The battle for the ultimate tire still rages on, with all the major tire manufacturers still trying to come up with a design that satisfies all conditions. There is a great challenge in this feat, as making a tire great for one terrain means sacrificing features that make it great for another terrain or season. Today, we take a look at the relatively newcomer, Nitto’s Nomad Grappler, and see how it compares to the veteran, Falken’s Wildpeak AT3W.
A Quick Comparison Of Nitto Nomad Grappler Vs Falken Wildpeak At3w Tires
| Aspect | Nitto Nomad Grapplers | Falken Wildpeak AT3W |
|---|---|---|
| Size Options | 35 sizes (17″, 18″, 20″) | 54 sizes (17″ and up) |
| Road Performance | Exceptional dry traction and stability, comfortable ride, precise handling | Impressive road capability, excellent wet traction, comfortable ride |
| Wet Handling/Wet Braking | Good wet handling and braking performance | Specialty in wet handling with superior scores, excellent wet traction |
| Snow Performance | Decent on light snow, better in cold temperatures | Exceptional performance on snowy and icy surfaces |
| Mud Handling | Superior mud handling, better traction | Poor mud handling, traps mud in deep grooves |
| Wear Warranty | 60,000-mile warranty | 55,000-mile warranty |
| Fuel Consumption | Slightly reduced due to heavier construction | Marginally better due to lighter construction |
| Noise and Ride Quality | Both relatively quiet on highways, comparable ride quality | Both generate some noise on highways, comfortable ride quality |
| Dry Handling | Relatively equal handling and dry braking on the road | Great dry traction and off-road handling for the Wildpeak AT3W |
| Ice Handling | Decent performance on light snow-covered roads | Exceptional ice handling for winter driving with the Wildpeak AT3W |
| Tread Pattern Design | Nomad Grapplers with staggered sidewall lugs and specialized silica compound | Wildpeak AT3W features double shoulder edges, zigzag grooves, and 3D Canyon sipe technology |
| Style Options | Nomad Grapplers offer a choice between dual design sidewalls | Wildpeak AT3W has distinctive visual features, deep grooves, and U-shaped lugs |
| Cost | Both tires have a similar price range, varying by size and retailer | Prices typically range from $200 to $300 per tire for both options |
| Sidewall Design | Nomad Grapplers offer customizable sidewall designs, providing style options | Wildpeak AT3W has a pronounced, rugged appearance |
| Winter Performance | Better performance in cold temperatures, suitable for light snow | Superior performance in snowy and icy conditions, making it a great winter tire |
| On-Road Versatility | Balanced urban and off-road performance for CUVs, smooth and comfortable on-road ride | Superior on-road and off-road capabilities for a wide range of vehicles |
| Durability and Longevity | Strong construction with a 60,000-mile limited treadwear warranty | Two-ply sidewalls, chipping and chunking resistance, and 55,000-mile warranty |
Overview Of Falken Wild Peak At3w Tires
When it comes to finding the perfect all-terrain tire that can handle whatever Mother Nature throws your way, the Falken Wildpeak AT3W stands out as a top contender. With its cutting-edge features and rugged construction, this tire is designed to excel in both on-road and off-road conditions.
Innovative Hat Diffuser Technology:
The Wildpeak AT3W comes equipped with an innovative hat diffuser technology that sets it apart from the competition. This technology effectively dissipates heat, ensuring that the tire remains cool even during extended periods of use. This not only extends the life of the tire but also contributes to improved vehicle stability, making it a reliable option for a wide range of vehicles.
Enhanced Traction and Grip:
The Falken Wildpeak AT3W boasts a deeper tread depth compared to its predecessors. This deeper tread provides enhanced traction and grip on various surfaces, making it the ideal choice for those who want to take their vehicle off the beaten path. The aggressive tread pattern is designed to clear out mud, ensuring confident off-road performance. Whether you’re traversing rocky trails or muddy paths, the Wildpeak AT3W has you covered.
Winter-Ready:
For those who face snowy and icy conditions, the Wildpeak AT3W is more than up to the task, for that reason I pick this tire as one of the best tires for snow plowing list. Its performance in soft snow is exceptional, providing you with the confidence you need for winter adventures. The silica tread compound used in the AT3W ensures it remains pliable and reliable even in cold weather, preventing it from becoming hard and brittle.
Built to Last:
Durability is another area where the Wildpeak AT3W excels. Its two-ply sidewalls provide added strength and toughness to withstand the harshest elements and toughest terrains. The tire’s tread compound resists chipping and chunking, ensuring it can handle the rigors of off-road terrain. Falken’s commitment to quality is further exemplified by an impressive warranty, giving drivers peace of mind and underscoring the tire’s long-lasting performance.
