DOT R Compound Rain Tire Comparison

Published: December 12, 2016

The charts below are primarily compiled from my own experience and some guesses. Dry usage is covered here.

Grip Level

The number in parentheses is the tire's treadwear rating, where I could find it. Continental tires are not DOT approved and hence have no treadwear rating.

Tires ordered by grip level, highest to lowest:

  • Hoosier Radial Wet H2O (40)
  • Hoosier Dirt Stocker (non-DOT)
  • Hankook Z206 (non-DOT)
  • Toyo RA-1 (100)
  • Nitto NT01 (100)
  • Toyo R888 (100)

Wear

Tires ordered by wear, slowest to fastest:

  • Nitto NT01 (100)
  • Toyo RA-1 (100)
  • Toyo R888 (100)
  • Hankook Z206 (non-DOT)
  • Hoosier Radial Wet H2O (40)
  • Hoosier Dirt Stocker (non-DOT)

Notes

Hoosier H2O, Hoosier Dirt Stocker and Hankook Z206 are full rain tires. They have a much softer tread compound compared to Toyo and Nitto tires that requires constant cooling by ambient water. These tires will chunk or melt if driven on dry pavement. They are suitable for a steady rain condition but not for drying track.

Of the full wet tires, I ran Hankook Z206. They offered tons of grip in rain and inspired confidence. They also lost their softness over time - I had them for several years as it does not rain that much in the Northeast. Eventually I preferred running Hoosier A6 in light to moderate rain over Hankook Z206 because while the Hankooks did not hydroplane, they also did not really grip the pavement.

Toyo and Nitto tires can be used as dry tires once they are worn to 4/32" of tread. This makes them great choices for non-competitive drivers that want to have rain tires. Conversely, because Toyo and Nitto tires have harder compounds than Hoosier and Hankook tires the former are not as grippy in actual wet conditions.

References