Well, this is embarrassing to admit.
For a long time I've said great things about Goodride tyres. I've used them in 3 different sizes on my Jimny: 30", 31" and 33", and they've got me to some awesome locations.
A couple of month ago, things changed.
I put some Maxxis Razrs on my Jimny.
Now I understand the need to pay for good products. I get the whole 'you get what you pay for' thing.
But I didn't think the difference would be so noticeable with these Maxxis Razr tyres.
I've opted for the same size tyres as what I had before: 33" x 12.5" Mud Terrain tyres. The actual track on the Maxxis Razr is a bit wider than the Goodride tyres, despite both being classes as 12.5" wide.
On our first trip out, it was muddy and wet, and I knew we'd get stuck. But it was tougher than expected.
Right off the bat I could see that these tyres were a big step up. It was beyond the fact that they were new, I'd only done about 3,000kms on the last set of Goodrides. These were next level grip.
The next trip involved some fast gravel tracks/roads for about 25km before we got into the good stuff. The gravel roads are where I really saw the difference with these tyres. I went faster and faster to see when these tyres would slip, and they just wouldn't. I'd point it in the direction I wanted to go, and it would just go there. I was looking for some understeer, but there was none.
On that same trip we got high up into some nice snow. This is the ultimate test, and they went great. As we blasted up snow covered hillsides, through snow covered streams and higher and higher into the mountains, I simply felt more confident with these new tyres.
In Summary
I'll never go cheap on tyres again, you really do pay for what you get. If I didn't enjoy driving and pushing my vehicle, maybe it wouldn't matter the same. But I do.
If you're in the market for new tyres, seriously consider the Maxxis Razr range, they have options for both offroad and on-road.
Our mates at Bridgestone Shirley can help you with your tyre needs, give them a call or stop in and see them.