Bridgestone’s new Dueler A/T Ascent tires, designed specifically for overlanding and off-road performance, include a new feature for all-terrain rubber: Recycled materials. That, plus a 60,000-mile tread life and the ability to fit a wide range of wheel sizes, including the larger diameter wheels found on many luxury SUVs.
A new tread pattern is designed to enhance traction, especially in the snow, while also giving a more quiet ride on pavement. The company says the Ascent includes “precision sawtooth edges” are” designed to deliver better traction over rough terrain, while “full-depth 3D sipe technology” channels away water and packed snow for better bite in slick conditions. The tires are 3-Peak Mountain Snowflake certified. The tread pattern also includes “stone rejectors, widened tread slots and notches tuned to reduce noise and chip tear.”
Bridgestone says the Ascent tires include a mixture of fresh rubber and recycled materials, which can include organic fiber, recovered carbon black, recycled rubber chemicals, recycled oil, and recycled steel. The company calls the mix “ENLITEN Technology,” and it can also include rice husk silica and carbon black recovered through pyrolysis (heat treatment) of used tire carcasses.
“Our mission with Ascent was to develop a luxury truck tire that could tackle the trails on the weekends without sacrificing the comfort of the daily commute,” Jeremy Norwood, Chief Engineer Consumer Replacement Product Engineering, said in a press release. “As our first A/T tire to integrate ENLITEN Technology, we’ve developed a tire with excellent wet, winter, and off-road performance paired with impressive wear resistance.”
Bridgestone did not specify what percent of the Ascent tires are composed of the recycled materials, but the company has used ENLITEN tech elsewhere, including in experimental solar car racing, where the tires were composed of over 60% recycled materials. Bridgestone says the mixture helps give the Ascent a robust 60,000-mile tread life, which is what the tires include in terms of a limited mileage warranty.
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If you’ve got some large rims on your rig, the Ascent will probably be a good choice, as fitment ranges from 17 to 22 inches wheels across 35 different overall size variations. The new Bridgestone Dueler A/T Ascent tires are available now. Prices vary according to tire size.
