Are you an SUV or truck driver and are looking to make a selection between the Cooper Discoverer AT3 vs the Wrangler Duratrac? Are you trying to make an informed decision, while profiting from advantageous prices?
Blackcircles Canada is here to help you by offering this comparison between the Goodyear Duratrac VS the Cooper AT3. At blackcircles, take advantage of the best prices on the market, including on high-end and high-quality tire brands. You may also want to take a look at our winter tire purchasing guide to help you make the best decision!
How do Cooper Discoverer AT3 vs Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac compare?
If you are hesitating between Cooper AT3 vs Duratrac tires, it probably means you are used to driving off the beaten path. Whether you are working or living in the country, or you are an occasional traveler, see how these two tire models compare.
On the one side, the Goodyear tires are well known for their quality. Just the name –the Wrangler- reminds us of the legendary Jeep vehicle, known for its off-road skills. The Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac tire is exactly that: a tire specially designed for solid off-road performance, especially on very bumpy or muddy paths. It is definitely able to provide you with great traction on all types of road surfaces, and in all types of circumstances.
If you have already tried to compare the Goodyear Duratrac vs Cooper AT3 tires, you have probably noticed that the latter is less pricy. It is in fact a more affordable tire, and with a slightly less aggressive design. The Cooper Discoverer A/T3 still offers great versatility, and is able to give you a stable driving experience even in road conditions such as:
- Mud;
- Sand;
- Snow;
- Rocks.
It is skilled and performant, although it is not necessarily adapted to extreme conditions such as deep mud or driving in extremely rocky trails. However, if you wish to drive with these tires over paved roads or highways, they will bring you a comfortable driving experience in these circumstances as well.
When it comes to the Goodyear, the design is a little bit more aggressive and it is capable of handling harsher road conditions like, for example, deeper snow and mud. It is also more resistant and capable of towing heavy loads.
One important distinction, however, must be made between the Cooper Discoverer AT3 vs Wrangler Duratrac: the first is winter certified, the second is not. The Cooper tire is an all-season tire, with more solid traction on ice and which can be driven year round. Laws vary from one province to another, yet this tire is legally accepted anywhere in the country, in any season.
The Goodyear is an all-terrain tire and, even if it can be driven without any problem on the snow, it is not always legally permitted to keep it during winter. That will depend on where you live.
Now let’s see how the Wrangler Duratrac vs Cooper AT3’s specifications make them different from one another.
Cooper Discoverer AT3 specifications
Specially made for trucks and SUVs that are itching for adventures off the beaten path, the Cooper Discoverer AT3 is a solid off-road tire. Three versions of the AT3 allow it to adapt to different needs:
- The AT3 4 S, a tire designed for all seasons;
- The AT3 LT, specially designed for trucks and to carry or tow heavy loads;
- The AT3 XLT with greater traction and more important dimensions.
Amongst its best features, you will find:
- Sturdy shoulder blocks;
- The Even Wear ArcMC technology:
- The Whisper GroovesMC technology;
- Rock expelling edges.
The robust shoulder blocks are definitely part of what help make the Cooper tire an all-terrain tire with excellent traction, by providing it with greater solidity and with increased resistance to damages and wear. Also, the rock expelling edges help make it more stable on all types of roads by not allowing gravel or rocks to remain stuck in the sipes.
The Even Wear Arc technology helps even out pressure on the tire while driving. This means that, on the one hand, wear will be even and life expectancy longer. Moreover, the contact surface remains even for a stable driving experience. The Durable TreadMC technology also allows it to resist to wear and tear, even when carrying heavier loads.
Even Wear Arc technology is designed to balance pressure on the tire while driving. This means, on the one hand, that wear will be even, for a longer life expectancy, and on the other hand, that the contact surface will also be even and promote a stable driving experience. The Durable TreadMC technology also makes it more resistant to wear and tear, even while carrying heavier loads.
Even if off-road tires are often thought of as unpleasingly noisy, especially on paved roads, the Whisper GroovesMC technology is a special groove pattern that promotes a quiet driving experience.
Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac specifications
The Wrangler Duratrac tire is a solid off-road tire specially made for SUVs, lights trucks and commercial vans. Amongst its best features, you will find:
- TractiveGroove TechnologyMC;
- Central grooves with multiple angles;
- Interlocking sipes;
- Can be studded;
- Self-cleaning tread;
- Rim protectors.
TractiveGroove technology is a design or pattern made of circumferential grooves and interlocking sipes with gripping edges, which allows the tire to efficiently reject elements such as water, mud and gravel. This translates into greater traction in all road conditions. It works hand in hand with shoulder ribs that are designed to “clean” the tread by ridding it of debris.
The Wrangler Duratrac is not afraid of deep snow or mud! If you want even more traction on other surfaces, such as ice, you can also choose to add studs to your Goodyear tires.
“Off-road” sometimes also refers to aggressive elements such as rocks or branches. On top of having a solid and resistant tread compound, you will also have rim protectors that will help prevent damages to your rims.
As for a quiet driving experience, the central ribs’ multiple angles have been designed to reduce noise, on top of providing you with greater stability.
Choosing between the Cooper Discoverer AT3 and the Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac
As you have seen above, the Cooper Discoverer AT3 and the Wrangler Duratrac share common features, even if they offer a different design and different technologies.
For example, if we think of a quiet driving experience, the AT3 includes a specialized technology designed for noise reduction, the Whisper Grooves. When it comes to the Goodyear, it relies on central ribs with multiple angles so as to reduce the noise produced by the tires on paved roads.
Both are considered excellent in their category, providing you with a quiet driving experience, which is quite rare for all-terrain tires! Although, when it comes to real life experience, the Cooper tire is particularly quiet, and more so than the Goodyear in this respect.
Both tires also offer features that are designed to expel particles such as rocks or gravel. On the one hand, the Goodyear tire has special ribs that are considered “self-cleaning”; meaning that they automatically eliminate particles that find their way into the tread. On the other hand, the Cooper tire has rock expelling edges, so as to avoid rocks from accumulating into the grooves.
However, the Wrangler Duratrac offers added protection, by adding rim edge protectors. In very rough trails, this can prove to be a feature much appreciated by drivers, so as to insure little damage to the tires themselves, but also to the rims!
The Goodyear’s more aggressive design also includes deep grooves to the interlocking sipes. This allows the tire to better retain mud and snow so as to provide optimal traction. When it comes to the Cooper tire, it is performant on snow and mud, just as long as they are not too deep.
Another advantage of the Goodyear Duratrac tire vs the Cooper AT3 is the possibility to add studs. If both offer reasonable skills in terms of driving on ice or on unstable surfaces, the Goodyear can provide you with added grip when equipped with studs. The Cooper is winter certified, but cannot be studded.
They are both very skilled and performant tire options, with a more versatile and quiet driving experience when it comes to the Discoverer, and more ease in extreme conditions when referring to the Wrangler Duratrac.
Amongst the features that should influence your decision, the need to add studs to your tire can make you lean towards the Goodyear, while a desire for a more affordable price might lead you towards the Cooper tire.
Comparing warranties
Finally, when comparing Cooper AT3 tires vs Duratrac, it is impossible to do so without taking a look at the warranties offered by both brands.
When it comes to the Cooper AT3 tires, a 45 day satisfaction guarantee is offered, during which tires can be returned for an exchange or reimbursement. With the Duratrac, the satisfaction guarantee is of 30 days, which is still generous even if a little shorter.
The Cooper brand also offers a 105,000 km tread warranty for the AT3 4 S, or 96,000 km with other versions. This same warranty is for 80,000 km for Goodyear tires, except for the LT sizes.
When considering both tires’ performance, features, prices and warranties, there is much to consider! If you need extra assistance to find the perfect all-terrain tire, the blackcircles team is here to help. Contact us by phone, or through online chat! We will be happy to answer your questions.
