I'm looking for a road friendly, all-terrain tire for the wife's Outback. I'll be snagging a set of 16" wheels and buying a set of one of the two above mentioned tires in 215/65-16.
Does anyone have any experience or an opinion on either tire?
How about alternative suggestions in that size and price range?
I have had both of these tires in succession on my outback sport. The grabbers have less road noise despite the more aggressive tread. I had the yokes in 215/60/16 and the grabbers in 205/75/15. I like having the taller sidewall of the 15s. Most of my offroading is southern Utah desert dirt road and sand. It has also seen several hundred miles of bad baja roads. Either tire will perform well on dry terrain but the grabbers will do better in mud.
Geolanders have a great rep. I'd suggest checking out the Toyo open country at as I had a great experience with them on my Cherokee.
I hate the Geolandars on our Cherokee. Relatively quiet, grip is awful. Will never buy again.
Thanks, everyone.
2002maniac, I assume the longevity of the tires was about the same?
Was there a noticable difference in snow traction between the two?
Interco boggers or nothing
I just put a set of grabbers on the Vitara last week, and can confirm the road noise is almost nonexistent. Unfortunately the only sizes that fit the Vitara are the only sizes not marked for severe winter duty, so we'll see how it does in snow. I honestly don't think I see much of a difference, since there aren't too many mountains I need to scale in Illinois this winter. 
True, Mr. Gossett. 
There are the odd, tucked away fishing holes I like to get to every now and then.
One in particular has a long, winding , narrow, dirt, tree-lined path that you have to drive through to get to the lake.
I took the old blue Lincoln there once, wasn't easy but I made it! Got some funny looks as I came rumbling out of the woods. 
It's looking like the Grabbers are the way to go.
I'll be trying Grabbers on the new Cherokee. Oops did I say that out loud?
Hey, I thought it was anything BUT a Cherokee!
It's even red. Fml.
I have Grabbers in that size on my Outback. They were good enough in the mud and dirt to win the regional Stock AWD rallyX championship. I use them on the street now too since I'm tired of changing between two sets of wheels.
The Grabbers do have pretty weak sidewalls -- IIRC the Geolandars have more plies there. Enough to make a difference? I don't know. But I have popped more than a few Grabbers off the bead of the rim, and I've also torn two sidewalls open when off-roading. I have yet to try the Geolandars because the Grabbers are easier for me to get.
iadr wrote: BFG KO2 (or KO, if sizing issues), close second Firestone A/T. Nothing Yoko, ever
Nothing you mentioned comes in a size that will fit on an Outback.
I am extremely happy with my cooper discoverer ATP's. $688 mounted/balanced for 285/70/17 E rated, made in the USA, a good all season M+S rated tread, and 50,000 mileage warranty.
I looked everywhere at everything for a better value and couldn't find it.
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