Writing about the
Nokian Outpost nAT given
78% (275-65-18-)
Driving on
a combination of roads for 17000
spirited miles
Phenomenal traction EVERYWHERE. Best all around tire I've had on any of my trucks or SUV's. But I wouldn't recommend them.. For an All Terrain tire, its also the best I've driven on in the snow, leaning on it's snow-covered roots I suppose. On dry and wet roads, it handles exceptionally well with good steering and road feedback. Road manners may even be considered excellent. They make a little noise - as AT tires do - but it is a broad spectrum noise rather than a hum or buzz that is barely perceptible at around 40 mph, but doesn't grow exponentially louder with an increase in speed; instead, it almost declines around 70 mph where engine and wind noise take over. The ride isn't soft, nor firm - but right where you'd expect it to be and provides enough comfort for heavy loads and/or daily driving. They handle heavy loads well, but not as well as say, Cooper AT3 LT tires that are designed to haul and tow, with a little more squish and roll around corners when loaded. Steering is on the responsive side of neutral that allows for more precise steering making twisty mountain roads downright fun with the right suspension setup (as much as an AT tire can provide and a good set of shocks can provide on a pickup, anyways). They also handle mud and dirt MUCH better than other AT tires that I've run - much more than I would expect - digging for traction where I expect them to gum up and tap out. They do like to pick up gravel stones and toss them once you reach highway speeds, but, again, most AT tires do that. They are wearing a little faster than I'd expect, but not horribly so, and are usually a bit out of balance by 4,000 miles before I have them balanced and rotated at 5,000 miles.
So why on Earth wouldn't I recommend them to everybody? Why am I writing and End of Life review at only 17,000 miles and not a Mid-Life Review? Simply put - the include Road Hazard Warranty is useless. I picked up a nail in the sidewall that is obviously not repairable; Nokians Road Hazard warranty should cover the tire (and it would according to tire shop...) BUT... Nokian is not currently producing the tire in my size LT275/65R18 and is backordered for the foreseeable future. Whether I have to purchase a new tire or it's covered under their warranty doesn't matter since I cannot acquire the tire either way. So I have three good tires and one that cannot be repaired or driven on. Last I checked, my truck needed four tires to run down the road so I'm forced to purchase an entirely new set of tires. I depend on the vehicle to get me out the door in the morning and back home at night, sometimes logging hundreds of miles in a day with gear in the bed and a trailer in tow, no matter the road conditions. Nokian can't even get me back on the road with a very popular and regular tire size. Thus, I wouldn't recommend the tire to anybody. Unfortunately for me, I run the same size tire in a P-rating on my Sequoia and am hoping I don't happen upon any other road hazards with that vehicle or I might be out two sets of tires.