Bridgestone Dueler HT Review: The Tire That Goes the Distance

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Introduction to the Bridgestone Dueler HT Tire

Bridgestone’s Dueler HT tire line has become a popular choice amongst drivers looking for an all-terrain tire that can handle moderate off-roading but still delivers a quiet and comfortable on-road ride.

The Dueler HT was first introduced in 1998 and has gone through several iterations and improvements over the years.

The latest Dueler HT models strike a balance between on and off-road capabilities while emphasizing reliability and long tread life.

The Dueler HT is considered more of a highway terrain tire than a rugged off-road tire.

It uses an all-season tread compound optimized for grip on pavement but with enough traction for lighter off-road duties like gravel roads, dirt trails, snow, and rain.

The tires feature an asymmetric tread pattern to reduce noise on the highway without compromising traction.

Overall, the Dueler HT line provides a versatile option for active families and outdoor enthusiasts who want one tire solution for both highway commutes and weekend adventures.

List of Other Bridgestone Tire Reviews

If you’re interested in exploring other Bridgestone tire options, check out our comprehensive reviews of their various offerings. Bridgestone’s commitment to quality and performance shines through in their diverse range of tires.

• Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS Review
• Bridgestone Blizzak LM001 RFT Review
• Bridgestone Blizzak LM005 Review
• Bridgestone Blizzak LM001 Review
• Bridgestone WeatherPeak Review
• Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 Review
• Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 Review
• Bridgestone DriveGuard Plus Review
• Bridgestone Turanza QuietTrack Review
• Bridgestone Insignia SE200 Tire Review
• Bridgestone Dueler HT Review

Tire Models

The Bridgestone Dueler HT line includes several models to fit a range of vehicles and needs:

• Dueler H/T 684 II – An all-season tire available in a wide range of sizes for sedans, coupes, and hatchbacks. Optimized for performance in dry and wet conditions.
• Dueler H/T 685 – An all-season grand touring tire for crossovers and SUVs. Provides a quiet, comfortable ride with all-season traction.
• Dueler H/T RH-S – A highway all-season tire designed for hot rod muscle cars and performance sedans. Offers precise and responsive handling.
• Dueler H/T 695 A/S – An all-season performance tire for luxury sedans and sports cars. Delivers year-round grip and traction, even in light snow.
• Dueler H/T 697 A/T – An all-terrain tire for pickups, SUVs, and Jeeps. Features an aggressive tread for off-road traction and durability.
• Dueler H/T 698 A/T III – The latest evolution of the popular all-terrain Dueler line. Built rugged for trucks and adventure-ready SUVs.

The Dueler HT series is designed to meet the needs of a wide range of drivers, with tires specialized for everything from sports cars to family SUVs.

Intended Use of Bridgestone Dueler HT

The Bridgestone Dueler HT tire line is designed for crossover SUVs, minivans, and light trucks.

These tires are made for highway terrain and all-season conditions. With their all-season tread design, the Dueler HT tires provide year-round traction and handling on wet, dry, and wintry roads.

The Dueler HT is best suited for on-road driving and light off-roading, such as gravel or dirt roads.

The tires are not meant for serious off-road activities like rock crawling or mudding. The tread pattern and compound aim to balance highway stability and traction with moderate off-road capability.

Drivers who do a mix of city and highway driving, and occasionally venture onto unpaved paths, are the target audience for the Dueler HT tires.

Families with crossover SUVs and minivans will appreciate the smooth, quiet ride and secure handling the Dueler HT offers during everyday driving.

The tires provide adequate traction for light weekend adventures, but are optimized for the daily commute and school pickups.

Key Features of Bridgestone Dueler HT

The Bridgestone Dueler HT tire line showcases several excellent design elements and technologies that enable its impressive performance.

