Ok, I was down to about 6/32" on my Revos while expecting a major rain storm coming to Northern California and looking at the approaching winter season coming around the corner. I went through the usual internal debate regarding new shoes...Revos AT/2, Yoko At/2, Hankook AT-RF10, Michelin AT/2, etc.
Well, I live about a mile from a Les Schwab dealer and had purcahsed several sets of Toyo tires from them for Wifezilla's car, although I normally buy my tires from America's Tire due to the numerous brands they carry as opposed to Les Schwab carrying Toyo or their own house brand.
Alright, I needed another set of all terrains before the anticipated deluge of Biblical proportions so I asked for a set of the Toyo Open Country ATs. I had a set on my late Tahoe and I liked them so maybe I'll try them on the Runner. After searching high and low, the salesperson could not find 4 of the same. So I told him no sweat...I'll just drive down to the usual place down the hill. He quickly offered to get me a set of their XTX All Terrains, considered their best for $175.00--same as the Revos on America's Tire--$20 off their usual price.
I was not all that keen on buying a set of no name tires, but I also had dealt with Les Schwab when Wifezilla's tire had a sidewall gash and they were right on it. Never had a complaint about Schwabbie seervice in the years I'd done business with them so what the heck, I'll bite.
So with only two days wear on them but a major rain storm under the belt, here's what I feel about Schwabbie tires. The XTX is suppoed to be the premium house brand--made by Cooper? or was it Pirelli? It has the usual 5 circumferential grooves in the French curve "S" pattern akin to the Cooper ATR, Toyo Open COuntry AT, Revos, and many more designs. The center rib zig zags more then the straight center rib on other tires. Unlike the smoother tread pattern of the Toyos and Coopers, the lugs are spaced fairly aggresively with large swooping channels for quick water evacuation, and locking lugs to snug up against snow and dirt for better traction. Surprisingly, it also carries the "snowflake and mountain" symbol for severe winter traction.
I tried to run over water puddles and drove at judiciious highway speeds in the heavy downpour for the past two days. The tires clear out water in a most admirable fashion. I would say that it is equal to the Revo and better than the BFG AT in flushing water out and back. There is very little squirelly pulling or tugging at the steering wheel as it clears the water away. I tracked true over some nasty wet downpours.
On the road, it sounds just a tiny bit noisier than a set of new Revos--but then it is more aggressive than the Revos. It tracks straight and does not ride the grooves in the roadway. I got the P rated XTX so I can say that it felt stiffer in the sidewalls than my P rated Revos, giving a more controlled feel in comparing P rated to P rated tires.
The sidewall markings show a 500 treadwear with A/B on the traction. It uses 5 plies on the tread---2 steel, 2 polyester, and 1 nylon and two plies polyester on the sidewalls.
It has not snowed yet, but judging from the tread pattern and the snowflake symbol I should not be disapopinted. I also feel confident in the dirt/slop that it was designed to track.
Some folks would just dismiss house brand tires outright as crap. However, big name manufactureres also make crap tires in their low end selections or the OEM contract market. So instead of just dismissing house brand tires I thought I would try a set and report. So far, I am satisfied--and having dealt with Schwabbie service for some years now, I feel confident they will make good should I need it.
I'll add the XTX to my list of good tires to use.
Well, I live about a mile from a Les Schwab dealer and had purcahsed several sets of Toyo tires from them for Wifezilla's car, although I normally buy my tires from America's Tire due to the numerous brands they carry as opposed to Les Schwab carrying Toyo or their own house brand.
Alright, I needed another set of all terrains before the anticipated deluge of Biblical proportions so I asked for a set of the Toyo Open Country ATs. I had a set on my late Tahoe and I liked them so maybe I'll try them on the Runner. After searching high and low, the salesperson could not find 4 of the same. So I told him no sweat...I'll just drive down to the usual place down the hill. He quickly offered to get me a set of their XTX All Terrains, considered their best for $175.00--same as the Revos on America's Tire--$20 off their usual price.
I was not all that keen on buying a set of no name tires, but I also had dealt with Les Schwab when Wifezilla's tire had a sidewall gash and they were right on it. Never had a complaint about Schwabbie seervice in the years I'd done business with them so what the heck, I'll bite.
So with only two days wear on them but a major rain storm under the belt, here's what I feel about Schwabbie tires. The XTX is suppoed to be the premium house brand--made by Cooper? or was it Pirelli? It has the usual 5 circumferential grooves in the French curve "S" pattern akin to the Cooper ATR, Toyo Open COuntry AT, Revos, and many more designs. The center rib zig zags more then the straight center rib on other tires. Unlike the smoother tread pattern of the Toyos and Coopers, the lugs are spaced fairly aggresively with large swooping channels for quick water evacuation, and locking lugs to snug up against snow and dirt for better traction. Surprisingly, it also carries the "snowflake and mountain" symbol for severe winter traction.
I tried to run over water puddles and drove at judiciious highway speeds in the heavy downpour for the past two days. The tires clear out water in a most admirable fashion. I would say that it is equal to the Revo and better than the BFG AT in flushing water out and back. There is very little squirelly pulling or tugging at the steering wheel as it clears the water away. I tracked true over some nasty wet downpours.
On the road, it sounds just a tiny bit noisier than a set of new Revos--but then it is more aggressive than the Revos. It tracks straight and does not ride the grooves in the roadway. I got the P rated XTX so I can say that it felt stiffer in the sidewalls than my P rated Revos, giving a more controlled feel in comparing P rated to P rated tires.
The sidewall markings show a 500 treadwear with A/B on the traction. It uses 5 plies on the tread---2 steel, 2 polyester, and 1 nylon and two plies polyester on the sidewalls.
It has not snowed yet, but judging from the tread pattern and the snowflake symbol I should not be disapopinted. I also feel confident in the dirt/slop that it was designed to track.
Some folks would just dismiss house brand tires outright as crap. However, big name manufactureres also make crap tires in their low end selections or the OEM contract market. So instead of just dismissing house brand tires I thought I would try a set and report. So far, I am satisfied--and having dealt with Schwabbie service for some years now, I feel confident they will make good should I need it.
I'll add the XTX to my list of good tires to use.
It appears to be a Multi-Mile tire which I guess you can get anywhere... 
