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Head-to-head Updated

General Grabber HTS60 vs Michelin Defender LTX M/S — Compared

Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews (comfort 40/60). Based on 1 + 1 road tests and 493 + 11 owner reviews. How we score

Defender LTX M/S leads, 79–76 Narrow edge

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General Grabber HTS60
Tire AGeneral

Grabber HTS60

All Season

± 7

Tests – · 1 test Owners 80 · 493 reviews

Best test result: #3 of 13 in 2022 Consumer Reports All Season Truck Tires (tested tread life (miles))

“I think there is a misconception that the cheaper tires are “unsafe”. What is more likely is they will be faster wearing and not necessarily have performance characteristics of a more expensive tires. There are 3-4 ranges for tires. ~$600, ~$1200, and $1800 for a set of 4 that will last between 20-50k miles. Then there is efficiency, say 1.7, 2.0, and 2.3 MPK. To get 2.3 MPK you need a tire under 40#. If we follow your hierarchy then you can limit the options to 3-4 tires: General grabber hts60 (best efficiency) Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 (long lasting) Pirelli AS+3 good all around but 115) I would consider one of the cheaper options but recognize it’s a gamble that may not pay off. Also, I would consider any tire under 50# not very suitable for off-road/towing usage, can you do it? Sure…but is it a good idea…nope.”

Michelin Defender LTX M/S
Tire BMichelin

Defender LTX M/S

All Season

± 7Provisional

Tests – · 1 test Owners 83 · 11 reviews

Best test result: #2 of 13 in 2022 Consumer Reports All Season Truck Tires (tested tread life (miles))

Category by category

Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.

  1. 76

    Dry

    Defender LTX M/S +3
    79
    Why this score
    SourceGrabber HTS60Defender LTX M/S
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 73 (est.)≈ 75 (est.)
    Reviews found online8084

    Grabber HTS60: 60% × 73.1 (est.) + 40% × 80.3 = 76

    Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 74.7 (est.) + 40% × 84.3 = 79

    No road tests of dry for Grabber HTS60. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.41).

    No road tests of dry for Defender LTX M/S. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.41).

  2. 78

    Wet

    Defender LTX M/S +4
    82
    Why this score
    SourceGrabber HTS60Defender LTX M/S
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 76 (est.)≈ 79 (est.)
    Reviews found online8186

    Grabber HTS60: 60% × 76.4 (est.) + 40% × 81.1 = 78

    Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 78.9 (est.) + 40% × 85.6 = 82

    No road tests of wet for Grabber HTS60. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

    No road tests of wet for Defender LTX M/S. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

  3. 72

    Snow

    Defender LTX M/S +2
    74
    Why this score
    SourceGrabber HTS60Defender LTX M/S
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 71 (est.)≈ 72 (est.)
    Reviews found online7277

    Grabber HTS60: 60% × 71.1 (est.) + 40% × 72.3 = 72

    Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 72.4 (est.) + 40% × 76.6 = 74

    No road tests of snow for Grabber HTS60. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).

    No road tests of snow for Defender LTX M/S. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).

  4. 77

    Comfort

    Grabber HTS60 +2
    75
    Why this score
    SourceGrabber HTS60Defender LTX M/S
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 71 (est.)≈ 70 (est.)
    Reviews found online8178

    Grabber HTS60: 40% × 71 (est.) + 60% × 80.5 = 77

    Defender LTX M/S: 40% × 70.5 (est.) + 60% × 77.6 = 75

    No road tests of comfort for Grabber HTS60. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).

    No road tests of comfort for Defender LTX M/S. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).

  5. 73

    Noise

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourceGrabber HTS60Defender LTX M/S
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 66 (est.)–
    Reviews found online83–

    Grabber HTS60: 60% × 66.3 (est.) + 40% × 83.2 = 73

    No road tests of noise for Grabber HTS60. The test half is the tested tires’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.

  6. 77

    Treadwear

    Defender LTX M/S +3
    80
    Why this score
    SourceGrabber HTS60Defender LTX M/S
    Professional tests (TWG score) · 1 / 1 tests7475
    Reviews found online8386
    Tested Tread Life (Miles) (% of best) · 1 shared test · wins 0–179%84%

    Grabber HTS60: 60% × 73.7 + 40% × 82.9 = 77

    Defender LTX M/S: 60% × 75.4 + 40% × 86.3 = 80

  7. 78

    Handling (owners)

    Defender LTX M/S +4
    82
    Why this score
    SourceGrabber HTS60Defender LTX M/S
    Reviews found online7882
Scores at a glance
CategoryGeneral Grabber HTS60Michelin Defender LTX M/S
Relative Score 76 79
Dry 76 79
Wet 78 82
Snow 72 74
Comfort 77 75
Noise 73 –
Treadwear 77 80
Handling (owners) 78 82

Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.

Weight the categories that matter to you

Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.

Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
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Neutral
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Less important
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Less important
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Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.

Important
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Less important
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Recomputed
Headline score
± 7

Grabber HTS60

± 7

Defender LTX M/S

Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.

The professional test results behind the scores

Per discipline: the average % of the best tire over every test both tires were in, and how many of those tests each one won. “Different tests” rows compare results from separate tests.

In the overall rankings of 1 tests that ran both, General Grabber HTS60 finished ahead 1 times and Michelin Defender LTX M/S 0 times.

