Bridgestone Dueler AT Ascent vs Falken Wildpeak AT4W
- TR Score
- 9.5/10
- Owners say
- 80% · 4
- TR Score
- 8.3/10
- Owners say
- 78% · 11
In the 2 independent tests that ran both tires, the Dueler AT Ascent finished ahead 1 times and the Wildpeak AT4W not once, with one level.
Data updated
Which should you buy?
Pick the Bridgestone Dueler AT Ascent if measured snow and ice grip is the priority. Pick the Falken Wildpeak AT4W if dry braking and predictable handling matter more, while accepting its substantially longer straight-line snow distances in Tire Rack's 2026 test.
Where the Dueler AT Ascent is stronger
- Much shorter snow braking and traction distances in Tire Rack's 2026 snow test.
- Shorter ice braking distance and quicker ice traction in the same test.
- Faster snow handling lap and slightly shorter wet braking in Tire Rack's 2024 on-road test.
Where the Wildpeak AT4W is stronger
- About 4% shorter dry braking distance in Tire Rack's 2024 on-road test.
- Slightly faster wet handling lap in that 2024 test.
- Joint-third drivers' snow handling rating in Tire Rack's 2026 snow test.
Conclusion
Across the two shared Tire Rack tests, the Bridgestone has the clearer winter advantage. In the 2026 all-terrain snow test, it stopped about 18% shorter on snow and needed about 25% less distance in the snow traction exercise. Its ice braking distance was about 15% shorter and it was about 8% quicker to gain traction on ice. Those are substantial measured gaps, even though the drivers gave both tires the same, joint-third snow handling rating. The Falken felt composed and easy to place, but its snow braking and traction were in the lower third of the field. In Tire Rack's 2024 on-road test, the Bridgestone was also about 4% quicker around the snow handling course. That earlier timed lead does not change the fact that the drivers rated their handling equally in 2026.
On the road, the choice is closer. Tire Rack's 2024 test placed the Bridgestone fourth overall and the Falken fifth. The Falken stopped about 4% shorter in the dry, had a small dry cornering advantage and was slightly quicker on the wet handling lap. Testers found it balanced and predictable, although they wanted a more urgent steering response and noted wheelspin under power in the wet and snow. The Bridgestone stopped about 2% shorter in the wet and scored slightly better for road feel and noise, but testers found its dry steering delayed and its ride firm over repeated small bumps. Its wet cornering grip and lap time did not show the same advantage as its wet braking, so neither tire has a convincing across-the-board wet lead.
Choose the Bridgestone if snow or ice grip matters most: its measured advantage in Tire Rack's 2026 winter exercises is too large to dismiss as a difference in feel. It also has the slightly higher overall placing in the 2024 on-road test. The Falken suits a driver who puts more weight on dry braking and predictable handling, and wants the off-road all-terrain model that placed highest in that 2024 on-road group. These tests do not measure their relative off-road traction, so the Falken's tire type should not be read as proof of an off-road performance advantage here.
The bullet points are analysis of the shared tests and of owner reviews; the measured wins in each discipline are in the tables below. Where the two disagree, the figures are right.
Dueler AT Ascent vs Wildpeak AT4W at a glance
| Category | Dueler AT Ascent | Gap | Wildpeak AT4W |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared tests won2 shared tests | 1 | 1 level | 0 |
| Dry3 measurements | 1 | 2 | |
| Wet3 measurements | 2 | 1 | |
| Snow4 measurements | 3 | 0 | |
| Ice2 measurements | 2 | 0 | |
| Comfort2 measurements | 1 | 0 | |
| Tire Reviews Scoreevery test and review we hold | 9.5/10 | The Dueler AT Ascent by 1.2 | 8.3/10 |
| Owner rating4 and 11 reviews | 80% | The Dueler AT Ascent by 2 points | 78% |
Wins count every measurement the shared tests recorded for both tires; a tick marks the tire ahead on that line. Subjective driver scores count as wins but are never averaged, because each test uses its own scale.
Head to head in 2 tests, 2024 to 2026
Each row is one published test in which both tires ran on the same car, in the same size, on the same day. The line is the whole field, winner on the left.
| Test | Dueler AT Ascent | Field | Wildpeak AT4W |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Tire Rack All Terrain Tire Snow Test | P3 of 30 | P3 of 30 | |
| 2024 Tire Rack All Terrain Tires On-Road Test | P4 of 12 | P5 of 12 |
Performance profile
14 measurements from the 2 shared tests, each tire shown as its share of the better figure in every test.
