Don't get stuck in a rut: why you need the right tyres and wheels on your 4x4

A car getting stuck on a shoot day is hugely funny for everyone apart from the person whose car is stuck and the poor buggers who end up doing the pushing. It is also quite amusing when someone has the opposite problem and slithers sideways down a slope or can’t stop in the mud. However, the simple fact is that these moments, amusing though they can be, can disrupt the smooth running of the day, and in the case of sliding or skidding, are potentially dangerous. And the mad thing is that these situations are often completely avoidable.

Quite frequently, people neglect to consider the wheels and tires on their car. “I’m in an SUV, I’ve got 4x4, I’m good,” goes the thinking. However, many modern SUVs come fitted with wheels and rubber that’s well suited to motorway cruising, doing the school run and pootling around Chelsea, but less suited to muddy farm tracks and rough terrain. 

You wouldn’t wear flip-flops to a shoot

Perhaps here it would be good to consider the humble flip-flop. Flip-flops are, I think we can agree, noble little things; great for the beach, summer barbecues, perhaps even for popping to the shops, but you wouldn’t wear them on a shoot day. Your feet would get cold, they’d come off in the mud, and besides, it would look pretty weird with your shooting sock wedged either side of the toe-strap.

There's a reason we wear boots to a shoot day

Turning up to a shoot in a 4x4 with the wrong wheels and tires is just like that. You want a car with good sturdy boots that’ll do their job in any conditions, if not with actual hobnails and studs in, at least with a decent bit of rubber between sock and yuck, and a decent tread so you don’t fall over… or get wheel spin… or whatever - you get the picture. I feel I’ve stretched this metaphor far enough.

Tires tailored for toil

The team behind the INEOS Grenadier understand the difference between a sturdy pair of boots and a pair of flip-flops. Since they’re looking to create a vehicle that will perform on tough terrain as well as on the road, the standard setup will be with 17” steel wheels fitted with Bridgestone All Terrain tires, specially selected by the team following an extensive research programme. These tires are tailor-made by Bridgestone specifically for the Grenadier, taking one of their existing all-terrain tyres and upgrading it, using a different compound that will give better off-road performance and with different construction will give better steering when carrying or towing heavy loads. The tires are ‘snowflake marked’ so they’ll cope on frosty January shoot days. 

INEOS Grenadier believe that this custom setup will meet the needs of most of their customers - standard does not mean second-best in this case - but there is also an option of 18-inch steel wheels with the same Bridgestone tyres, 17 or 18-inch alloys and for those doing a lot of off-roading, the option of BF Goodrich AT tyres too.

Don’t get bent out of shape

On rugged terrain wheels can become damaged.  However the Grenadier’s steel rims are designed to carry on rolling regardless of any scuffs, scrapes or dings you may pick up along the way so you can focus on getting the most from your day in the field.

While the Grenadier remains in the last stages of testing, some of these details could change, but it is this very attention to detail that makes us incredibly excited about this project. If, like us, you like what you’ve seen of the Grenadier thus far, you can get the latest updates from INEOS, exclusive content and the chance to order before anyone else by “raising your hand” to express your interest.

This article is part of an ongoing partnership between GunsOnPegs and INEOS Grenadier. To find out more about our partnership visit The Grenadier Hub.