Some of the standout features include:

• Aggressive tread pattern: The Dueler HT uses an asymmetric tread pattern with independent shoulder blocks, stable center blocks, and continuous shoulder grooves. This allows the tire to grip well on different terrains while reducing noise on the highway.
• Variable shoulder design: The outside shoulder is more open and aggressive for increased traction, while the inside shoulder has a tighter tread pattern for better handling and stability. This variable shoulder design enhances overall capability.
• Multi-pitch tread block: The tread blocks use different pitches and spacing to minimize noise while driving. This results in a quieter ride.
• Notched shoulder blocks: The shoulder blocks have notches and sipes to boost grip on loose surfaces like gravel or mud. The notches also help eject stones and debris.
• Durable construction: Bridgestone uses a double polyester cord casing for strength and durability. The tire sidewalls also incorporate a rugged polyamide overlay to resist abrasions and impacts.
• M+S rated: The Dueler HT meets Mud and Snow (M+S) traction requirements, making it a capable all-weather tire.

The combination of an aggressive tread, durable build, and all-weather performance makes the Dueler HT well-suited for off-road adventures and all-terrain use.

Key technologies like the variable shoulder design demonstrate Bridgestone’s engineering expertise.

Performance of Bridgestone Dueler HT

The Bridgestone Dueler HT tire delivers solid all-around performance for an all-season highway tire.

Owners praise its dry traction and handling capabilities on pavement. The symmetric tread pattern and continuous center rib help to minimize irregular wear while providing responsive steering and cornering.

In dry conditions, the Dueler HT offers ample grip and traction for daily commuting, with reviewers noting its stable handling even at higher speeds.

The tires feel planted through turns without sacrificing ride comfort. The tread compound balances traction with low rolling resistance to help maximize fuel efficiency.

For wet weather driving, the Dueler HT provides reliable traction and braking. The tread pattern efficiently channels water out from under the tire to resist hydroplaning.

Owners say the tires perform well on damp roads, though some caution against overly aggressive driving in heavy rain.

Overall, the wet performance meets expectations for an all-season highway tire.

Road noise is acceptable for a highway all-season tire, with most owners saying the Dueler HT rides quietly across various road surfaces.

There is some minor road noise on coarse pavement, though not excessive. The tire is regarded as comfortable over bumps and cracks in the road without being overly soft or floaty.

Overall, drivers praise the balanced real-world performance of the Bridgestone Dueler HT across dry and wet conditions.

The tire delivers responsive handling along with a comfortable, quiet ride. For drivers looking for an all-season highway tire, the Dueler HT is a well-rounded option with solid performance ratings.

Off-Road Ability of Bridgestone Dueler HT

The Bridgestone Dueler HT performs very well on rough terrain and in muddy conditions thanks to its aggressive tread pattern.

The tires have large, irregular blocks that help to eject mud and provide plenty of biting edges for traction.

Reviewers consistently praise the Dueler HT’s performance on loose gravel, with the tires providing excellent grip even on steep inclines.

The aggressive shoulder blocks give lateral stability when cornering on gravel roads.

In snowy conditions, the Dueler HT performs admirably. The aggressive tread blocks provide plenty of biting edges to dig into the snow.

The sipes and grooves help to eject snow and prevent packing, which is important for maintaining traction.

Testers found the Dueler HT to be one of the better all-terrain tires for snow driving.

The only slight downside is that the tread blocks may pick up small rocks, decreasing ride quality.

But overall, the Dueler HT is one of the best all-terrain tires available for off-road performance and traction in mud, snow, and gravel.

Drivers who frequently go off-road will appreciate the capabilities of this tire.

Warranty

Bridgestone provides a 50,000 mile limited warranty on the Dueler HT tire. This means the tire is covered for defects in materials and workmanship for 50,000 miles from the date of purchase.

The warranty covers issues like tread wearout, uneven wear, ride disturbance, or if the tire is damaged due to a defect.

To be eligible, the tire damage cannot be from road hazards, improper inflation, overloading, or improper maintenance.

If a tire needs to be replaced under the warranty within the first 2/32″ of treadwear, Bridgestone will replace it at no charge.

