinholes for optional stud application. That said, you might want to check if studs are legal in your area before pouring the cash, as some states don’t allow them.

Like most all-terrain tires, the internal construction of the AT2 consists of twin steel belts, a robust, two-ply polyester casing, and two polyamide reinforcement plies, all of which work together for a combination of ride comfort, off-road toughness, and high-speed stability.

What are the maintenance indicators?

General Tire equips all of its passenger tires, touring tires, grand-touring tires, and high-performance tires with easy-to-read Replacement Tire Monitor technology. Sadly, they don’t include the same tech in their all-terrain tire lineup, probably due to constraints of the tread design. The RTM technology is literally letters imprinted on the middle circumferential rib on the tire, something that you won’t find on off-road tires. This tire also lacks the VAI (Visual Alignment Indicators), that help you see if the tread wears down unevenly.

That said, you can still use the penny test. Just stick 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”. General Tire also gives uniformity warranty of 1 Year / first 2/32″ of wear and 45-Day or 1st 2/32″ Customer Satisfaction Trial. This is not uncommon in this category, but surely welcomed considering the price of this tire.

Lack of maintenance indicators aside, the Grabber AT2 is an extremely durable tire. Other than the cut and chip resistant casing, it comes with 60,000-mile treadwear warranty, which is one of the best results in the sector. Owners of the AT2 also seem to be very satisfied with how long it lasts, reporting 40,000-miles of driving without uniformity or treadwear issues. Depending on your type of driving, you might get even better results than that and closer to the issued warranty by the manufacturer.

Is it good for off-road driving?

The Grabber AT2 is extremely popular within the off-road driving community due to its outstanding off-road capabilities. In other words, if you don’t trust marketing fluff, just see what the professionals are driving, and you’re on a good path.

This tire is definitely among the best all-terrain tires for off-road driving, beating even some multi-terrain tires. That is something that is untouchable by most all-terrain tires and is a testament to General’s focus for creating outstanding off-road tire here.

Thanks to the aggressive tread pattern, the Grabber AT2 simply chews into anything that comes across its way. It provides the driver with excellent traction in sand, very good traction and grip on loose rock surfaces, and even ample traction in mud. Thanks to the stiffer sidewalls, the Grabber AT2 is also very good for fast driving on gravel. It also breaks with confidence in most off-road situations and has a puncture-resistant casing that’s one of the toughest in the business.

Overall, like its sibling, the Grabber A/TX, the AT2 is one of the best all-terrain tires for off-road driving on the market right now.

How does it behave on dry tarmac?

The aggressive tread pattern may have its advantages for off-road driving, but it can only worsen the on-road performance. The Grabber AT2 doesn’t suffer greatly for on-road driving – it still provides a completely safe and reliable driving experience.

However, some all-terrain models with less aggressive tread pattern offer much better grip in the corners, slightly better traction, and overall better braking performance. Still, for the off-road traction it offers, the AT2 is completely fine – you can’t have both excellent off-road and on-road performance in one tire.

How is it over wet and slippery roads?

The limits of the tread design of the Grabber AT2 show here. Traction is worse than most of its competitors, especially those with road-focused tread pattern. The grip is also limited, while hydroplaning resistance is only average. Don’t get us wrong – the Grabber AT2 is still safe to drive in both light and heavy rain, but there are better options for sure.

With that being said, how is it in snowy roads?

As far as all-terrain tires go, the Grabber AT2 is outstanding for snowy and icy roads. The 5-Row Tread Pattern, in combination with the Duragen Technology, makes for a very successful snow tire. While the Grabber AT2 is certainly not on the level of winter tires for driving on packed snow, it is sublime for driving in deep snow. Traction and braking power are excellent, and there’s more than enough grip for cornering. Put studs on the Grabber AT2, and it becomes outstanding for driving on snow or ice.

Is it comfortable and refined?

Honestly, no. We’ve seen worse all-terrain tires in this regard, but we’ve also seen much better. The Grabber AT2 can be loud on the highway and especially bad over large potholes. If a comfortable ride is your priority, this is not the tire for you.

You can see more General Grabber AT2 Review here: videos created by Wavetechlifeguardian

Should I buy the General Grabber AT2?

If you only care about off-road driving, then sure, go and buy the AT2. It is definitely one of the best all-terrain tires for driving in the wilderness. However, we think that most drivers will be better off with the Grabber A/TX, which is almost as good for off-road driving, yet much better for on-road driving, especially in the comfort and noise areas.