Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T vs Falken WildPeak A/T3W: The last time we looked into the all terrain segment, we show how Goodyear’s Wrangler AT Adventure showed clear competency in off-road & dry performances over the highly popular BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO. We would like to take this chance to introduce another classic premium brand in the form of Mickey Thompson. They have been producing premium off-road tires since 1963 and have been a well known household name in America. On the other side we have Falken with its WildPeak A/T3W which was launched way back in 2015. Mickey Thompson’s Baja Boss A/T was launched in 2021 to cover the all terrain segment. Without further ado, let’s bring these 2 tires head to head and see who comes out on top!
Table of Contents
Results
Results below were taken from Tire Rack’s Testing On/-Off-Road All-Terrain Tires 2022 test. A total of 3 tires were tested on Tire Rack’s proving ground. The graph below shows the comparison between Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T vs Falken WildPeak A/T3W based on the relevant performance category. The Baja Boss A/T was set as a reference hence at the 100% mark.
As both tires are classified as an all season tire, Tire Rack will include snow & ice in its testing portfolio. A detailed testing on snow including acceleration, braking & handling will be available after the 2022/23 winter season. The tire size of interest is a 265/60R18 which is a common tire size for Toyota Hilux 1500 & Ford Ranger. You can check out our latest tire size table for more information. The testing vehicle is a powerful 2022 Ford Explorer ST.
Wet
The friction of coefficient of the tire/road dramatically decreases in wet roads compared to dry roads. Hence it is more likely to get into a road accident during wet conditions rather than on a sunny day. It was so important that the EU label has wet braking as one of its three criteria. In regards to wet braking, WildPeak A/T3W managed to dominate by out braking Baja Boss A/T by 21.2 feet (6.5m) ! This was the biggest deficit achieved in the test and definitely something not to be taken lightly off.
With the advantage gained in wet braking, WildPeak A/T3W continued its dominance in wet handling as WildPeak A/T3W had a 2.82 seconds in lap time advantage. The trend is the same in subjective wet handling rating as WildPeak A/T3W fared better with a subjective score of 6.47/10 compared to 5.83/10 of Baja Boss A/T. Below is some of the feedback from the test driver.
Baja Boss A/T:
Conversely, the Baja Boss A/T understeered almost exclusively. Similar to the Toyo, the steering was responsive for the first small amount of a turn-in, but it quickly saturated and dissolved into front-end push. While this trait would be safe and stable on the road, it was frustrating for our drivers.
Test driver feedback on Baja Boss A/T
WildPeak A/T3W:
Subjectively, our test drivers liked the precise, direct steering and front-to-rear balance that felt very stable while also engaging the rear axle just enough to be useful and fun.
Test driver feedback on Open Country A/T III
WildPeak A/T3W:
- +16.7% in wet braking
- +3.2% in wet handling (subj)
- +7.6%in wet handling (lap time)
Dry
As for dry, safety is usually not an issue as the braking distance is much longer than wet. However this is the default daily usage and the tires have to perform at a very consistent level. Continuing the trend in wet, WildPeak A/T3W managed to brake 1 feet (0.3m) earlier compared to Baja Boss A/T from a speed of 50mph (80km/h) down to 0.
While in dry handling, WildPeak A/T3W managed to edge in front of Baja Boss A/T by being 0.2 seconds quicker in lap time and also having a higher subjective rating of 6.84/10 vs 6.5/10 against Baja Boss A/T.
WildPeak A/T3W:
- +1.2% in dry braking
- +1.4% in dry handling (subj)
- +0.6% in dry handling (lap time)
Noise/Comfort/Ride Quality
Ride comfort, noise & comfort was tested and WildPeak A/T3W came out only slightly ahead at 6.84/10 rating compared to the 6.5/10 rating of Baja Boss A/T with noise being the main difference.
