Ridge Grappler vs KO2
If you’re looking for a new set of tires, there’s a high chance that you’re considering the ridge grappler by Nitto and ko2 by BF Goodrich. If that is so, deciding between ridge grappler vs ko2 must be hard for you, I understand, as both are excellent tires.
There are not enough complete resources across the internet that goes in-depth on the benefits and drawbacks of each tire. I intend to fulfill that gap with this piece.
Before I start the comparison, I want to clear the fact that you can’t go wrong with any of these. They’re both fantastic tires, and they’re worth the hype. The area that separates them is the user groups - each of them is a better fit for a different group of users.
Ridge Grappler vs KO2
Types
The very first point of difference between the two tires is their types. The BFG (BF Goodrich) KO2 is an all-terrain tire, whereas the RG (Ridge Grappler) is a hybrid one.
BFG claims that it is their one of the toughest AT (all-terrain) models, and I do not disagree with their claim. The KO2 is an upgraded & improved version from their very popular KO model, and it kind of has the look of an MT (mud-terrain) tire.
On the other hand, the RG is a hybrid tire, and it does equally good on regular and mud terrain, staying true to its name.
Performance
The KO2 has a different tread pattern than the KO model for the sake of better looks and improved performance for a mud tire. It features an improved siping technology with loose object ejection mechanism for better performance off-the-road.
However, despite all these, the KO2 is still an AT tire at the end of the day, and it’ll do nice on light mud scenario, but not on deeper ones. It seems to get noisy when you throw it in heavier mud.
If you accept it as an AT tire, it’ll not let your expectations down on mud-terrains. But you should not be expecting mud-terrain tire like performance on muds that a hybrid might achieve.
However, if we talk about the road scenario, this tire is smooth as silk. You won’t feel any bump that you might feel from a tire made of hard materials and having wider grooves. It stays quite silent in the road scenario.
Talking about the RG, it is better at holding traction on loose surfaces; thus, it does better on heavier muds. RG is a hybrid tire so that you can expect such performance on mud-terrain, too, from this tire.
It has alternating tapered edges on the tread pattern to add more bite and grip. It, too, features small object like a stone removal mechanism for even firm grip. With all the technology and design, it performs like a true hybrid tire.
It’s quite excellent in the road scenario as well. However, it’s not as silent as the KO2, and you should expect a little more noise even on the smoothest road-terrain. But the gripping is still on point.
When talking about Nitto ridge grappler vs BFG ko2 in snow, they’re equally good. The ridge grappler tends to stay more silent than usual, though.
Looks
In terms of looks, the RG is simply better than the KO2 with its attractive, aggressive looks. Yes, I know I could be diplomatic, saying, “looks depends on the individual.”
But I’m quite sure about the fact that most people that have seen the pictures of these two likes the RG more because of its aggressive looks. The look of the RG totally suits your truck.
However, there’s no way I can say that the KO2 is a bad-looking tire with its change in tread design. It’s just the RG stays ahead when we compare these two. I also feel that the KO2 looks a little wimpy on a truck, especially.
Longevity
If the KO2 was falling behind in terms of looks, it leaves the RG way behind in terms of longevity (aka mileage ridden). I know people who’ve pushed the ko2 to up to 45000 miles and the tire handled without any complaint. That’s quite amazing.
On the other hand, the RG wears evenly and does alright when it comes to longevity. It’s not ‘amazing’ like the KO2, but it does a decent job. Do not trust the claim of the manufacturer here. They claim big numbers on paper, but the reality is quite different.
The RG is not a short-lasting tire by any means. It’s just not as good as the BFG KO2 in terms of longevity.
Price
It finally comes down to how much each tire will hurt your pocket. Any guesses?
Well, probably, yes. If you’ve come this far to read a comparison article on the Nitto ridge grappler vs BFG ko2 f150, you probably already know their price. The RG is more expensive than the ko2.
The price may vary from supplier to supplier/seller, but the estimated difference is around 150 dollars.
If you ask me whether the extra money is worth it or not, I’d say yes, if you go off-road quite frequently. The extra grip on muds from the RG will give you such confidence that’ll even more than 150 bucks.
But if you’re more into city rides and do light off-roading, you might not need to spend the extra 150 bucks.
BF Goodrich KO2 vs Nitto Ridge Grappler
Verdict on Ridge Grappler vs KO2 f150
As I said in the very beginning, you can’t go wrong with either of the tires. They’re both excellent tires and offer impressive benefits. I believe two different groups of users will find either of the tire more useful.
Sources:
