A set of all-terrain tires could be a great addition to your overlanding rig. There is a myriad of brands that offer AT (All-Terrain) tires. Among them, Falken is becoming a popular brand that has some budget-friendly yet high-quality all-terrain tires.
For instance, their Falken Wildpeak AT3W is one of the most notable of the bunch. It is known for its all-season versatility, on/off-road performance, and durability.
If you are curious about this particular tire, you have come to the right place, because we will be sharing an in-depth review of the Falken Wildpeak A/T3W in this post.
About the Manufacturer
‘Falken Tires’ is a Japanese company that was founded in 1983. After a couple of years, back in 1985, they entered the North American market. At the moment, this company is a part of Sumitomo Rubber North America, Inc. The headquarters of the company is located in Rancho Cucamonga, California.
However, they have 6 distribution centers all over the USA. Those distribution centers are located in Texas, Florida, California, New Jersey, Illinois, and Tennessee.
They are known for offering premium quality tires but at a very reasonable price range. Among them, their Wildpeak tire line is the most popular and it has been used in various racing and endurance events in the USA.
Falken Wildpeak AT3W Review
Review of Falken Wildpeak A/T3W
The Falken Wildpeak A/T3W is available in many sizes. However, we are talking about the Falken Wildpeak A/T3W Radial Tire – 285/70R17 117T.
That means the size of the particular tire is 285/70R17. It has a load capacity of up to 2833 lbs. The load index rating is 117, while the rim size is 17 inches.
Moreover, the speed rating of this tire is T. This radial tire has a section width of 285 mm with a tread depth of 13.6 32nds.
The maximum pressure (psi cold) is 51 on this tire. When it comes to the features, we have a lot to cover in the case of this tire, so we will talk about them one by one below.
Sidewall
The Falken Wildpeak A/T3W comes with an aggressive upper sidewall with offset shoulder blocks. You will also like that the sidewall comes with a secondary bead apex, which works as a heat shield and protects the internal casing of the tire.
Additionally, it helps to boost the traction in off-camber situations or when there’s very low tire pressure. The outer apex sidewall and the aggressive design protect the tire from sharp rocks and stones while off-road.
Heat Diffuser Technology
Another great feature of the Falken Wildpeak A/T3W is the inclusion of the ‘Heat Diffuser Technology’ in the lower sidewall. It helps the tire in several ways. First, this technology disperses heat from the inside of the tire to protect the internal components.
In addition, it ensures additional stability while towing or carrying heavy loads by keeping that critical area of the tire cool.
3D Canyon Sipe Technology
‘Falken Tires’ have introduced their 3D Canyon Sipes Technology in the Falken Wildpeak A/T3W. This technology is used to interconnect the shoulders of the tire.
As a result, even in high torque, the tire will resist wear. At the same time, it also ensures additional handling stability while driving on rough terrains.
Rugged and Rigid Tread Blocks
The Falken Wildpeak A/T3W comes with a unique tread pattern with the ‘Rugged and Rigid Tread Blocks’ feature. Interestingly, this feature has a lot to do with improving the overall design and the stability of the tire off-road.
For example, it supports ramps and step-down features, which offer tread pattern rigidity in the contact patch.
Eventually, it improves the overall stability and handling of the vehicle as well. Along with that, this unique tread pattern helps the tire deflecting stones or debris from being trapped in the grooves.
Similarly, this design also disperses water from under the tire on wet surfaces, which makes it a great tire in terms of wet performance.
Silica Tread Compound and Deep Tread
This tire comes equipped with a silica tread compound, which provides the tire with additional rigidity and long-lasting wear. On top of that, the deep tread design makes it very suitable for driving in snowy conditions.
For the record, this tire features the deepest tread in this category. Furthermore, this feature also helps to prevent hydroplaning on rainy days or wet surfaces.
Traction
The Falken Wildpeak AT3W demonstrates top-notch traction both on and off-road. Thanks to the silica tread compound and unique tread pattern, the tire offers aggressive off-road traction whether it is dry, snow, or wet weather.
Handling
Even though the Falken Wildpeak A/T3W comes with aggressive traction, it offers incredibly better handling.
As a result, it is very easy to drive both on tarmac or any treacherous terrains. At the same time, due to the superior handling, this tire is fuel-efficient as well.
Noise
So, what are all-terrain tires famous for? Yes, all AT tires produce road noise. So, as an all-terrain tire, this Falken tire is not an exception as well.
