Nitto Trail Grappler M/T vs Cooper Evolution M/T tires

For drivers who like to take their 4WD trucks way off-road and into muddy, sloppy terrain, most all-terrain tires are just going to fall short of actually getting the job done. The truth is, mud is really the common denominator in these situations. If your tire can’t throw the mud out of its treads and dig in for some real traction, it doesn’t matter how much ground clearance, torque, or horsepower your truck has – you’re going to find yourself with mud-coated tires spinning in place and your truck hopelessly mired down and in need of a winch. Over the years, mud-terrain tires have developed a bit of a reputation for being noisy, a little twitchy and squirrelly on the pavement, hard to balance because of their size and weight, and cumbersome when it comes to handling. Fortunately, the latest generation of mud-terrain tires has been able to successfully get around many of those shortcomings.

That brings us to our comparison of the Cooper Evolution MT vs. the Nitto Trail Grappler M/T. These are both very capable premium mud-terrain tires, and they both come with their strengths and weaknesses that we’ll delve into in this head-to-head comparison test. In the course of this review, you’ll see us periodically refer to SimpleScore numbers; if you’re not familiar with SimpleScore, it’s a resource that the team at SimpleTire has developed to give you an at-a-glance idea of what a tire is all about.

SimpleScore takes into account a tire’s specs, data points, and reviews and then distills that information down into 1-10 numerical values for the categories of traction, durability, and longevity, as well as an overall average SimpleScore. For the Cooper Evolution MT and Nitto Trail Grappler M/T, the SimpleScore rating breakdown is as follows:

Nitto Trail Grappler M/T

• Traction: 8.4
• Durability: 8.5
• Longevity: 8.9
• Overall average SimpleScore: 8.6

Cooper Evolution MT

• Traction: 7.9
• Durability: 8.0
• Longevity: 8.3
• Overall average SimpleScore: 8.0

As you can see, the Nitto Trail Grappler M/T and Cooper Evolution MT are both pretty closely matched when it comes to SimpleScore rankings. As useful as SimpleScore is, though, it’s still the 30,000-foot view that doesn’t give you an in-depth analysis of a tire’s strengths and weaknesses. Let’s break that information down a little more with a head-to-head comparison of these two premium mud-terrain tires.

Nitto Trail Grappler M/T tires

The Nitto Trail Grappler M/T is a great example of what a next-generation mud-terrain tire design is all about. It’s a tire that delivers unmatched performance off-road and in deep mud, without giving away too much in the way of on-road manners, ride quality, or overall drivability on the street.

Leading edge tread and side blocks give the Trail Grappler M/T more surface area and biting edges for lateral stability and forward traction in rough off-road conditions, which is a huge help for clawing out of ruts or over obstacles. Reinforced shoulder grooves work as part of a system with the rest of the Trail Grappler M/T’s tread features for off-road performance without compromising the rigidity and stability of the tire’s tread block. Deep sipes in the center blocks enhance wet-weather traction on pavement, and the well-balanced void ratio is designed for the thorough shedding of mud and debris.

The 3-ply sidewall and high-turnup design of the Trail Grappler M/T give an extra layer of protection for rough use and resistance to damage. The noise/vibration/harshness design team at Nitto fine-tuned the Trail Grappler M/T’s tread pitch, tweaking the size, shape, and position of tread blocks to cancel out certain frequencies and resonances for a surprisingly quiet ride. The Trail Grappler M/T is also engineered for roundness and uniformity, improving ride quality and helping take care of any balance issues. It’s also worth noting that, like other Nitto tires, the Trail Grappler M/T has two different sidewall designs – one with traditional lettering and squared-off shoulder buttresses, and the other with more stylized lettering and V-shaped lugs, making it easy to customize your truck’s looks and suit your aesthetics. In terms of prices, the Trail Grappler M/T is available for $278 per tire.

Cooper Evolution MT tires

You might presume that the M/T in the branding of the Cooper Evolution M/T would stand for Mud Terrain, but actually it’s Maximum Traction, and you’d be right either way. The Cooper Evolution is designed with a symmetric mud-terrain tread with beefy, oversized lugs and shoulder blocks with alternating scoops to claw down into soft surfaces and resist damage. Trail Grip Sidewall construction protects against impacts, scrapes, punctures, and abrasions while giving the Evolution MT the durability it needs for aired-down operation over rocks and obstacles.

