Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T vs Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme (RF12) tires

Once a highly popular brand for dragsters, 4x4s, and specialty competition tires, Mickey Thompson Tire was born in 1963, and now a part of the Goodyear family. Similarly, Hankook Tire is a South Korean tire maker that rolls out great quality tires for CUVs, light trucks, SUVs, electric vehicles, commercial trucks, and passenger cars. Let’s compare their popular all-terrain tires Baja Boss A/T and Dynapro AT2 Xtreme (RF12).

The Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T and the Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme (RF12) represent two distinct approaches to the all-terrain tire category, catering to different driving styles and needs. Both tires offer off-road capability and on-road comfort, but they differ in their design and performance characteristics.

The Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T leans towards aggressive off-road performance, featuring a bold tread pattern with large, biting blocks and a high void ratio. This design provides exceptional grip in mud, dirt, and rocky terrain, making it a favorite among off-road enthusiasts. It boasts reinforced sidewalls and a durable compound for enhanced puncture resistance and longevity in challenging environments.

The Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme (RF12), while still capable off-road, prioritizes on-road comfort, quietness, and all-weather traction. It features a more refined tread pattern with optimized siping and tread block placement to reduce road noise and enhance handling on paved surfaces. Its compound and design are engineered for consistent performance in wet and light snow conditions, making it a versatile choice for daily driving and occasional off-road adventures.

This comparison will delve into the specifics of each tire, considering their traction, handling, and longevity performance based on our proprietary SimpleScore, which rates each of the mentioned traits on a scale of 0-10 to help you decide which tire best suits your driving needs and preferences.

Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T tires

Introduced in 2020, the Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T is an all-terrain tire designed for light trucks and SUVs that balances on-road comfort and off-road performance. Available in a wide range of sizes, from 16 to 24 inches, it caters to various vehicle types and driving preferences. This tire boasts an aggressive tread pattern with large, biting blocks and a high void ratio, providing enhanced grip in mud, dirt, gravel, and rocky terrain. Its durable construction, featuring reinforced sidewalls and a tough tread compound, enhances puncture resistance and longevity in challenging environments. With a 60,000-mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty, Mickey Thompson all-terrain tire focuses on robust construction for long-term wear. The Baja Boss A/T also aims to provide a relatively quiet and comfortable ride on paved roads, making it a versatile choice for both daily driving and off-road adventures.

Boasting an 8.6 overall SimpleScore, the Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T assures great off-road durability and adequate on-road performance.

Get Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T tires at the best deals for your vehicle here.

Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme (RF12) tires

Designed for pickup trucks, 4x4s, and SUVs, the Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme (RF12) is an all-terrain tire that delivers a smooth and quiet ride on paved roads while still offering confident traction in different conditions. Featuring a multi-directional tread design with biting edges and optimized siping, the Hankook tire enhances grip in wet and light snow conditions. The durable rubber compound and robust construction provide resistance to cuts and punctures, making it suitable for gravel roads and light off-road trails.

Hankook has engineered the Dynapro AT2 Xtreme (RF12) for long tread life and even wear, contributing to its overall value. Its noise-reducing technology and optimized tread block arrangement minimize road noise, enhancing driving comfort. The Dynapro AT2 Xtreme (RF12) is backed by a 70,000-mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty for p-metric and a 60,000-mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty for LT-metric sizes.

With an 8.4 overall score, the Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme (RF12) promises great all-around performance.

Get Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme (RF12) tires at the best deals for your vehicle here.

Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T vs Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme (RF12) tires on traction

The Mickey Thompson and Hankook tires come with wide grooves and special rubber compounds that provide great traction and grip in different driving conditions including dry, wet, light snow, and rough terrains. Let’s check their traction scores.

With an 8.5 in traction, the Baja Boss A/T features an asymmetric tread pattern that boosts its off-road grip and performance. The Three Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMSF)-certified tire features deep and wide grooves with multiple sipes for effective evacuation of dirt, mud, rocks, and stones from the tread for enhanced grip and traction in different driving conditions including deep snow and ice.

On the contrary, the Dynapro AT2 Xtreme (RF12) returns great off-road traction with its cross-combined scoops on shoulders while biting block edges boost snow and ice performance by smoothly interlocking with the surface. With an 8.4 traction score, the 3PMSF certification assures enhanced grip and traction in moderate to extreme winter conditions.

