BFG KO3 Overview in Wild Alaska

It took 10 years for BFG to create a greater all-terrain tire this time round. The outgoing KO2 AT is an iconic tire that’s famend for its all-around efficiency on and off-road, particularly its sturdiness in excessive terrain. BFG simply launched the All-Terrain T/A KO3 in Might, and remains to be rolling out the complete vary of sizes.

Is that this new all-terrain higher than the icon it replaces?

BFG flew me all the best way to Alaska to search out out. As you would possibly count on of Alaska in September, the climate was everywhere in the map, the vacationer season was coming to an in depth, and the wildlife was plentiful.

I noticed 14 bald eagles within the span of two hours, flew round Denali within the clouds and landed on a mountain glacier, and skilled vibrant northern lights. In fact, I additionally spent an extended day behind the wheel of a Tacoma off-road, rolling on KO3s by deep sloppy mud, throughout fast-flowing rocky creeks, over tender sand, and on many miles of sharp gravel.

In brief: Alaska is all the time definitely worth the go to. Not solely does its pure, rugged magnificence by no means ceases to amaze nevertheless it’s additionally an ideal place to check off-road tires. BFG has executed it as soon as once more, creating a really world-class all-terrain tire that handles a variety of circumstances with ease. Confidence-inspiring is what you need from a tire, each by way of sturdiness and efficiency, and the KO3 delivers.

BFG KO3 Overview

For the off-road expertise on the KO3s in Alaska, I used to be driving a Toyota Tacoma equipped by Alaska Overlander — which you’ll hire anytime. The truck had all of the bolt-on equipment, so it was fairly heavy, and was mounted with BFG KO3 tires. The tires have been aired all the way down to 25 psi for our total tour, which additionally included over an hour of quick freeway.

After some very moist freeway time, we did some laps on a brief part of very muddy path. The sloppy circumstances pushed the capabilities of the all-terrains, and was for positive the kind of circumstances you’d contemplate a mud-terrain tire for.

Subsequent we did some laps round a small sandy space with huge puddles and a few quick however super-steep unfastened hill climbs. These are the varieties of circumstances during which you count on all-terrain tires to excel, they usually did.

A lot of the day was spent cruising down gravel shelf roads within the mountains at a variety of speeds. The climate was nasty the complete day, and the numerous creek crossings bought fairly deep because the day went on.

Let me sum up at the present time of tire testing in a variety of circumstances. First, moist highway efficiency was spectacular. Whereas not a mud-terrain, the KO3 is excellent in sloppy circumstances, in addition to unfastened sand and dust. Additionally, the tires have minimal rock throw on gravel roads, which makes for a a lot quieter trip and helps save the windshields of the opposite automobiles in your convoy.

BFGoodrich Off-Street Tire Historical past

Earlier than we go deeper into my expertise and ideas on the brand new KO3, let’s first have a fast have a look at the historical past of BFG off-road tires and a few enjoyable information about them. The KO collection is iconic at this level, and over 25 years previous, however efficiency BFG off-road tires goes again a lot additional.

• 1870: BFG began
• 1976: First AT at BFG (first radial AT)
• 1986: Radial AT T/A launched (first Baja 1000 win for BFG)
• 1999: First T/A KO tire (first that labored properly in snow)
• 2014: KO2 launched (introduced higher mud dealing with with shoulder form)
• 2024: KO3 launched

Whereas KO initially stood for “Killer Off-Street,” attorneys rapidly intervened, and today KO stands for “key off-road.”

The dog-bone tread block design in BFG’s KO tires is super-iconic at this level, and commonly imitated by the competitors.

BFG has used Baja as its take a look at observe since its early days of growing off-road tires. It received its first Baja 1000 race all the best way again in 1986, and right now has 35 Baja 500 and 33 Baja 1000 total wins. The “Baja Champion” wording on the sidewalls of BFG tires — together with the brand new KO3 — means the mannequin has been used for a category win at a SCORE off-road race.

Iconic KO2 to New KO3

Now, let’s dive into the large variations between the KO2 and the brand new KO3. They appear fairly related total, which is an efficient factor, however there are some fairly noticeable variations, and possibly extra importantly variations we will’t see.

First, you’ll discover that the KO3 has a lot greater lettering on the sidewalls and extra aggressive tread blocks that attain additional down the sidewall. The enduring canine bone tread blocks are additionally bigger, making for a much less busy-looking tread design. The tread blocks are extra dense on the heart of the tire and extra open on the edges.

The remainder of the variations are hidden from the bare eye. In fact, there are new tire compounds utilized in totally different components of the tire to enrich the brand new building and tread sample.

BFG says the KO3 has 15% higher put on resistance and 6% higher rolling resistance than KO2. It additionally says there’s a small enchancment in snow efficiency, however longevity and chip resistance is why KO3 was created.

BFG KO3 Design

Now, let’s get into a few of the standout options of the KO3 tires that we haven’t gotten to but

The design temporary for the tire went one thing alongside the strains of, “toughness, treadwear, traction.” BFG says they’ve achieved higher put on, extra sturdiness, improved traction, and elevated block stability.

Fashionable vans and SUVs have large torque, and customers count on longevity. An enormous focus of this next-generation KO AT tire is to deal with these forces whereas nonetheless offering a longer-lasting tire. Whereas the guarantee on the tire stays at 50K miles, the damage resistance is claimed to be 15% higher total and 20% higher on gravel.

I requested the engineers at BFG why the guarantee wasn’t prolonged to replicate the development. They mentioned they wished to underpromise and overdeliver. Whereas that seems like advertising line to me, additionally they mentioned they have been involved about new greater torque and heavy automobiles hitting the market, which is a completely legitimate concern. Look no additional than the GMC Hummer EV SUV, which weighs almost 9K kilos and has huge torque and horsepower, for example of what they’re speaking about.

One of many options of the KO3 I actually noticed in motion was the improved mud efficiency. With bigger voids within the tread on the shoulders, that are wider on the fringe of the tire, and improved mud-phobic bars, the tire rapidly evacuates mud from the tread. Because the mud-phobic bars flex over terrain, they break suction between the mud and the tire, pushing the mud out of the tire.

The BFG KO3 AT options full-depth 3-D sipes. This implies the little slits within the tire are super-deep into the tread and narrower in the course of waffle-style 3D design within the heart of every sipe. This helps with tread block stability, as blocks contact quicker when flexed whereas nonetheless maintaining moist and snow traction.

Whereas the rubber has been prolonged and tread design grow to be extra aggressive on the sidewalls of the tire, it’s the brand new tire compound getting used within the KO3 that actually makes the efficiency distinction. The KO3 makes use of the identical sidewall rubber discovered within the Baja T/A KR3 off-road race tire.

BFG KO3 Availability & Pricing

BFG sells its KO tires in 140+ nations worldwide. In nations like South Africa and Australia, gravel sturdiness is tremendous vital, therefore the deal with the chip and tear resistance of the KO3.

There are already 35 sizes of KO3 available on the market this 12 months. Fifty-two extra are coming in 2025, and one other 19 in 2026. There will probably be a KO3 for nearly any off-road automobile. For now, there are many KO2 out there, however they are going to be phased out as the brand new KO3 sizes hit the market.

The BFG KO3 isn’t cheap, as it’s a premium tire that gives premium efficiency. For example, a 35-inch KO3 (LT305/70R18) has an MSRP of $439.99 per tire.

Extra Testing Wanted

In fact, a single day on a set of tires isn’t going to color the entire image of how they carry out in the actual world and in all circumstances. I, for one, am very to see how these do in snow and ice, as ATs are recognized to battle in these circumstances.

As a result of long-term testing is required, I’ve fitted my private overland-built Lexus GX 460 with a set of 34-inch BFG KO3s. Anticipate a extra in-depth evaluation in early 2025 after some real-world testing over many miles and ranging circumstances.