So from the the above Falken Wildpeak AT3W short overview I can tell you this tire is not just another all-terrain tire; it’s the ultimate solution for drivers who demand superior stability, enhanced traction, increased durability, and peak performance in various conditions. Whether you’re navigating the city streets, taking on rugged trails, or braving winter weather, the Wildpeak AT3W is your reliable companion for all your on and off-road adventures. Don’t compromise when it comes to your tires; choose the Falken Wildpeak AT3W for the journey ahead.
Short Overview Of Nitto Nomad Grapplers Tires
If you’re a CUV owner in search of a tire that seamlessly transitions from city streets to rugged trails, the Nitto Nomad Grappler is the answer to your needs. This versatile tire is designed to excel both on and off the road, offering outstanding performance without compromising on-road manners.
Exceptional On-Road Performance:
One of the most notable features of the Nomad Grappler is its exceptional on-road performance. The tire’s construction incorporates a unique tread pattern and reinforced grooves, providing enhanced traction and stability on paved surfaces. The result is a smooth and comfortable ride with predictable handling and improved steering response, ensuring your daily commute is a breeze.
Off-Road Adventure Ready:
But the Nomad Grappler is not limited to urban environments. It’s equipped to handle off-road adventures with ease. The tire features staggered sidewall lugs that offer additional traction in dirt, mud, and gravel conditions, making it the perfect companion for those who love exploring diverse terrains. The specialized silica tread compound resists stone drilling and enhances hydroplaning resistance, making it a suitable choice for all-terrain excursions.
Built to Last:
Durability is another area where the Nomad Grappler shines. Its rugged construction and tread block rigidity ensure long-lasting performance, even in the face of challenging conditions. The silica compound not only improves tread life but also increases mileage, making this tire a cost-effective choice. To underline their confidence in the Nomad Grappler’s longevity, Nitto offers a generous 60,000-mile limited treadwear warranty, providing you with peace of mind on your journeys.
Customizable Style:
The Nomad Grappler doesn’t just perform well; it also looks great. The tire features treaded sidewalls, allowing buyers to choose from two different sidewall designs: diamond-shaped grooves or inverted y grooves. These designs enhance your vehicle’s external aesthetics, giving it a stylish and rugged appearance.
In summary, the Nitto Nomad Grappler is a tire that truly lives up to its name. It effortlessly combines the best of both worlds, offering outstanding on-road manners while providing the traction and performance capabilities needed for off-road adventures. Whether you’re navigating the highway or conquering the trails, the Nomad Grappler is a tire you can rely on to deliver exceptional performance and style.
Nitto Nomad Grappler Vs Falken Wildpeak At3w Tires: How Do They Compare?
Similarities Between Nitto Nomad Grapplers and Falken Wildpeak At3w Tires
Noise and ride quality
Though in both cases, the tread pattern designs account for airflow and noise absorption in highway driving; they still make noise. Not enough to affect the ride quality, but also not negligible. Both tires are equally fair on highway driving in terms of noise and ride quality. For a first-time all-terrain tire user shifting from regular tires, I would consider both these options noisy, but in comparison to other all-terrain options, both tires are relatively quiet.
Dry handling
On the road, both tires have relatively equal subjective handling and dry braking. On off-roads, the deeper grooves and shoulder block patterns of the wildpeak AT3W offer better traction and dirt evacuation. The nomad grapplers don’t perform poorly, either. On sand, gravel, and scoria roads, the Wildpeak at3w’s have a great consumer reputation for performing beyond expectations for an all-terrain tire.
The Nomad Grappler’s unique tread pattern, featuring tapered blocks, provides outstanding grip on dry surfaces, ensuring optimal traction and stability. Similarly, the Wildpeak AT3W is equipped with double shoulder edges and zigzag grooves that enhance dry traction and improve overall handling. Whether you’re tackling off-road adventures or cruising on the highway, both the Nomad Grappler and the Wildpeak AT3W deliver exceptional dry traction for a confident and reliable driving experience.
Pricing
As for pricing, both tires range relatively at the same price; they fare better than other tire brands like Michelin and Toyo in the all-terrain and specialty department. Both tires range from $200 to $300, depending on the size and your tire retailer.
Differences Between Nitto Nomad Grapplers and Falken Wildpeak At3w Tires
Size options
Both tires have no size 16” tires. The smallest size starts at 17” and higher. The nomad grappler has 35 size options to choose from in the 17”, 18”, and 20” ranges. Its competitor, on the other hand, has significantly more size options to choose from at 54 size options, making it more likely that the size you want will definitely be available in Falken Wildpeak At3w for any crossover utility vehicles (CUVs) or Sports Utility vehicle (SUV).
