Firestone’s Destination M/T2 is built to handle the toughest terrain, but does that capability come with trade-offs? I put these hardcore mud-terrain tires through months of real-world testing — from deep Rocky Mountain snow to mud-slicked backroads — to find out.

There’s nothing quite like the sinking feeling of tires slipping around on slick mud while your truck’s rear end drifts to the side. That squirrely, “here we go” sensation is downright awful. So as I drove over muddy, slick, almost-frozen backroads during a pheasant hunting trip in eastern Colorado, my hands clamped down on the wheel as I watched the road with unblinking eyes.

But after a couple of hours of driving on these awful roads of peanut butter, my confidence in the Firestone Destination M/T2 grew by leaps and bounds. My buddy, driving a heavier V8 F-150 on Nokian Outpost nATs, was struggling in the slop. Meanwhile, my truck — equipped with the Destination M/T2s — powered through effortlessly. Over the roar of our engines, my buddy yelled in disbelief at how well my tires were gripping.

But no tire is perfect. While these mud-terrains dominate in the slop, they come with compromises on pavement and ice. Here’s how they performed in real-world conditions.

In short: The Firestone Destination M/T2 is a very grippy tire for mud, soft soil, or even rocky terrain. It’s an absolute grip-beast off roads. It does OK in deeper, softer snow but struggles on ice. For the category, it isn’t very loud and handles pavement OK, but it’s best reserved for those who frequently tackle rugged, soft terrain.

Firestone Destination M/T2 Review

If you’re considering a mud terrain tire, you probably want one (or both) of two things: great off-road performance and rugged looks. After driving the Destination M/T2 for several months, I’d say they offer up both in spades.

Jumping back to the example at the beginning, the Destination M/T2 absolutely thrives in softer conditions. Running pretty fast on very soft, slick backroads, I was repeatedly impressed with how well they tracked and maintained grip. It was even more impressive when compared with other, also-good tires. The M/T2 is aptly named in how well it does on mud.

But it’s also a solid tire on loose dirt, soft snow, and even rock. Colorado has a lot of those conditions, and I pressed the tire into some steep places during the fall elk hunting season. Climbing some steep trails in the Rocky Mountains, the tires achieved strong grip across surfaces. And in softer snow, they performed quite well, never giving me any concerns for traction.

Weaknesses

Of course, no tire does everything well. And a mud-terrain tire comes with inherent downsides.

First, dry pavement. While the Destination M/T2 delivers a surprisingly smooth and quiet ride — for a mud-terrain tire — it falls short in dry pavement handling. Cornering feels loose, and lateral stability is not as confidence-inspiring as an all-terrain tire or all-season tire.

Next, they are simply not very good on ice, slush, or thin coatings of snow. While the M/T2 does well on deeper snow, as soon as the road turns to ice, the large treads just can’t provide enough surface area on ice to compete with dedicated winter tires or even some all-terrain tires. And they lack siping that would help them grip in these conditions.

Some owners note that you can add siping after purchasing, but I haven’t tried it myself.

I did use them a lot in winter conditions, including ice. They are capable enough that, coupled with four-wheel drive, my truck can handle snow all right. But I know other tires could do better. It’s a trade-off that I expected with mud-terrain tires.

Another downside is that the Destination M/T2 is a heavy tire with large treads, and thus, not great for mileage. I’m running 33-inch tires on my F-150, so it was pretty bad anyway, but with the M/T2, I’m regularly getting about 16 mpg. The rolling resistance is clearly not great.

Longevity

After about 10,000 miles of testing on a mix of city driving, highways, and off-road terrain, the Destination M/T2s still look very good.

After thousands of miles, the tread wear remains minimal, with no signs of chunking or tearing. However, I did experience a slow leak in the passenger rear tire. At first, I suspected a faulty valve stem, but over time, it was clear it was a slow pressure loss — an annoyance, but not a dealbreaker.

Final Verdict: Who Should Buy the Firestone Destination M/T2?

If you need an unstoppable off-road tire that can conquer mud, deep snow, and rocky terrain, the Firestone Destination M/T2 is an excellent choice. However, if most of your driving happens on pavement or icy roads, you may want to consider a hybrid all-terrain/mud tire for a better balance of daily drivability and off-road performance.

Ultimately, I enjoyed the Destination M/T2 as a great tire off-road and in very soft conditions. If those are common where you drive, these should be a strong choice.