The Cooper Discoverer A/T3 was the overwhelming winner. As the lowest-priced offering, it is also a genuine value. The cost saving is no doubt a result of the company being one of the world’s largest tire manufacturers. The A/T3 was the second fastest through the slalom and wet corner, third fastest through the skid pad, and had the third shortest braking distance. On the highway the Cooper was direct, quiet, and smooth—a tester favorite for long-distance cruising. One would think that all of this pavement performance would result in a lackluster dirt showing, but the Discoverer was an animal on the dirt oval and provided huge driver confidence. This directly translates to improved safety for an overland traveler. The Cooper was also one of the three tires that climbed the rock face successfully.
Each of these tests shakes our assumptions of product performance and reorders our knowledge of what works and what does not. For nearly 20 years I have run BFGoodrich All Terrain tires on my vehicles, as they were nearly universally accepted as the performance leader. However, a lot has changed in the past two decades and there are now new champions. My hope is that these new tires prove as puncture resistant, and that my luck still holds. Either way, we promise to report back on how each tire survives the long haul.