Where each is furthest ahead
Dueler AT Ascent
Wildpeak AT4W
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
In each test the better of the two figures counts as 100% and the other as its share of it, so a 118 ft stop against 112 ft is 95%; each spoke averages the shared tests that recorded it.
Where each scores higher
Dueler AT Ascent
Wildpeak AT4W
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
Category scores are percentiles among tires of the same season and class: 90 means this tire out-performs 90% of them, measured across every test we hold, not only the ones it appeared in.
Where owners rate each higher
Dueler AT Ascent
Wildpeak AT4W
Point at or tap any spoke for both tires' figures.
Owners rate the Dueler AT Ascent 80% from 4 reviews and the Wildpeak AT4W 78% from 11. Each spoke is one question owners answer out of 10; reviews are vetted by hand before publication.
Every measurement, side by side
Averages of the figures both tires posted in the same tests. The gap is the average of each test's own gap, so figures from different cars and years are never mixed. Open a discipline for its measurements, and a measurement for every test's figure.
| Measurement | Dueler AT Ascent | Gap | Wildpeak AT4W | Wins | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 137 | 3.7% | 132 | 0-1 | |||||
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| 0.71 | 1.4% | 0.72 | 0-1 | |||||
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| scored | 3.7% | scored | 1-0 | |||||
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| 167 | 2.3% | 171 | 1-0 | |||||
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| 38.2 | 1.2% | 37.73 | 0-1 | |||||
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| 0.58 | 1.8% | 0.57 | 1-0 | |||||
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| 68 | 17.5% | 82 | 1-0 | |||||
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| 37 | 25.2% | 49 | 1-0 | |||||
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| 26.25 | 4.4% | 27.45 | 1-0 | |||||
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| scored | = | scored | 0-0 | |||||
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| 40 | 14.8% | 48 | 1-0 | |||||
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| 5.48 | 8.1% | 5.96 | 1-0 | |||||
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| scored | = | scored | 0-0 | |||||
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| scored | 3.8% | scored | 1-0 | |||||
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Braking distances and lap times are better when lower; speeds, wear and grip figures when higher. A test's figures are its own: sizes, cars, surfaces and temperatures differ from one to the next, which is why the averages here are only ever of tests the two tires shared. "Scored" rows are subjective driver ratings: each test uses its own scale, so only the wins are counted.
Scores beyond the shared tests
On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Dueler AT Ascent scores 9.5 and the Wildpeak AT4W 8.3 out of 10.
| Dueler AT Ascent | Category | Wildpeak AT4W | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 51 | Dry | 81 | ||
| 92 | Wet | 51 | ||
| 53 | Comfort | 41 | ||
| - | Value | 91 | ||
| 97 | Snow | 17 | ||
| 100 | Ice | 29 | ||
| 15 | Off road | 78 | ||
Category scores are percentiles among tires of the same season and class: 90 means this tire out-performs 90% of them, measured across every test we hold, not only the ones it appeared in.
What owners say
| Dueler AT Ascent | Category | Wildpeak AT4W | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.3 | Dry Grip | 8.9 | ||
| 7 | Wet Grip | 8.4 | ||
| 8.5 | Road Feedback | 6.8 | ||
| 8.5 | Handling | 7.1 | ||
| 9 | Wear | 8.8 | ||
| 8.3 | Comfort | 8.1 | ||
| 7.7 | Snow Grip | 6.7 | ||
| 6.3 | Ice Grip | 5.2 | ||
Owners rate the Dueler AT Ascent 80% from 4 reviews and the Wildpeak AT4W 78% from 11. Reviews are vetted by hand before publication; ownership is not verified.
Bridgestone Dueler AT Ascent
- 80%from 4 reviews
- 68,000 milesdriven by reviewers
All 4 Dueler AT Ascent reviewsChanged to these tires from KO2s in load range E for my 3/4 ton pickup. The Dueler Ascent 3PMSF rated tires perform good in snow, wet and dry. Their kryptonite is ice. Last winter I drove 330 miles with half of that in road conditions that were icy, patchwork of ice, rumble strips of ice on road. In the straights if you kept your speed down and 4wd you did okay. Tire wear is acceptable. I use them year around and tow a 7000# travel trailer 1.5 to 2 months out of the year. 99% highway driving and 1% off-road (that ain't for me).