Being marginally ahead of the Hankook tire, the Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T wins the traction section.

ADVANTAGE: Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T

Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T vs Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme (RF12) tires on handling

The lane-changing ability, cornering, and steering response make a world of difference to your driving experience. Drivers look for tires that offer superior control and stability on and off the road with all-terrain tires. Let’s see how the Baja Boss A/T and Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme (RF12) perform in the handling department.

Boasting an 8.4 handling score, the Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T ensures that it offers great control during maneuvering and cornering on paved and unpaved roads. Featuring Powerply XD, the all-terrain tire has a heavy denier cord fused with the 3-ply construction for improved stability and greater steering response. Lastly, the unique rubber compounds – TI and SI – boost handling and tread life around the year in different conditions.

Contrarily, the Hankook all-terrain tire scores an 8.3 in handling thanks to its aggressive shoulder design and sharp block edges with wavy sipes glued to the surface for effective grip and steering response both on and off the road. The reinforced construction and strong carcass maintain block uniformity for consistent handling performance around the year.

The Mickey Thompson wins again with a thin margin, beating the Hankook in a fiery battle.

ADVANTAGE: Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T

Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T vs Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme (RF12) tires on longevity

Tire life is the most important aspect for buyers as it ‘decides’ the real value they’ll be getting out of their purchase. The Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T and Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme (RF12) promise a longer service life with their tough rubber compound. Let’s check their longevity scores.

The Baja Boss A/T, scoring an 8.8 in longevity, features Powerply XD that involves the use of a heavier denier cord with the angled third ply for enhanced durability and increased resistance to punctures. The special rubber compounds of the Mickey Thompson tire promote uniform wear while resisting uneven wear. It is backed by a 50,000-mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty for LT-metric sizes and a 60,000-mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty for p-metric sizes.

Similarly, the Dynapro AT2 Xtreme (RF12) achieves an 8.9 longevity rating thanks to high-depth sidewall blocks safeguarding the sidewall against punctures, tears, and cuts. The Hankook tire also features a next-generation rubber compound that reduces uneven wear and boosts great wearability. It is backed by a 60,000-mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty for LT-metric sizes and a 70,000-mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty for P-metric sizes.

Despite showing great determination the Baja Boss A/T fails to get a 3-0 with Dynapro AT2 Xtreme (RF12) offering a slightly better longevity score and mileage warranty.

ADVANTAGE: Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme (RF12)

When to use each

All-terrain tires like the Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T and Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme (RF12) are designed to offer consistent traction, grip, control, and durability on smooth and rough roads. While the Mickey Thompson is more tuned to off-road performance and may feel slightly noisy on paved roads, the Hankook tire has better on-road manners required for highway driving and offers a longer tread life.

If you drive more off-road, you should consider going for mud-terrain tires as they are designed with high floatation characteristics and void ratio for effective grip and traction in dirt, mud, gravel, rocks, and sand.

Which one should you choose?

In a nutshell, it’s the Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T that wins the traction and handling sections, although with small margins, while leveling scores in the longevity department. On the other hand, the Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme (RF12) has a longer mileage warranty and longevity score, and the traction and handling loss margin is minimal. So, with either tire, you can’t go wrong. Let’s check their prices to see if there’s any major difference over there.

Comparing the prices of the 275/65R18 116T tire size, the Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T costs around $297 per tire, and four such tires cost $1188, while the Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme (RF12) costs around $257 per tire, and four such tires cost $1028 (a difference of $160).

Based on the SimpleScores, the Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T is a better option if you:

• Drive a Ford F-150, RAM 3500, and Chevrolet Tahoe
• Prefer enhanced traction (8.5 vs 8.4) on and off the road
• Want better handling (8.4 vs 8.3)
• Are ready to pay extra for an overall better all-terrain tire

You can opt for the Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme (RF12) if you:

• Drive vehicles like the GMC Sierra 1500, Volvo XC90, and Toyota RAV4
• Need a tire that offers a longer mileage warranty (70,000 miles vs. 60,000 miles) and longevity (8.9 v 8.8)
• Want an affordable yet capable all-terrain tire
• Prefer a more on-road tuned all-terrain tire

Still not sure which tire to buy? Fortunately, SimpleTire is here to help as our helpful agents are more than happy to assist you in selecting the right tire for your ride and budget.