Recently, some tire manufacturers started adding Kevlar to their tires to enhance their performance and durability.
But the question is, “Are tires with Kevlar better than the standard tires?” This article will teach you everything you need to know about tires with Kevlar. Read on.
What is Kevlar?
When you drive your vehicle off-road on rocks, stones, debris, or broken glass, these items can pierce or puncture the tire (or the tube inside). A punctured or pierced tire means you’ve got to halt your drive to replace your tire (given that you have your spare tire and the tool kit).
Here’s where using Kevlar in tires comes in. Kevlar is a synthetic fiber that is about five times stronger than steel, it’s a synthetic fiber used to make body armor. Tire manufacturers use Kevlar in tires in one of the following ways:
- Tire manufacturers use Kevlar as a replacement for the steel coils that form the tire’s edges (also known as beads). When a tire’s edges are made of Kevlar, the tire is lighter (about 2 oz. or 56 grams lighter) and the tire can be easily folded up, something that can’t be done with a standard tire.
- Tire manufacturers use Kevlar as a sub-tread, which is a protective layer that rests between the external rubber and the internal fabric casing that forms the tire’s structure. When Kevlar is added to the casing or sidewalls of a tire, there is some added weight to the casing, giving a somewhat more rigid ride.
Kevlar is added to tires for two main purposes: weight and toughness.
Weight: Kevlar replaces the steel used for the belts in most radial tires. Steel is heavy but Kevlar is much lighter than steel. Also, Kevlar (is just as strong as steel and) can replace the steel cord used in the bead where the tire mates to the rim.
Toughness: Kevlar is more resilient than steel. If stressed enough, steel strands can begin to break over time. Whereas, Kevlar can stand up to flexing without self-destruction until it starts to wear out due to exposure.
Tires with Kevlar can go a year or more without going flat because of Kevlar’s ability to deflect glass and other sharp objects and defend the tire (and tube) against piercing and puncture.
While some people may still experience flat tires from tires with Kevlar, some may go years without a single flat.
However, tires with Kevlar seem to be better and much sturdier than standard tires in the long run. If you’re just starting out with your first tire with Kevlar, here are some of the best tires to consider: the new Goodyear Wrangler MT/R with Kevlar, and the Goodyear Wrangler All-Terrain Adventure.
Goodyear Wrangler MT/R with Kevlar
Goodyear has an exclusive right to put Kevlar in its tires. According to Goodyear, Kevlar makes tires tougher, lighter, and more puncture-resistant. The Wrangler MT/R with Kevlar is Goodyear’s first off-road tire to feature Kevlar.
The inclusion of Kevlar makes Goodyear offer a 6year or 60,000mile tread-life warranty, which is 20% longer than the warranty they offer on their other Wrangler tires without Kevlar. The company also offers a uniformity wear warranty for the first year and up to the first 2/32″ of depth.
Features of the Goodyear Wrangler MT/R with Kevlar include:
- Tread Guards: this helps resist cuts from rocks and stones
- Excellent traction and stability on hard-packed surfaces
- Advanced Mud-Flow Geometry: helps provide self-cleaning and traction in mud:
- Traction Blocks: helps provide additional biting edges on rocks, mud, dirt, and sand
- Three-Ply Sidewall: opposing cord angles help increase sidewall cut- and puncture-resistance
- Ramped Tread Blocks: increases tread strength for off-road conditions
- Staggered Sidewall Should Blocks: helps provide increased traction on rocks and deep mud
- Durawall Rubber: exclusive Goodyear rubber technology helps resist cuts and punctures in the sidewall
- Rim Protector: helps protect wheels from curb-like damage
- Rim Lock: helps prevent wheel slip for minimal balancing throughout the life of the tire
Goodyear Wrangler All-Terrain Adventure with Kevlar
The Goodyear Wrangler line of all-terrain tires has been one of the most popular and successful off-road/all-terrain tires on the market for a number of decades. This tire is decently quiet and has a rugged design and good performance on both wet and dry surfaces. It also has decent handling on snow-covered roads but is a bit more challenging in ice.
The Goodyear Wrangler All-Terrain Adventure with Kevlar has deep sipes throughout its body with lots of biting edges or a high level of traction in various driving environments.
Features of Tires with Kevlar
Here are some of the amazing features of tires with Kevlar:
Amazing Dry and Highway Performance: Tires with Kevlar do well on dry surfaces and highways. They are firm on the road and make driving on the highway more comfortable with low to no noise at all. Both low- and high-speed handling is amazing. The steering response is good with acceptable cornering.
Impressive Wet and Rain Performance: Tires with Kevlar operate well also on wet roads. Traction in wet roads or platforms is pretty good initially, especially when these tires are new. However, with time some uneven wearing can cause this tire to lose stability in some cases. Tires with Kevlar do pretty well at sticking on a freshly wet road.
Winter, Snow and Ice Performance: Tires with Kevlar have good dealing with snow and ice. They come with a stiff tread and tight casing that enable them to do pretty well in the winter months. These tires can also traverse light and moderate amounts of snow. However, ice is the weakest area for this tire.
Despite the fact that the angled edges for gripping and biting are all over these tires, they don’t do so well in ice. More so, the decent anti-slippage nature makes these tires effective on rough and rocky terrain.
Are Tires with Kevlar Worth the Money?
Tires with Kevlar proves to be great in specific areas for consumers. For instance, if you haul trailers and/or deal with unforgiving terrain or off-roads/back-roads that can get sketchy, then tires with Kevlar are a good option.
Though the tires with Kevlar are a bit pricier than other standard tires, their performance compensates for the high price.
Should You Buy Tires with Kevlar?
For sure, tires with Kevlar should definitely be on your shortlist. These tires handle daily driving with ease, last for a very long time, and provide excellent on- and off-road traction, especially if you’re concerned with not getting stuck and not getting a puncture.
Mind you, Goodyear is the only tire manufacturer licensed to use the Kevlar brand in its tire names. Other tire manufacturers that add Kevlar into their tires have to use its generic molecular name, which is aramid.