On the icy slight corners I had to slow way down, < 25 mph was my limit and the tires (high pucker factor). If I had to drive those type of conditions regulary with ice, then I would pop for a dedicated winter tire. No icy road conditions to drive on? then these are great tires for you.
Falken Wildpeak AT4W
- 78%from 11 reviews
- 80%would buy again
- 107,500 milesdriven by reviewers
Drivers generally rate the Falken Wildpeak AT4W highly, praising its strong off-road capability and confident dry-road manners, with many also noting surprisingly low noise and good overall comfort for an all-terrain tire. Wet traction is often described as good to very good, and several users report solid treadwear so far. A notable minority, however, say snow/ice performance (especially braking and slick city winter conditions) doesn't meet expectations for a 3PMS-rated tire, with a few planning to switch to a dedicated winter setup.
- Excellent off-road traction (dirt/rock/sand/gravel/mud)
- Strong dry-road grip and stable handling
- Generally good wet traction for an all-terrain tire
- Low road noise/quiet for an A/T tire
- Snow and ice performance not as strong as expected (especially braking/traction on slick winter surfaces)
Summarised by AI from 11 vetted reviews; the reviews themselves are on the tire page.
All 11 Wildpeak AT4W reviewsThese are absolutely incredible. As in life, one gets what he pays for. Worth every dollar! Highly recommend
Sizes, EU label and lineage
| Category | Dueler AT Ascent | Wildpeak AT4W |
|---|---|---|
| Season | All Season | All Season |
| Replaced | - | Falken Wildpeak AT3W |
Reading the results
Written from the test results and owner reviews above. It is analysis, not a measurement: where it and the tables disagree, the tables are right.
Two independent Tire Rack tests put the Bridgestone Dueler AT Ascent and Falken Wildpeak AT4W side by side: the 2024 all-terrain on-road test and the 2026 all-terrain snow test. The Bridgestone finished fourth to the Falken's fifth in 2024, while both shared third in the 2026 drivers' snow rating. Their measured winter grip was much less evenly matched, with the Bridgestone clearly stronger in straight-line snow and ice tests.
In Tire Rack's 2024 on-road test, the Falken was better under dry braking and slightly quicker on the wet handling course. The Bridgestone stopped slightly sooner in the wet and completed the snow handling course more quickly. Both earned the same comfort score.
The 2026 snow test makes an important distinction: the drivers rated their snow handling equally, but the Bridgestone needed substantially less distance to stop and gain traction on snow. It also stopped sooner and pulled away more quickly on ice. The Falken's handling balance impressed the drivers, though that feel did not translate into equally strong straight-line grip.
Dueler AT Ascent vs Wildpeak AT4W: your questions
Is the Bridgestone Dueler AT Ascent or the Falken Wildpeak AT4W the better tire?
In the 2 independent tests that ran both tires, the Bridgestone Dueler AT Ascent finished ahead 1 times and the Wildpeak AT4W not once, with one level. On the Tire Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Dueler AT Ascent scores 9.5 and the Wildpeak AT4W 8.3 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the Dueler AT Ascent or the Wildpeak AT4W?
The Dueler AT Ascent led 2 of the 3 wet measurements the shared tests recorded.
Which is better in the dry?
The Wildpeak AT4W led 2 of the 3 dry measurements the shared tests recorded.
Which is better in snow?
The Dueler AT Ascent led 3 of the 4 snow measurements the shared tests recorded.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
Owners rate comfort 8.3/10 for the Dueler AT Ascent and 8.1/10 for the Wildpeak AT4W.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the Dueler AT Ascent 80% from 4 reviews and the Wildpeak AT4W 78% from 11.
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Run either of these?
Your review is the part of this page no test can supply: how the tire wore, how it aged, what it was like in the rain in year three. It takes about five minutes.
Where this data comes from
Finishing positions and measurements are transcribed from each published test. A test only counts here when both tires ran in it, so every figure was recorded on the same car, size and day as the one it is compared to.
About the TR Score
The Tire Reviews Score rates each tire out of 10 from every independent test result and vetted owner review we hold, so two tires can be compared even before a test has run them together.
Who does the testing
Every test published as a Tire Reviews test is run by Jonathan Benson, who has been testing tires independently since 2007.
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