Cooper Discoverer AT3 Review and Buyer’s Guide

Cooper’s range of Discoverer AT3 all-terrain tires is a comprehensive answer to the diverse requirements of the 4x4 truck and SUV community. Perhaps no other current line of tires more completely addresses the growing all-terrain tire audience.

With three Discoverer AT3 options to choose from - the Discoverer AT3 4S, Discoverer AT3 LT, and Discoverer AT3 XLT - all-terrain tire buyers can almost “customize” the tire selection to suit their individual needs and preferences.

If you’re familiar with Cooper all-terrain tires you know there was once one AT3 and now there’s three. The foundation for the current series is the original Discoverer AT3, one of the most reputable and proven performers in the all-terrain tire category for many years.

So which current Discoverer AT3 tire is right for your 4x4 and driving scenarios? Let’s explore the options.

Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S

Cooper rightly recognized that many truck and SUV all-terrain tire buyers intend to use their tires through four seasons, including winter.

The Discoverer AT3 4S addresses the northern 4x4 audience by meeting the traction criteria for Severe Snow Service. These factors were established by tire authorities in the USA and Canada and are currently the highest winter (snow specific) traction testing standards. Achievement is symbolized by the Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake branded on the tire sidewall.

“The Discoverer AT3 4S™ with Adaptive-Traction Technology™ grips the surface, rocky or smooth, under the most severe weather, rain or shine.” – CooperTire.com

Zigzag sipes

The AT3 4S achieves its wintertime traction by employing tried and true winter tire technologies like a silica-based tread compound, zigzag sipes, as well as Cooper’s patented “saw tooth technology,” which works to trap snow in the tire tread to better bond with snow-covered roads and produce more traction. (As anyone who has formed a snowball knows, snow sticks to snow.)

Cooper’s development testing suggests that the 4S’s wintertime qualification translates to tangible real-world results and greater safety – the Discoverer AT3 4S stopped an average of 20 ft. shorter on snow as compared to competing all-terrain tires. (The average car length is about 15 ft.)

The AT3 4S leverages the same aggressive tread design attributes that help with snow traction to deliver legitimate off-road performance. The Secure-Grip five-rib, all-terrain pattern is at home in dirt, mud, sand, rock or gravel. The zigzag sipes also work against stone retention in the tread.

With the best treadlife warranty of the AT3 trio – up to 65,000 miles – the AT3 4S is a leader in this area as well.

Explore the Discoverer AT3 4S

(Note: While snow-rated all-terrain tires like the Discoverer AT3 offer strong snow traction, their overall wintertime performance isn’t on par with winter tires. For more information see Snow-Rated All-Terrain Tires vs. Winter Tires.)

Cooper Discoverer AT3 LT

Hauling and towing heavy loads with improved treadwear, that’s the AT3 LT concept – it won’t wilt when consistently under pressure from heavy payloads. Specific engineering balances heavy load pressure across the contact patch, creating even and long wear.

The AT3 LT’s Durable-Tread Technology features a cut- and chip-resistant compound that’s particularly optimized for traction and durability on gravel roads. Stone ejector ledges help to kick sharp gravel out from the tread.

While on-road, drivers will appreciate the AT3 LT’s Whisper Grooves, which work to reduce and capture tread noise.

Befitting a proper hauling tire, drivers can choose from LT-specification, E/10 ply rated AT3 LT sizes in diameters from 16-18-inches. Tread depths in all sizes are either 16/32-inches or 16.5/32-inches.

Like the AT3 4S, the AT3 LT also achieves the 60,000 mile treadlife warranty mark.

Explore the Discoverer AT3 LT

Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT

The AT3 XLT offers all of the hauling features and advantages of the AT3 LT, plus a powerlifting & bulking cycle…

Keen observers will note the XLT’s enhanced traction shoulders with interlocking biting edges. A common mud-terrain tire feature, the extension of functional tread down the sidewall enhances traction off-road. The extra tread bulk also contributes abrasion and puncture resistance right in an area that’s prone to damage in extreme off-road conditions.

AT3 XLT sizes range from 15-20-inches, with 33 sizes available in total. LT specification and E/10 ply ratings are the rule. Tread depths range from 16/32-inches to 18/32-inches. Up to a 60,000 mile treadlife warranty applies.

Explore the Discoverer AT3 XLT

As an added bonus and vote of confidence, all three Discoverer AT3 options are eligible for Cooper’s Free 45-Day Road Test, which allows any dissatisfied customers to swap their purchase for a different set of Cooper tires. (Some restrictions apply.)

Dissatisfaction is darn unlikely though because Cooper’s hit it out of the park with the updated Discoverer AT3 range. Building on the original Discoverer AT3 foundation, plus giving all-terrain users the ability to select specific tire performances to fit their personal requirements is a surefire recipe for success.

Need some help getting hooked up with the right new Discoverer AT3 option? Give us a call at 866-961-8668.