You’ve gotta laugh sometimes.
When I was first introduced to Toyo’s Open Country R/T 2-ply, my partner-in-crime, Steve Burke, called it the tradie’s spec. And he wasn’t wrong. Australia’s best-selling vehicles are utes, and many of them are owned by tradies. The 2-ply R/T just happens to tick all the boxes for that crowd - tough-looking, dependable, and easy to live with.
These days, many tradie utes are doubling as weekend warriors. Sure, some might explore the odd bush track, go camping, fishing, or haul a boat — but always with style, and preferably without getting bogged. What they all agree on, though, is that their ute has to look the part. The Maloo and XR8 are out, the Rogue and Raptor are in, and nothing fills those flared guards better than a tyre that’s got some serious attitude.
The original Open Country R/T arrived in Australia just before COVID, built in full 3-ply Light Truck spec and made in the USA - tough, rugged, and ready for anything (we’ll talk more about that version another time). But what Toyo did next was clever: take that same muscular tread design and pair it with a lighter 2-ply carcass, offering a step up from basic passenger construction without overbuilding for city and highway use. It’s made in Japan, and that lighter carcass delivers better comfort, improved on-road manners, and greater fuel efficiency — especially for those who spend most of their time on bitumen.
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What a tradie really wants is a tyre that works all week, looks great, and handles whatever weekend plans come their way. That sounds like a job for the Open Country R/T 2-ply.
Take one young bloke I know well. He runs a slick next-gen Ranger Wildtrak V6 and fitted it with LT285/70R17 Open Country R/T 2-ply. His construction business keeps him on worksites all week, and when the weather’s right, he’s off chasing Kingfish in his Cruise Craft. Most of his driving is on-road, and despite my attempts to lure him into Flinders Ranges rock-hopping trips, he’s not willing to risk bush pinstripes on his shiny Ranger. Fair enough… but little does he know, the 2-ply Open Country R/T could easily handle that too.
Now, contrast that with my son - not a tradie, but very willing to drag his buggy through the scrub. He’s always been a fan of budget-friendly 4WDing. His first build was a lifted Subaru L-Series, but his current toy is a Suzuki Jimny — compact, capable, and cheeky as hell to drive. Naturally, the stock tyres had to go, and the 195/80R15 Open Country R/T 2-ply was a perfect fit. Add a lift kit and some tough wheels, and the Jimny looks brilliant.
In both the Ranger and the Jimny, ride and handling improved dramatically. Steering is sharper, cornering is more controlled, and there’s grip everywhere, without the wallow or vague feel you’d expect from such an aggressive-looking tyre.
Steve, always quick with a good line, reckons the Open Country R/T 2-ply “drives better than it looks”. That says a lot, because most tyres with rugged tread patterns usually compromise on-road feel. Not this one. The Open Country R/T 2-ply delivers on-road performance that feels more like a tame all-terrain than a heavy-duty hybrid.
So yes, it turns out you can have your cake and eat it too - a tyre with bold looks, daily comfort, highway manners, carrying capacity, and real off-road ability.
The Open Country R/T 2-ply is available in a range of 15”, 17” and 18” sizes through Toyo’s authorised dealers. Check it out if you’re after a tyre that works hard, can play hard, and looks sharp doing it.
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