Off-Road Tire Test - Mickey Thompson Baja ATZ P3

The tire market is flush with new models that are tamer than a mud-terrain yet more aggressive than an all-terrain, and one of the latest entries in this emerging demographic comes to us from Mickey Thompson. Representing the next generation in off-road tire design, the ATZ P3 is the result of decades of tire manufacturing and off-road experience. Larger tread voids, a flatter tread face, and lots of siping on the wide tread blocks are just a few of the combined facets that make this tire’s tread so unique. Add in the new T4 high-silica rubber compound and you have a tire that not only gets you down the road in comfort but also grips the dirt with an unrivaled ferocity.   |   Mickey Thompson Baja Atz P3 Tread Making these tires a great fit for the latest generation of ¾ and 1-ton trucks is that nearly the entire product line carries an E-range load rating. And while the particular set that we tested came stamped with a load-range D rating, they still carry a load rating of 3,200 pounds apiece. The first thing we noticed after mounting them up to our ’09 Ram 2500 was that, while they are less aggressive and certainly quieter than a traditional mud-terrain, they were not silent. Traction on damp pavement is superb, as it is on loose dirt and gravel, and aggressive sidebiters protect the sidewall from both rock and curb damage. With it’s hybrid tread design, the Baja ATZ P3 is the perfect choice for the truck that lives on the highway during the week but plays in the dirt on the weekend. Mickey Thompson Baja ATZ P3 Size Tested: 315/70R17 (35x12.5R17) Type: Radial Load Range: D Maximum Load (Lb @ Psi): 3,195 at 50 Sidewall Plies: 3-ply polyester Tread Plies: 1 nylon, 2 steel, 3 polyester Approved Rim Width (In): 8-11 Tread Depth (In): 18.5/32 Section Width (In): 12.8 Overall Diameter (In): 34.6 Revolutions Per Mile: 583.2 Weight (Lb): 65 Test Vehicle: ’09 Dodge Ram 2500