Five Best Mud Tires For ATVs and UTVs

If you’ve never gotten over the desire to play in the mud, make sure you have the best mud tires you can find on your ATV or UTV.

Who doesn’t like playing in the mud? Riding an ATV in that wonderful concoction that comes from blending dirt with water is something some of us have never outgrown. It’s just that now, our toys have gotten more advanced and expensive. Riding in mud with an ATV is a whole lot of fun. If you’re serious about your mud time fun time, it may be time to invest in the best mud tires you can afford.

Mud tires are some highly specialized rubber. They have aggressive tread patterns and can tear apart a lawn in quick order. You also want a tire that self-cleans, letting the tire do what it is supposed to do – get traction anywhere possible. There are plenty of great options to choose from, but here are five of the best mud tires for ATVs or UTVs that we could find.

ITP Mega Mayhem

ITP is one of the older tire companies producing high-performance ATV tires. They were one of the very first to offer a performance mud tire with the original Blackwater tires, named after a legendary mud cross country race that many would start but few would finish. Today’s ITP mud tires are state-of-the-art with 6-ply carcasses and deep tread patterns, including the 1.5-inch deep Mega Mayhem, a tire very worthy of the name.

Shop Now

STI Outback Max

Going extreme? Try an STI Tire & Wheel Outback MAX. These tires are 8-ply for extreme puncture resistance and have tread that is up to two inches deep. If you get stuck running these tires on your ATV, you’re riding somewhere you shouldn’t be.

Shop Now

SuperATV Assassinator Mud Tires

When it comes to extreme atv mud tires, the SuperATV Assassinator is the first one that comes to mind. Seriously, just look at these tires! Three-inch deep tread with an open design; how could these tires not just flat-out rip through the goo and slop? These are highly specialized tires made for mud, mud and more mud. However, they can handle some non-mud trail use on a limited basis thanks to a strong center-tread design. They are tall and narrow, just like the best mud tires should be. If you’re a serious mud master, this is an extreme ATV mud tire you should look at.

Shop Now

Maxxis Mudzilla

Maxxis Mudzillas come in a 6-ply design to help reduce the risk of punctures when you encounter something under the goo that you didn’t expect. The deep, directional tread pattern digs into the mud and pushes it out and away from the tire, giving you great bite when you need it most. The tread is also designed to flex in the areas mud would accumulate, helping to “self-clean” the tire.

Shop Now

Sedona Mudda InLaw

Ok, the name is catchy, but seriously look at the tread! These are clearly some of the best mud tires for ATVs and UTVs you’ll find anywhere. With two-inch deep tread that increases to 2-1/4-inch tread at the outside edge to give these meats some mud muscle right where you need it. The tough 8-ply carcass helps prevent punctures, too. The tread has enough to it to make these tires stable and smooth riding between mud sections as well, making them great tires for mud-filled trails. If you are in the market for some extreme ATV mud tires, the Mudda InLaw should be on your short list.

Shop Now

Bonus – High Lifter Outlaw II

While this list started out as a top 5, it doesn’t make sense to leave out a tire from the folks who know mud better than everybody – High Lifter. This extreme ATV mud tire has a tread that wraps all the way to the rim for added traction in the slop. It also has massive 2.5-inch lugs that are designed to bite in the muck and clear it away on every rotation. If you are looking for Polaris RZR mud tires, know that these are found on the mud-specific Polaris RZR XP 1000 High Lifter Edition.

Shop for High Lifter Outlaw II Tires

What Makes a Good Mud Tire?

When you want to tackle to the deepest mud pits, the best mud tires for ATVs and UTVs all share a few things on common. First, they need tall lugs to help push your vehicle through the slop. But there can be a point of diminishing returns. While the Super ATV Assassinator tires can be absolute killers in the mud, tires with three-inch lugs like these tend to be heavy. That means our vehicle’s engine has to work harder to turn them, so these should be restricted to high-powered ATVs and UTVs that can deliver all that power.

Another common trait of the best 4wheeler mud tires are lugs that are well spaced out. When a tire’s lugs run close together, the mud tends to get stuck in between, which weighs the tire down and negatively impacts traction. Good spacing between the lugs helps the tires shed mud as they spin, keeping the weight down and providing better grip in the slick stuff.

Another feature held by the best ATV mud tires is a tough carcass. Whether it be a 6-ply or a super beefy 8-ply design, quality mud tires are built to take a beating. What good is a mud tire if it can’t stand up to the occasional errant stick or jagged rock? It doesn’t matter how big the lugs are if your tires are flat.

We are committed to finding, researching, and recommending the best products. We earn commissions from purchases you make using the retail links in our product reviews. Learn more about how this works.