Tire Review: Bridgestone Dueler A/T Revo NEW REVO-LUTION
With nearly 32,000 miles of highway and backcountry roads under their belts, the OEM tires on my 2002 Chevy TrailBlazer were showing the top of Lincoln’s head and wet-pavement handling was starting to slip. It was time for them to serve as get-me-bys on someone else’s rig. Tire shopping is something every truck owner will do. Maybe it happens early in the truck's life, mayabe late. But it's going to happen. When it does, it pays to shop around. There are a lot of tire choices out there. One that caught my attaention is the Bridgestone Dueler Revo A/T (All-Terrain.). The Dueler A/T Revo was developed to meet the needs of pickup truck and sport utility vehicle drivers who drive their vehicle both on and off the road. A tire made specifically for outdoorsmen like myself. So, I decided to give them a spin. It’s been six months and some 8,000 miles since Danny Leggett’s Tire, my local Bidgestone/Firestone dealer in Long Beach, Mississippi, swapped out the worn P245/70R16 BFGoodrich street treads for a set of the Revos. In the process, we gave the TraileBlazer a little huskier stance by up-sizing the new tires to the P265/70R16 versions. The slightly taller and wider footprint looks good and provides a bit of personalization. What a difference tires make. The softer ride, crisper handling, and reduced road noise of the TrailBlazer was noticeable within five minutes of leaving the tire store—and the Duelers have only continued to impress. Their traction on rain-slicked roads is nothing short of remarkable for a “truck” offering—and a world better than the “stock” street tires that came on my vehicle. And they make towing a boat or ATV trailer relaxing no matter the weather or road conditions. “As the SUV and light truck
markets continue to grow and mature, owners are starting
to demand a smooth ride to counter the sometimes rough
road handling characteristic of these vehicles. The
Dueler A/T Revo delivers on both handling and in smooth
performance,” said Phil Pacsi, executive director,
North American Consumer Tire Brand Marketing,
Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire, when the Revos
debuted.
What I thought sounded like so much sales hype at the time has actually turned out to be spot on. Bridgestone/Firestone says the Dueler A/T Revos are designed with a multi-pattern tread and the company’s exclusive UNI-T AQII technology with a dual-layer tread compound. UNI-T AQII technology uses an advanced tread compound and construction features that enhance and preserve wet traction throughout the tire's life to better handle wet road conditions. On the outside, explained my dealer, the Dueler A/T Revo molds a Super Long Link Carbon Black, Dual Layer Tread II compound into an aggressive, all-terrain pattern of interlocking tread blocks to provide traction and handling on- and off-road. The tread channels water away form the center of the tire, reducing the chances of hydroplaning. Then there is the array of biting edges for good traction in gravel, sand, and softer soils or light mud. And the tread blocks have a lot of tiny slits that are designed to provide grip on ice and snow. It’s truly an “all-terrain” design. What makes these tires so cool is as the top layer of tread compound wears away, it reveals a second layer specifically developed to resist aging and remain pliable to retain more wet traction-even as it wears. It’s the softer tread
compounds and the tire’s ability to conform
instantly to road iregualrities that contribute to the The reason for the stable and very responsive handling improvements on my SUV, according to Bridgestone’s technical information, is the Dueler A/T Revo features a Computer Optimized Component System that blends twin high strength steel belts reinforced with spirally wrapped nylon to stabilize the tread area and enhance durability while minimizing weight. Revos also incorporate what Bridgestone/Firestone calls “O-Beads” to enhance the tire's fit to the wheel to improve uniformity and ride quality. With the significant improvement in overall ride and handling, plus the grip these tires have on wet-pavement, it’s not surprising that they garnered the 2003 Consumer Digest “Best Buys” award in the premium selection for all-purpose tires. (Premium selection, according to Consumers Digest, is awarded to products of “superior quality” and includes “models that are the best at any price.”) So, if your pickup or SUV tires are starting to look and feel a little skippy, and you spend the majority of the time driving on asphalt with a little light off-roading, try out a set of Dueler A/T Revos. They add a whole new level of driving confidence. The Dueler A/T Revo comes in 27 popular 15-, 16- and 17-inch P-metric and light truck sizes to fit a wide variety of domestic and imported pickups, SUVs and light truck applications. It is available in load ranges C, D and E in the light truck sizes, and comes with a 50,000 mile warranty on all.--Bruce W. Smith |
Bridgestone “All-Terrain” a truly
smooth performer—wet or dry
reduction in road noise inside my Chevy.