Cooper’s innovative Mud Slinger design helps clear tread grooves of mud, stones, and debris. The Evolution M/T has the M+S rating for mud/snow traction and is pre-drilled for easy installation of studs in case of severe winter weather. It is available with a 10-ply rating for carrying very heavy loads. Depending on tire size, the Evolution MT is available with an outlined white letter (OWL) or black sidewall. SimpleTire’s price on the Cooper Evolution M/T starts at $181.96 per tire.

Nitto Trail Grappler M/T vs Cooper Evolution MT tires on traction

How do the Nitto Trail Grappler M/T and Cooper Evolution M/T stack up as far as SimpleScores for traction? Turns out there’s a fairly wide gap between the two, with the Nitto weighing in at 8.4 vs 7.9 for the Cooper. We’re pretty impressed with the Nitto’s leading edge tread and side scoops, since forward traction is pretty much the name of the game when it comes to mud. The 3-ply sidewall and high-turnup design are also pretty handy for aired-down operation over steep rocks, logs, stumps, and other obstacles where a tire needs to be able to practically wrap itself around things to claw its way through. The Nitto also does a great job of ejecting and self-cleaning mud, gravel, and debris out of the tread, which is all-important for traction in deep mud. Our verdict:

ADVANTAGE: Nitto Trail Grappler M/T

Nitto Trail Grappler M/T vs Cooper Evolution M/T tires on durability

In the durability category, the spread is a little closer for SimpleScores, with a solid 8.5 for the Nitto vs. 8.0 for the Cooper. Any tire with a 3-ply sidewall and high-turnup casing is designed for durability, and the Nitto also incorporates a heavy-duty tread formulation designed to resist cuts, punctures, tears, and abrasions. No question, they’re both tough tires, but our decision is:

ADVANTAGE: Nitto Trail Grappler M/T

Nitto Trail Grappler M/T vs Cooper Evolution M/T tires on longevity

This one’s not even close, with a SimpleScore of 8.9 for the Nitto vs. 8.3 for the Cooper. Neither tire comes covered by a limited manufacturer’s tread life warranty (most mud-terrain tires don’t offer one), but all the design features and heavy-duty materials that contribute to the solid durability rating for the Nitto also mean longevity for the long run. The stone ejectors built into the tread of the Nitto do more than just shed debris, they also protect the casing from damage, so our verdict is:

ADVANTAGE: Nitto Trail Grappler M/T

When to use each

It all depends on what you expect from a tire and your truck. If you live far back in a rural area with ranch roads and oilfield lease roads, or if you love taking your truck way back into the backwoods and getting in some good times in deep, sticky mud, then mud-terrain tires like the Cooper or the Nitto could either one be great choices. If, on the other hand, you want mud-terrain tires because you think they’d make your truck look cool (even if you spend most of your time on city streets), then you should probably think pretty hard about whether mud-terrain tires are the best choice or not.

Yes, mud-terrain tires have evolved a lot and tire manufacturers have addressed many of those complaints about noise, ride quality, vibration, harshness, handling, and wheel balance. Still, for daily driver duties, you should consider mud-terrain tires over all-terrain tires on your vehicle only if you have a real need for high off-road traction.

Which one should you choose?

The Cooper and the Nitto are both great tires, don’t get us wrong. They’re both durable, and both provide great traction in rough conditions (although, notably, neither the Cooper Evolution MT nor the Nitto Trail Grappler M/T have the 3 Peak Mountain Snowflake certification for severe winter service). Both tires are manufactured to exact specs, but after looking at all the SimpleScore ratings and customer reviews, it’s clear that the Nitto comes out on top. Traction, durability, longevity, and non-SimpleScore details like road manners, noise level, and handling, all show that the Nitto is a clear choice out of the two. The only disadvantage of the Nitto is that it is nearly $100 more expensive. But if we at the SimpleTire team were shopping for a set of mud-terrain tires for an F150, RAM, or Silverado, we’d be compelled to go with the Nitto Trail Grappler M/T.

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