DisciplineCategoryGrabber HTS60Defender LTX M/SΔHead-to-head
Tested Tread Life (Miles) Treadwear 79% 84% −5.2 0–1 in 1 shared test Newest: 2022 Consumer Reports All Season Truck Tires · 215/60R17
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #2/13 #3/13 – 1–0 in 1 shared test Newest: 2022 Consumer Reports All Season Truck Tires · 215/60R17

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A Grabber HTS60

Pros

  • Smooth and quiet highway ride quality
  • Great value and affordable price point compared to premium brands
  • Reliable all-season traction in wet, dry, and light winter conditions

Cons

  • Occasional reports of minor road noise or hum at higher speeds
  • Potential manufacturing inconsistencies, such as tires being out-of-round
  • Aggressive tread pattern can occasionally cause slight slippage on loose dirt or debris when taking off
All owner themes in the Grabber HTS60 review

Tire B Defender LTX M/S

Pros

  • Exceptional tread life and long-term durability, often exceeding 60,000 miles
  • Smooth, quiet, and comfortable highway ride quality
  • Strong traction and secure handling in wet, dry, and moderate snow conditions

Cons

  • High initial purchase price compared to competitors
  • Subpar off-road performance, specifically struggling in mud, sand, and loose gravel
  • Limited ice performance compared to dedicated winter tires
All owner themes in the Defender LTX M/S review

What real owners are saying

From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score

Tire A

General Grabber HTS60

Positive

Community opinion of the General Grabber HTS 60 is largely positive, with owners highlighting its low price, quiet road manners, and strong fuel and electric efficiency compared to all-terrain alternatives. While widely praised as an affordable highway tire capable of light towing, some users note concerns regarding winter grip, wet hydroplaning at half tread, and isolated balance or sidewall defect issues.

r/f150 ·32 upvotes ·2023-07-18

“New shoes today !! General Grabber HTS60 275/55/R20 117T Very good rated and $400 cheaper than the Michelins I wanted. Discount Tire price matched Sams Club since they were 2 weeks out.”
ford-trucks.com

“Just noticed on one of the pics I took of the tire that the factory added about 10lbs of lead to balance it. Seems like they could have done a better job of that... I see the colored dot on the tire and got wondering what that meant. Found this tidbit of info out there: Quote: Where Are the Paint Dots Placed? Quote: The yellow dots identify where a tire weighs the least — the lightest point on a tire. The yellow dot should be lined up and directly next to the valve stem, which is the wheel’s heaviest point. The red dots identify where the tire is flattest — the lowest point on a tire. The red dot should be directly across from the highest point of the wheel, which is usually indicated by a colored dot or a notch on the wheel. If a tire has a yellow and red dot, the red dot takes precedence when balancing the tire. Wonder if the factory people bother to do that correctly?”
f150lightningforum.com ·2024-04-19

“Hey guys, Turns out there's a puncture in one of my general grabbers and the shop is asking that I change all 4 at this point... When came the time to look at new tires, they advised me that these tires are simply Gerneral Grabber HTS60 tires...indicating that they aren't necessarily made different from any regular grabbers they would put on an ice truck. Can anybody confirm this? If so, has anybody tried a different all-season tire like the Michelin Defender LTX by any chance? Wondering if we'd be getting a huge hit in range... Thanks!”
Top themes
#fuel and EV efficiency#budget-friendly pricing#quiet and smooth ride#highway and road performance#light towing capability#winter and wet traction#treadwear and balance issues

Based on 38 community posts

Tire B

Michelin Defender LTX M/S

We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.

Specs side by side

Attribute A · General Grabber HTS60 B · Michelin Defender LTX M/S
CategoryAll SeasonAll Season
Vehicle typeSUV and 4x4SUV and 4x4
Sizes available39—
Rim diameters15″ – 22″—
Tread depth10 - 14/32″—
UTQG620 - 680 A A - B720 - 800 B A
SidewallBlack Side Wall - Raised Outline White Lettering—
Max pressure44 - 80 psi—

Which one should you actually buy?

General Grabber HTS60

Michelin Defender LTX M/S

Narrow edge: Michelin Defender LTX M/S — better wet, dry and treadwear. Where the General Grabber HTS60 is ahead, it is by less than 3 points. Michelin Defender LTX M/S rests on little evidence so far (1 test, 11 reviews), so read this result as provisional.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 82 vs 78 on wet.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 79 vs 76 on dry.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Michelin Defender LTX M/S scores 80 vs 77 on treadwear.

Tire A · General Grabber HTS60
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Tire B · Michelin Defender LTX M/S
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Grabber HTS60 or Defender LTX M/S?

Which is better in the wet, Grabber HTS60 or Defender LTX M/S?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 82 vs 78 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Grabber HTS60 or Defender LTX M/S?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 79 vs 76 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, Grabber HTS60 or Defender LTX M/S?

Neither, by our numbers: 72 vs 74 on the snow score, within 3 points.

Which is more comfortable, Grabber HTS60 or Defender LTX M/S?

Neither, by our numbers: 77 vs 75 on the comfort score, within 3 points.

Which lasts longer, Grabber HTS60 or Defender LTX M/S?

Michelin Defender LTX M/S, 80 vs 77 on our treadwear score.

How do we compare tires?

Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements), each result compared with every other tire in the same test and newer tests counting more. 40% comes from owner reviews found online, adjusted for how generously each site rates. Both use one scale: the average tested tire gets 70, the best 100. When a tire has only one of the two, the missing half is estimated from the other and the score stays closer to average; with no road test and fewer than five owner reviews it gets no score yet.

Handling is the exception: road tests measure it inside the dry and wet scores, so its own row comes from owner ratings only and starts as less important.

Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score. Full methodology