Two of Cooper’s best-performing all-season AT tires – the ST Maxx and STT Pro – are designed to handle every kind of weather on pretty much every kind of surface. But it’s important to note that they each excel in different ways.
Here we’ll go through the qualities and drawbacks of both tires so you can make a more informed decision when you next buy a set.
Cooper ST Maxx – Pros and cons
Pros
- High performance in wet and dry weather
- Excels in shifting surfaces like dirt and gravel
- Ejector tread to keep stones out
- Armortek 3 durable rubber
- Stud holes for added grip on ice
- Dual cool technology keeps the tire from overheating and losing grip
Cons
- No treadwear protection warranty
- Reduced snow performance
STT Pro – Pros and cons
Pros
- Can carry up to 4079lbs
- Sidewall design optimized for tackling rocks
- Little to no trade-off between off and on-road performance
- Directional silica tread for wet performance
Cons
- No treadwear protection warranty
- Poorer handling at higher speeds
Cooper ST Maxx vs STT Pro – What’s the difference?
1. Off-road traction
a) Mud
Cooper ST Maxx
The ST Maxx is a respectable AT tire that can handle almost any surface thrown at it. This includes mud. However, it specializes in loose materials like dirt and gravel
STT Pro
Unlike the ST Maxx, the STT Pro is especially well suited to thick, viscous surfaces like deep mud.
Winner
In deep, wet mud the STT Pro is a tire you can count on. It will maintain solid traction and can be expected to pull you out of a sticky situation.
b) Sand
Cooper ST Maxx
This tire debuted on legendary Dakar driver Xavier Foj’s 2019 Dakar rally car. For most, that should be everything you need to know. The ST Maxx is a tire born in sand and heat.
STT Pro
Heavier and built for larger vehicles, the STT Pro can be relied on to handle the dunes, but that’s not where its strengths lie.
Winner
The ST Maxx was first introduced on the sand and continues to impress as a tire that dominates powder
c) Rock
ST Maxx
Featuring stone ejector tread technology, the ST Maxx can stand up against rock shrapnel and hard, uneven surfaces in terms of its durability. When it comes to traction and performance, nobody can complain.
STT Pro
Here, we can see a strong difference between the ST Maxx and STT Pro. The STT Pro features rock climber sidewall tech and deep treads that give you all the grip you need to handle rocks, big and small.
Winner
Specifically optimized for rocks, the STT Pro is a winner in the category.
2. On-road qualities
a) Road noise
Cooper ST Maxx
Hard compound material, stiff sidewalls, and slightly shallower treads allow the ST Maxx to get away with HT tire levels of noise on the road.
STT Pro
The STT Pro features softer compounds and deep treads that’re perfect for demanding mud. This makes the STT Pro a loud tire on the road.
Winner
Here we see the ST Maxx is, for an all-terrain tire, relatively quiet. More so than the STT Pro.
b) Riding comfort
Cooper ST Maxx
Cooper’s ST Maxx tire handles well. As it gets up to higher speeds, it’s bound to lose some of that handling and gain some steering positivity.
STT Pro
Heavier than the ST Maxx, Cooper’s STT Pro suffers more of the losses of handling at higher speeds.
Winner
The ST Maxx is slightly more comfortable to drive on than the STT Pro.
3. Wet performance
Cooper ST Maxx
A silica-enhanced rubber compound helps the ST Maxx maintain great performance in the wet. By rapidly dewatering as it spins its able to minimize losses of grip.
STT Pro
Like many tires, the STT Pro features directional tread designed to provide the most grip possible in wet weather.
Winner
While both tires are exceptional in wet weather, the lighter ST Maxx handles slightly better.
4. Winter performance
Cooper ST Maxx
The ST Maxx excels on powder and loose material. As a winter tire on thin or powdery snow, the ST Maxx continues to perform well. It’ll maintain a good grip on ice too.
STT Pro
Thick mud and solid surfaces are where the STT Pro shine. When it comes to snow, the Cooper STT Pro won’t do as well on powder as it will on packed snow. Similar to the ST Maxx, the ST Pro has no significant advantages or disadvantages on the ice.