WildPeak A/T3W:
- +1.7% in average of Noise, Comfort & Ride Quality
Snow
Despite both the Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T and Falken WildPeak A/T3W tires having the coveted 3 Peak Mountain certification, there’s a significant difference in their snow performance, with the Baja Boss A/T clearly dominating.
In snow braking, the Baja Boss A/T shows a remarkable advantage. It stops at 60.30 feet from 25 mph, a substantial 21.9 feet shorter than the Falken WildPeak A/T3W, which stops at 82.20 feet. This difference is significant, especially in emergency braking situations on snowy roads. When it comes to snow acceleration, the Baja Boss A/T accelerates from 0 to 12 mph in just 13.60 seconds, which is considerably quicker than the Falken tire’s 19.10 seconds. This 5.5-second difference indicates a much stronger grip and traction for the Baja Boss A/T in snowy conditions.
Furthermore, in terms of subjective snow handling, the Baja Boss A/T scores 4.92 out of 10, outperforming the Falken WildPeak A/T3W’s score of 3.83. This suggests drivers might find the Baja Boss A/T more responsive and easier to control during maneuvers on snow. Overall, the Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T not only outperforms the Falken WildPeak A/T3W in every snow performance category but does so with a clear margin, asserting its dominance in snowy conditions.
WildPeak A/T3W:
- -27% in snow braking
- -29% in snow acceleration
- -5.5% in snow handling (subj)
Ice
In the context of ice performance, where contact area is crucial for grip and is often at odds with the need for voids for effective snow dissipation, both the Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T and Falken WildPeak A/T3W tires present notable differences.
On ice braking, the Falken WildPeak A/T3W has a slight advantage. It comes to a stop from 12 mph in 55.80 feet, whereas the Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T stops at 57.50 feet. This 1.7 feet difference in stopping distance may seem small, but it’s significant in terms of safety and control on ice. The shorter stopping distance of the Falken tire suggests it has a slightly better contact area for ice grip.
Overall, while both tires handle ice conditions competently, the Falken WildPeak A/T3W has a marginal edge over the Baja Boss A/T in ice braking, likely due to its more effective balance between contact area and void for snow and ice.
WildPeak A/T3W:
- +3% in ice braking
UTQG rating
We have previously shown that UTQG tread wear rating can be a good indication of your expected mileage. Below are the UTQG values of both of the tirelines.
| Brand | Tireline | Size | Tread Wear | Traction | Temperature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mickey Thompson | Baja Boss A/T | All | 600 | A | B |
| Falken | WildPeak A/T3W | All | 660 | A | B |
The mileage warranty for Baja Boss A/T is at 60,000 miles while WildPeak A/T3W had a 55,000 miles. This is oddly not inline with the UTQG tread wear values as WildPeak A/T3W has a higher UTQG tread wear rating of 660 compared to the 600 of Baja Boss A/T. Taking into consideration the mileage warranty offered and also the UTQG tread wear values, it can be expected that both tires have the same mileage performance.
For more in depth information about UTQG, please check out this article here. We even have a free download on the latest UTQG values from the leading tire manufacturers.
Price
Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T being the premium manufacturer in the niche off-road segment was found to cost 21 dollars more than WildPeak A/T3W for the size 265/60R18 for a black sidewall option.
Tire size: 265/60R18
- Baja Boss A/T: $293
- WildPeak A/T3W: $272
Difference: -7.7% more cheaper for WildPeak A/T3W.
Summary
The Falken WildPeak A/T3W stands out as the superior tire in summer conditions, with its dominating wet performance, excellent dry handling, and reduced noise levels. Its slightly lower price point compared to the Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T also adds to its appeal. However, when the focus shifts to winter conditions, the Baja Boss A/T takes the lead, especially in snow, where it clearly outperforms the WildPeak A/T3W. Despite both tires boasting the 3 Peak Mountain certification, the Baja Boss A/T’s dominance in snowy conditions is noteworthy. In this duel, there is no clear winner; it ultimately boils down to a preference between wet versus snow performance.
Dr Edwin Pang