After 2/32″ of treadwear, Bridgestone will give a pro-rated credit based on the remaining usable tread depth.

To file a warranty claim, you’ll need to bring the tire to an authorized Bridgestone dealer.

You’ll need to provide proof of purchase and date to verify the tire is still within the 50,000 mile coverage period.

The Dueler HT limited warranty only applies to the original purchaser and is not transferable if the tires are sold to another party.

The warranty covers normal street driving but does not apply if the tires are used for commercial purpose like taxi, rideshare, delivery, etc.

Pricing

The Bridgestone Dueler HT tires are generally affordable for an all-terrain tire, with pricing competitive with other major tire brands.

The price can range from around $150 to $200 per tire, depending on the specific size needed for your vehicle.

Some of the most popular sizes include:

• P265/70R17 – $170 per tire
• LT265/70R17 – $180 per tire
• P275/55R20 – $200 per tire

Pricing may also vary between different retailers. Discounts and promotions can help find the Dueler HT tires for lower prices at certain times of the year.

The pricing is reasonable given the tires’ reputation for dependable all-terrain performance and long tread life.

While more affordable all-terrain options exist, the Bridgestone Dueler HT offers a good balance of value for money given its versatile on/off road capabilities, sturdy construction, and manufacturer warranty backing.

Drivers looking for an all-terrain tire with strong highway manners, confident wet traction, and light off-road ability should find the Dueler HT reasonably priced.

Competitors

The Bridgestone Dueler HT is comparable to other popular highway terrain tires like the Michelin LTX A/T2, Goodyear Wrangler TrailRunner AT, and Firestone Destination LE2.

These tires compete in the same category with a focus on smooth highway driving and moderate off-road capability.

The Michelin LTX A/T2 is another top rated tire in this category. It has a focus on long tread life and all-season capability.

While a solid tire, the LTX A/T2 doesn’t have the same aggressive off-road traction of the Dueler HT.

The Michelin is likely better for highway comfort while the Bridgestone excels off-road.

Goodyear’s Wrangler TrailRunner AT is probably the most direct competitor to the Dueler HT.

It offers a similar tread design and is intended for light truck and SUV applications.

The Wrangler AT tread pattern isn’t quite as rugged and aggressive as the Bridgestone though. For serious off-roading, the Dueler HT has an edge.

The Firestone Destination LE2 splits the difference between highway and off-road performance.

It leans more towards on-road behavior but has some capability off-pavement.

Compared to the Bridgestone, the Firestone doesn’t have the same grip and traction in mud, snow, and loose terrain.

For mixed use in varying conditions, the Dueler HT is more capable.

Overall, while there are many great tires in this category, the Bridgestone Dueler HT stands out with its balance of on-road comfort and off-road traction.

For light truck owners that don’t want to sacrifice either, it’s an excellent choice compared to similarly purposed options.

Conclusion

The Bridgestone Dueler HT is an excellent choice for drivers looking for an all-terrain tire that performs well both on and off the road.

Its aggressive tread design provides plenty of traction and grip on loose surfaces, while the symmetrical tread pattern helps reduce road noise for a smooth, quiet ride on pavement.

The Dueler HT handles impressively across various terrains and conditions thanks to Bridgestone’s hybrid tire technology combining multiple rubber compounds.

Test drivers reported responsive handling, good braking, and a composed ride whether driving on wet roads or gravel trails.

For drivers who split time between pavement and off-road adventures, the Bridgestone Dueler HT is a great option.

It offers versatile performance for all-terrain use at a reasonable price point. The 50,000 mile treadwear warranty also provides peace of mind.

Overall, we recommend the Dueler HT for SUV and truck owners seeking an all-terrain tire that maintains comfort and control both on and off the road.

It provides a balanced blend of off-road capability and on-road manners. For drivers needing maximum traction in mud, sand, or deep snow, more specialized off-road tires may be preferable.

But for light to moderate off-road use plus daily driving, the Bridgestone Dueler HT is an excellent all-around choice.

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