Key Highlights
- Tireco's Milestar dealers and distributors experienced over 20 miles of rugged off-road terrain while testing the Patagonia tires' traction, durability and control firsthand.
- Milestar's Patagonia line offers a range of tires designed for maximum off-road performance, all-weather confidence and daily driving comfort, including the M/T-02, X/T and A/T Pro models.
- The brand is focused on education, product availability and growing its dealer networks within the U.S. off-road tire market.
Tireco Inc. reinforced the growth of its Milestar brand and its presence in the U.S. off-road light truck tire segment through a recent ride-and-drive experience in Moab, Utah.
Throughout the course of a sunny day, dealers and distributors took on over 20 miles of steep sandstone rock formations and challenging trails on Jeeps equipped with Tireco’s latest Milestar Patagonia M/T-02, X/T and A/T Pro light truck tires.
“When our dealers and distributors experience the traction, durability, sidewall strength, ride quality and control for themselves, they can speak to the product with more credibility,” said Mike Park, assistant director, market intelligence and pricing, Tireco. “That helps them better educate customers and recommend the right Patagonia tire for the right driver and application.”
Positioned for light trucks, SUVs, Jeeps and other off-road vehicles, the Patagonia line first launched in the U.S. in 2016 with the Patagonia M/T, and the line has continued to expand since then with products such as the Patagonia A/T R, Patagonia X/T, Patagonia M/T-02 and Patagonia A/T Pro, according to Park.
According to Tireco officials, the Patagonia line has a national market opportunity with a “strong relevance in markets where off-road culture is well established,” such as in the southwest, the mountain states, the Pacific Northwest and parts of the southeast.
Built to perform
The Patagonia line is central to Milestar’s off-road light truck tire portfolio. Each tire in the range is designed to meet special driving capabilities that cater to unique performance requirements.
The M/T-02, the “most aggressive option” in the lineup, is “designed for maximum-terrain performance and customers who spend more time in mud, rocks, sand and technical off-road environments,” said Park. “It uses an aggressive high-void tread design, strong sidewall construction and features intended to help with self-cleaning, traction and durability in harsh conditions.”
A balance between a traditional mud-terrain and an all-terrain tire, the Patagonia X/T is for customers who desire a “rugged, aggressive tire with strong off-road capability,” yet better on-road performance than a typical M/T product. The tire’s durable compound, rugged sidewall, alternating shoulder design and optimized tread pattern bring this to life, according to Park.
Designed for “all-terrain versatility with strong daily-driver appeal,” the Patagonia A/T Pro is positioned as a choice that blends “off-road capability, all-weather confidence and daily driving comfort,” according to Tireco officials. The A/T is also 3-Peak Mountain Snowflake-rated and features the company’s MileTech compound technology, “aggressive upper sidewall protection and rigid tread blocks.”
While driving through the desert terrain and pushing the Patagonia tires to the limits through extreme rock crawling, many dealers and distributors said they were impressed with the products’ handling, grip and performance throughout the day’s event.
Aaron Tibbetts, owner and operator of Certified Auto Repair in New York Mills, Minn., said the Patagonia A/T Pro is his dealership’s top-selling Milestar tire.
“The A/T Pro has been a great player for us,” said Tibbetts. “In our market, the clients that have them value their traction and ride quality, which have been major selling points.”
Terrance Jacob, sales representative for Delphos, Ohio-based wholesale distributor K&M Tire Inc., said he valued the opportunity to learn more about Milestar’s off-road line and gain firsthand experience of the tires’ performance through the ride-and-drive event.
“The technical capabilities (of the tires) were all present,” said Jacob. “I didn’t feel any slippage going over the steep rocks or climbing hills and the gripping and handling were very impressive.”
A growing tire market
Chad Keller, key account manager for Tireco Inc., said the Milestar brand is continuing to grow within the tier-three segment.
“We live in the tier-three category,” said Keller. “When you look at where that benefits us and where we have major successes, a standout is the Milestar brand.”
Keller also said the company’s Milestar brand has a 93% original equipment market coverage.
Milestar officials say its select limited mileage warranties, including 55,000 miles on the Patagonia A/T Pro, are designed to support dealer and consumer confidence.
“We’re putting it all together for our dealers, distributors and customers in a nice bundle,” said Keller. “These tires offer premium performance with an exceptional value.”
Though the off-road passenger and light truck tire segments in the U.S. remain strong, the market is also becoming more competitive and specialized as consumers are becoming more educated, said Park.
“The brands that win will be the ones that offer the right balance between off-road performance and everyday usability. We see opportunity in this category because trucks and SUVs remain central to the U.S. market and outdoor recreation, overlanding, off-road events and vehicle personalization continue to influence tire demand.”
Park emphasized that Tireco’s distributors help build key market coverage, while the company’s dealer network is crucial for bridging the gap when communicating and promoting the performance benefits and values of the brand’s tires to consumers.
“Our dealers and distributors are critical to the growth of Milestar,” said Park. “They are the ones closest to the customer and their recommendation carries a lot of weight at the point of sale. For us, brand growth does not happen only through advertising. It happens through education, product availability, trust in the product and consistent customer experiences.”
About the Author
Aden Graves
Associate editor
Aden Graves is MTD's associate editor. A graduate of Kent State (Ohio) University's award-winning School of Media and Journalism, Graves holds a bachelor's degree in journalism and another bachelor's degree in communication studies.