Winner
It depends on the surface. Generally, both tires are exceptional in the winter.
5. Tire pressure
Cooper ST Maxx
The ST Maxx can be bought in 47 different sizes with tire pressures that range from 35 to 80psi.
STT Pro
The STT Pro comes in 48 different sizes, also with a pressure range of 35 to 80psi.
Winner
Both tires have the same range of pressures, so there’s no winner in this category.
6. Durability and tread lifetime
Cooper ST Maxx
Cooper claims the ST Maxx should have a lifetime of up to 70,000 miles. With Armortek 3 rubber technology the ST Maxx can certainly stand up to punishment. Whether you can get 70,000 miles out of them depends on how you drive them.
STT Pro
Featuring the same Armortek 3 rubber technology as the ST Maxx, but strengthened additionally by rock climber sidewall rubber, the STT Pro is a hardy tire for the hardest work.
Winner
While they’re both similar in their durability and lifetime, the STT Pro can be considered more durable.
7. Tire type
Cooper ST Maxx
The ST Maxx is an all-season tire, meaning it can perform well all year round. However, that hasn’t stopped it from impressing as an all-terrain tire for serious adventuring.
STT Pro
The STT Pro is also an all-season hybrid tire designed for an equal distribution of on-road and off-road driving.
Winner
Both tires are essentially the same in characterization as all-season hybrid tires.
8. Load capacity
Cooper ST Maxx
The Cooper ST Maxx has a load range of between 1984 to 3858lbs.
STT Pro
Slightly heavier, the STT Pro has a load capacity of between 1984 and 4079lbs depending on the tire size.
Winner
With a slightly higher upper bound, the STT Pro is a heavier lifter than the ST Maxx, depending on the size of the tire.
9. Performance
Cooper ST Maxx
As an all-season hybrid tire, the ST Maxx doesn’t make nearly as many concessions of its highway performance to off-road strengths as a standard all-terrain tire might.
Stiff sidewalls and a hard compound give it plenty of grip on the tarmac. Plus, a comparatively shallower tread and lighter weight ensure it keeps its cornering and handling at higher speeds.
STT Pro
Similar to the ST Maxx, the STT Pro is well suited to black roads as well as off-road adventuring. However, softer compounds and a heavier overall weight make the STT Pro less able to corner and maneuver at higher speeds.
Winner
The ST Maxx is the winner when it comes to hybrid tire performance.
10. Fuel economy
Cooper ST Maxx
Under testing, it’s been seen that the ST Maxx will shave off about 2-3mpg on average.
STT Pro
These stocky tires will knock off about 1.5mpg for your truck, thanks to their grip and weight.
Winner
Even though they’re heavier, the STT Pro will save you a bit more fuel.
11. Price
Cooper ST Maxx
Depending on the size of the tire, the ST Maxx can range from $210 to $310, possibly more.
STT Pro
STT Pros can set you back between $165 and $570
Winner
While both tires are certainly good value for money, the ST Maxx is clearly the cheaper option.
Cooper ST Maxx vs STT Pro – Which one should you buy?
These tires are hybrid all-season tires built to last and designed to go the way. Wet roads, rocky tundra, you name it; but which one is for you?
In our opinion, Cooper’s ST Maxx is better suited to the lighter side of adventuring. It sacrifices nothing on the road and still has the grit and strength for a camping trip in the mountains.
On the other hand, the STT Pro is considered Cooper’s most advanced AT tire yet. Like its counterpart, it concedes nothing to the black roads. If you’re looking for something that can handle serious adventuring in the hinterlands, go for the STT Pro.
FAQs
1. Which one will last longer, STT Pro or ST Maxx?
Ans. This depends on how you drive them. The ST Maxx has a nominal 70,000-mile lifetime, but the STT Pro is built even tougher. You might be getting more out of the STT Pro than the ST Maxx.
2. Is the Cooper STT Pro good on snow?
Ans. Packed snow, yes. It will perform noticeably worse on powder.
3. Is the Cooper ST Maxx expensive?
Ans. Compared to the STT Pro, it’s the cheaper choice. Overall however, the ST Maxx is an expensive tire, as tends to be the case with AT tires!
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