However, as per many users, this tire is very quiet on the highway. As a matter of fact, you will not even notice it for most of your driving.
Vibration
Like noise, AT tires are also notorious for their vibration on-road. Luckily, the Falken Wildpeak A/T3W is known to cause a lot less vibration compared to other tires in its class.
Many customers stated that it offers a very smooth and stable ride regardless of the terrain and weather conditions.
Warranty
For the record, this tire comes with a 55,000-mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty. Also, ‘Falken Tires’ is known for its helpful after-sale service.
Price
The Falken Wildpeak A/T3W shines the most when it comes to the price. There is no denying that compared to other popular AT tires like the DuraTrac or BF Goodrich KO, it has a far cheaper price.
What Previous Buyers Said?
This tire has received lots of positive feedback from the previous buyers. A few buyers stated that it has held up well even after more than 60,000 miles. They have said it has superior traction on icy, rocky, dry, and wet surfaces.
In addition, these tires tend to be very quiet on the highway. Buyers have also mentioned that they have a great outlook and are priced quite reasonably compared to other similar all-terrain tires on the market.
Most buyers have recommended the Falken, as it is available in a variety of sizes.
Pros:
- An all-terrain tire with the rugged build quality
- Comes with the 3PMSF symbol
- Have 55,000 miles tread life warranty
- Equipped with innovative technologies to enhance the overall road performance
Cons:
- Traction is not good in muddy condition
Falken Wildpeak A/T3W Buyers Guide
Winter Performance on Deep Snow
Simply put, the Falken Wildpeak A/T3W performs incredibly well on snowy surfaces. Better yet, the tire comes with the Three Peak Mountain Snow Flake (3PMSF) symbol, which ensures that this tire is designed to withstand deep snow conditions and offer excellent winter performance.
Performance on Dry Surface
This is another department where the Falken Wildpeak A/T3W shines. Thanks to the aggressive sidewall design and heat diffuser technology, it offers excellent performance in dry conditions whether you are driving on or off-road.
In addition, it has very low road noise even if you are driving on the tarmac.
Performance on Wet Surface
The Falken Wildpeak A/T3W also thrives in wet weather. The deep tread design and 3D Canyon Sipes technology help avoid hydroplaning. Plus, even on wet surfaces, it offers magnificent traction, braking, and handling capacity.
In short, this is a true all-terrain tire that can give other AT tires a good run for the money, in terms of wet performance.
FAQ
Is Falken Wildpeak A/T3W Good?
Of course. According to many previous users, this tire can perform to its best whether it is on a wet, dry, or snowy surface. On top of that, it comes with a 55,000 miles tread wear life warranty. This is an indication that the tire will serve you a long time in the future.
What Ply is Falken Wildpeak A/T3W?
The Wildpeak A/T3W is available in various sizes and ply ratings, but the particular size of Falken Wildpeak A/T3W we have reviewed above is a 4 ply tire.
Where Are Falken Wildpeak A/T3W Tires Made?
There is a lot of misinformation circulating on the internet about the manufacture of Falken tires. According to many current and previous users of the Falken tires, the majority of the Falken tires are made in Thailand.
However, since 2016, they have started to manufacture some of their tires in their plant in Buffalo, New York, USA. At the same time, some other Falken tires are also made in China.
What Does A/T3W Mean?
To explain the meaning behind this term, we have to break it into two parts that are A/T and 3W. Here, the A/T stands for All-Terrain. That means this is an all-terrain tire.
Then, the 3W refers to the fact that this particular tire stands out in 3 areas which are Wear, Wet, and Winter. These three words start with the letter ‘W’ or you could say 3W in short. As a result, Falken named this tire Falken Wildpeak A/T3W.
Last Words – Falken Wildpeak AT3W Review
From the review above, it should be clear that the Falken Wildpeak A/T3W is a great reliable tire for all types of weather and terrains.
It comes with several unique technologies that boost performance regardless of the weather conditions or terrain it is running on. In addition, it is available in a wide variety of sizes and is compatible with a lot of vehicles.
The build quality of the tire is top-notch and has a good warranty. On top of that, it offers a comfortable, stable, and quiet ride while on the pavement.
Last but not the least, it comes at a very reasonable price, which makes it a solid option when you are buying an all-terrain tire.
A direct competitor of this tire would be the BF Goodrich K02 tire. Check out our review here.
