Cooper Discoverer AT3 ("LT" version)

by Mike S
(New England, United States)

Rating out of 10: 8.5
Brand: Cooper
Type: Discoverer AT3
Tyre/Tire Size: 265/75 R16
Fitted on: 06' Nissan Xterra "Offroad"
Kilometers/miles done: Aprox. 50k Mi./ 80k Km.
Pros: Relatively quiet, long wear life, great in snow/gravel/etc, LT version is quite durable, relatively inexpensive

Cons: Looks bland, deceivingly not an "aggressive" looking tire



In looking for a tire to replace my worn "Rugged Trail" BFGoodrinch at's that came with my Xterra, the small mom and pop tire shop I usually go to suggested I try their newest tire, that he's "been using for everything, and swear by them". Originally, i wanted to go with the the tried and true BFG all terrains, but for sake of saving some money, I wound up giving the Coopers a shot.

Now I'd like to mention here that there are two types of this tire, and while they may not look all that different, the proof is in the pudding as they say. The first type is for the typical "passenger vehicle", like smaller SUVs, or trucks. I've even seen them on a couple of station wagons. Then there is the "Light Truck" tire, which are much more hardy. It has a higher load rating, thicker sidewall, and higher speed rating than that of it's passenger counterpart, with a slight sacrifice of ride comfort, and a few extra bucks.


I chose the LT tire, as I'm neurotic when it comes to settling for less. That was about 50,000 miles ago. As far as wear and tear go, you have the typical scalloping you's expect from that mileage, however the actual tread depth hardly looks worn less than maybe 80%. I would attribute this to being the "higher quality" of the two options. They look from afar like a road tread, which is interesting... And surprisingly quiet on the road. However, the depth and spacing of the tread is almost comparable to the BFG All Terrain.


While I love off-roading, this particular car is not my weekend wheeling rig. That being said, I have taken it on a few long weekend overlanding trips. And having done a couple thousand miles on gravel, I can attest to the handling and traction that these tires provide as really quite substantial.

Also, on one of these trips (if anything to drive the multiple tire option home) I have wheeled with someone who wound up blowing 2 sidewalls in the passenger version of this tire, whereas I escaped the same trail with the LT version virtually unscathed.



Performance:
Snow - Fantastic. Plenty of traction in packed and even deep snow. Living on a dirt road can have it's disadvantages, as we typically have to dig ourselves out. However, 2 feet of light fluffy snow? no problem.



Road - Really not bad. Surprisingly quiet for an all terrain. Road handling is exceptional. But then, you're not reading this to see how they preform on the road!

Gravel - Just what you'd expect from an AT on dirt. Exceptional traction and handling, even at speeds of near 50mph (guilty)



Rocks - Decent. With the thicker sidewall of the LT version, air down and rest assured, you'll have plenty of traction and blowout protection.



Mud - The "Achilles Heel" of the AT. Turns into your typical chocolate doughnut. Still though, better than all-season or economy tires.

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