The tires proved themselves from the get-go, providing Lovell with exceptional handling. “On the way, we encountered some road construction. Rather than wait, we took the Raptor down the back roads. The KO2s were right at home on the fast and narrow dirt roads. We got to camp in record time,” recalls Lovell.
The next morning, the group set off to tackle Red Cone, one of the most difficult trails in Colorado. It's a tight and rocky climb to the top, and it proved difficult with the size of the Raptor. The sun came out and the terrain completely turned to mud, but the KO2s’ serrated shoulder design easily pulled the Raptor through every muddy, rocky obstacle in its way.
Fall quickly turned to winter. When the group hit the summit at 12,801 feet, snow began to pile up. They drove down hills as steep as 30 degrees. Inclines and ice rarely mix. The Raptor slid from one snowbank to the next, but the KO2s always kept Lovell’s truck under control. It’s easy—and at times, a little terrifying—to see why the KO2 earned its 3-peak winter rating.
For a final adventure, Lovell and the group drove up Radical Hill, a short but extreme trail consisting of a shelf road and steep grades. Before long, Lovell realized the road was too narrow for a Raptor. But on a steep mountain pass, you can’t just throw it in reverse. With only inches to spare on each side, the KO2s never faltered. Roger and his family summited the 12,300-foot mountain. “We would not have made it without those tires!” recalls Lovell.
For Lovell and his family, it was a trip—and a set of tires—they won’t soon forget.