New TAV tires: I achieved something close to samadhi today when I got to go tire shopping. The 03 Tacoma we built into a “TAV” came with stock tires about as thick as a piece of mountain money (otherwise known as toilet paper). To save real money we tried to wear our tissue tires out before upgrading, but nearly every time we drove a high Colorado jeep trail we’d get a flat from a rock cut.
After changing a tire in the rain a few weeks ago we’d had enough. Permission was granted for husband to upgrade tires to something worthy of the male side of the species, if not cromagnon. After looking at 10-ply meats worthy of monster trucks, reason broke through shopping bliss and I went with a set of relatively affordable Toyo 6-ply Open Country all terrain tires, LT rated. They’re slightly taller than stock for a tad more ground clearance, and have a nice blocky tread.
We’ll give the Toyos a good on-road off-road test in the coming months and report back. I expect them to be much better. Interestingly, I didn’t notice the Toyos being any more noisy or shaky during highway travel than the stock treads. But perhaps pride of ownership is blinding my senses — or is it the shopping samadhi?
WildSnow.com publisher emeritus and founder Lou (Louis Dawson) has a 50+ years career in climbing, backcountry skiing and ski mountaineering. He was the first person in history to ski down all 54 Colorado 14,000-foot peaks, has authored numerous books about about backcountry skiing, and has skied from the summit of Denali in Alaska, North America’s highest mountain.