Road Performance
When it comes to road performance, the Nitto Nomad Grappler and Falken Wildpeak A/T Trail are two exceptional options to consider. The Nitto Nomad Grappler is known for its remarkable dry traction and stable handling on paved roads. Its tread design and block rigidity provide excellent maneuverability, allowing for confident cornering and precise steering response. The Falken Wildpeak A/T Trail, on the other hand, offers impressive road capability with its advanced tread pattern and specialized rubber compound.
This all-terrain tire delivers exceptional wet traction, ensuring enhanced grip on wet road surfaces. Both tires are built to withstand the demands of on-road driving while providing a smooth and comfortable ride. Whether you’re commuting on highways or navigating urban streets, the Nitto Nomad Grappler and Falken Wildpeak A/T Trail will deliver the performance capabilities you need for a dependable and enjoyable driving experience.
Wet handling/Wet braking
One of the 3W’s in the Falken Wildpeak at3w represents wet handling, making the AT3W a specialty tire in this area. At subjective wet handling, it scores 7.24/10 compared to Nitto’s Nomad Grapplers, which scores 7.06/10. When it comes to wet braking, though, in the same range, the at3w outshines the nomad grapplers with 103 and 110.9 scores, respectively.
For wet traction, the Nomad Grappler’s tread blocks and lateral grooves allow for effective water evacuation, reducing the risk of hydroplaning. The Wildpeak AT3W, on the other hand, is designed with a tread compound that enhances grip on wet roads, ensuring safer and more confident handling.
The Nitto Nomad Grappler features a unique tread pattern with deep lateral grooves and sipes, allowing it to effectively channel water away from the tire’s contact patch. This helps to reduce the risk of hydroplaning and enhance traction on wet surfaces.
Similarly, the Falken Wildpeak AT3W utilizes the 3D Canyon sipe technology and lateral grooves to improve water evacuation and increase the tire’s wet traction capabilities.
With both tires, drivers can have peace of mind knowing that they will experience confident handling and shorter braking distances in wet conditions. Whether it’s heavy rain or light drizzle, the Nitto Nomad Grappler and Falken Wildpeak AT3W will keep you safe on the road.
Snow Performance and ice handling
This is the one area where there is a significant difference between the two tires. If you live in a mountainous region or a region that experiences the four seasons and you do a lot of winter driving, it is best to go with the Falken Wildpeak AT3W. Its sidewall lugs and tread design provide extra traction on snowy and icy surfaces, making it an ideal tire for winter conditions. The Nomad Grappler, while not specifically designed for snow, still offers decent performance on light snow-covered roads.
The special silica compound keeps the tire soft and not brittle in extreme colds. It performs better than most of its competitors in temperatures of 0oC or 32oF. Soft and deep grooves maintain traction well in the snow and ice.
On the road, both tires deliver impressive performance capabilities. The Nomad Grappler and Wildpeak AT3W offer a smooth and comfortable ride, with low road noise and excellent stability.
Mud handling
The Falken’s Wildpeak at3w performs poorly when it comes to mud handling compared to the Nomad Grapplers. Their extra deep tread grooves trap mud and make it hard to maneuver. Nitto tires are usually highbred tires, and mud handling is part of their design. The zigzag grooves and triangular sips assist in water evacuation and cutting through the mud. On a wet road, both tires are relatively equal, but on mud, the nomad grappler is a definite superior.
Wear
The Falken’s Wildpeak AT3W only comes with a 55k wear warranty compared to the 60k wear warranty of its competitor, Nitto Nomad Grappler. The at3w’s have a UTQG rating of 660 A B, and the Nomad Grapplers have 540 A B. You would expect the warranty to match if you do not have the at3w’s at a higher mile value. Both tires come equipped with significant depth grooves, making them last longer before they have to be replaced.
Fuel Consumption
The Nitto Nomad Grappler has a heavier construction. Wider grooves impose more weight on each lug, hence a greater force on the road. This reduces fuel efficiency. Compared to the Falken Wild Peak At3w, which has a marginally lighter construction.
Which is better? Nitto Nomad Grapplers Or Falken Wildpeak At3w Tires
There is no definitive way to decide which of the two is better. The better choice depends on where and what you will be using the tire on. If it’s on light-duty trucks like the Ford Ranger, then I would suggest the veteran Wildpeak at3w over the Nomad Grapplers. If it’s on a Crossover like the Subaru Forester or the Honda CR-V, you would be better off going with the Nitto Nomad Grapplers.
There is also the aesthetics to consider. Nitto’s Nomad grapplers come with the option to choose from a dual design sidewall, which offers a buyer options. The Wildpeak AT3W is more pronounced visually. It has the deepest grooves in Wildpeak’s entire tire series, distinctive shoulder blocks, and U-shaped lugs that are hard to ignore. On the other hand, the Nitto Nomad grapplers have a more balanced urban crossover vehicle look to them.
Last Updated on November 23, 2023 by Rifen
