A little background before we start. I have worked with a few tire companies to develop tires that you will recognize such as BFG Krawler, Mickey Thompson Baja Claw, and Maxxis Trepador. I have a test track available to test and have tested tires there that interest me. I have tested over 50 different tires. I am interested in traction on rocks and go fast handling. Here are my findings summarized below and some people may have other opinions.
For hard pack/rock I find that weight has very little to do with tire performance. The tire height, air pressure, sidewall, tread pattern and compound are the most important factors for most given terrain.
Sand is the exception where weight plays a factor along with air pressure, tread and sidewall. Tread compound is irrelevant in sand. Any compound will work in sand that does not let the paddle fold over. I find that shorter tires deliver more power even though they may weigh as much or more than the taller tire.
Life expectancy out of a tire depends almost exclusively on tire compound and tread depth. The durometer of a tire matters. Harder tires with more rubber last longer off road. Off road to me is 95% dirt and no more than 5% asphalt to get from one trail to another. Light truck tires for light vehicles such as we drive last a long time, but yield less traction and a rough ride. They are not for me because I like performance and a good ride.
Rim width is also another factor as well as the wheel offset that should be considered when setting up an off road machine.
I am sure there are more factors that I have overlooked or ignored because they seem irrelevant for my uses.
I have posted picks of some tires I like below for UTVs.
For hard pack/rock I find that weight has very little to do with tire performance. The tire height, air pressure, sidewall, tread pattern and compound are the most important factors for most given terrain.
Sand is the exception where weight plays a factor along with air pressure, tread and sidewall. Tread compound is irrelevant in sand. Any compound will work in sand that does not let the paddle fold over. I find that shorter tires deliver more power even though they may weigh as much or more than the taller tire.
Life expectancy out of a tire depends almost exclusively on tire compound and tread depth. The durometer of a tire matters. Harder tires with more rubber last longer off road. Off road to me is 95% dirt and no more than 5% asphalt to get from one trail to another. Light truck tires for light vehicles such as we drive last a long time, but yield less traction and a rough ride. They are not for me because I like performance and a good ride.
Rim width is also another factor as well as the wheel offset that should be considered when setting up an off road machine.
I am sure there are more factors that I have overlooked or ignored because they seem irrelevant for my uses.
I have posted picks of some tires I like below for UTVs.