Dick Cepek Tires Review: Brand Guide

About Dick Cepek

Launched in 1963, Dick Cepek Tires is named after the renowned off-road racing pioneer and outdoor enthusiast Dick Cepek.

In 1967, Dick Cepek opened his first retail shop, where he was selling a wide range of off-road tires, among other off-road accessories. The company was later acquired by Mickey Thompson tires.

Today, Dick Cepek has established itself as one of the best tire brands for all-terrain tires and off-road tires.

It manufactures tires for rock crawlers, utility terrain vehicles, all-terrain vehicles, SUVs, 4x4s, and trucks, among others.

Most Popular Dick Cepek Tires

Dick Cepek tires are mainly designed for adventure seekers and anyone looking for a solid, all-year-round tire.

Its tires are engineered to handle harsh terrains and conditions, including deserts, mountain trails and muddy conditions, among others. Some of the brand’s most popular tires include:

Dick Cepek Trail Country

The Dick Cepek Trail Country is a blend between a mud terrain tire and an all-terrain tire.

Designed for SUVs, pickups and light trucks, this tire is engineered to tackle both harsh terrains and city roads. So, what makes this tire such a great on-road and off-road performer?

Silica-Enhanced Tread Compound

Dick Cepek has equipped this tire with a silica-enhanced tread compound, featuring a 5-rib symmetric tread pattern. Its tread also features zig-zag siping.

This combination helps this tire to provide enhanced traction and grip, both on dry and wet surfaces.

Scalloped Shoulder Lugs

The Dick Cepek Trail Country also comes with scalloped shoulder lugs as well as Dick Cepek’s exclusive Sidebiters.

The scalloped shoulder lugs together with the added tread on the side help to enhance the tire off-road traction.

The Sidebiters also help to enhance the tire’s resistance against cuts, and punctures. On the other hand, the tread’s ramp-lock design helps to push out gravel, smaller rocks, sticks and other debris, for enhanced off-road traction.

So, whether you encounter mud, loose dirt, gravel or other challenging surfaces, this tire will get your vehicle through.

Should You Buy the Dick Cepek Trail Country?

Finding a tire that can consistently perform well whether you are driving on city roads or tackling muddy conditions is not always easy.

But the Dick Cepek Trail Country has managed to achieve this. It provides the best of both worlds. It delivers outstanding off-road performance as well as a smooth and comfortable ride on normal surfaces.

So, if you are looking for a tire that can easily transition from city roads to dirt roads, then the Dick Cepek Trail Country is just what you need.

It’s available in several sizes, ranging from 15 inches to 20 inches. It’s currently retailing at around $130 in different tire shops around the country.

Dick Cepek Trail Country EXP

If you are looking for a durable, capable and sturdy tire that can comfortably handle rugged off-road conditions, then the Dick Cepek Trail Country EXP will not disappoint.

Similar to the Dick Cepek Trail Country, the EXP is also a hybrid between a mud-terrain tire and an all-terrain tire.

It’s engineered to deliver assured traction on a wide range of off-road conditions combined with assured handling in wet, dry and light snowy conditions.

Wet and Dry Performance

Dick Cepek has outfitted this tire’s tread with a chip-resistant and cut-resistant, silica-enhanced tread compound. It also comes with wide circumferential grooves and several lateral notches.

The tread’s high-silica compound helps to enhance its overall traction in wet conditions. On the other hand, the lateral notches and wide circumferential grooves help to channel water away from its surface, thus increasing its hydroplaning resistance.

Its tread also features wider blocks, which provide a bigger tire-to-road contact surface, resulting in better grip and stable handling.

Snow Performance

Dick Cepek has also provisioned the Trail Country EXP with ultra-thin interlocking sipes, which provide additional biting edges. These biting edges help to boost the tire’s traction in snowy and icy conditions.

Off-road Performance

The Dick Cepek Trail Country EXP also comes with stone ejector ribs, which help to minimize stone retention thus preventing stone drilling.

And with the added outboard shoulder lugs, you are assured of traction and grip in loose terrain and deep muddy conditions.

Sizes and Compatibility

This tire is available in several sizes, ranging between 15 inches and 22 inches. It’s compatible with several models of light trucks, crossovers and SUVs. Some of the vehicles that it can fit include:

• Chevrolet Colorado, Silverado, Avalanche, Suburban series and Tahoe
• Ford Expedition, F-150, F-250, F-350 and Ranger
• Dodge Durango
• Lexus GX460
• Infiniti QX70, FX37 and FX35
• Suzuki Equator
• GMC Sierra, Canyon, and Yukon
• Jeep Wrangler, Wrangler JK and Grand Cherokee
• Mercedes Benz GL350 and G550
• Ram Dakota, 1500, 2500 and 3500
• Nissan Pathfinder, Xterra, Titan and Frontier
• Toyota 4Runner, Tacoma and FJ Cruiser

Should You Buy the Dick Cepek Trail Country EXP?

From muddy conditions to loose terrain, snow-covered roads to dry pavement, this tire impresses in almost all areas.

It also manages to deliver a comfortable and refined ride during highway driving. So, if you are looking for an all-terrain tire that combines aggressive off-road performance with decent on-road manners, then the Trail Country EXP is recommended.

Dick Cepek Extreme Country

The Extreme Country is one of Dick Cepek’s most popular mud-terrain tires. It was developed to replace the Dick Cepek Crusher.

It’s designed to deliver superior off-road traction, decent on-road manners, responsive handling, uniform tread wear and long tread life. Some of its key features include:

Advanced Tread Design

The Dick Cepek Extreme Country comes with an advanced tread design, featuring a sturdy tread compound and deep tread grooves.

This sturdy tread compound helps to increase the tire’s cut resistance and chip resistance while enhancing its tread life.

Stone Ejector Grooves

When driving on unpaved roads, small rock pieces or stones can get stuck in a tire’s tread grooves.

And when this happens, these stones can cut through the tire’s under tread, leading to a puncture.

But with the Extreme Country, you will rarely experience such issues. It has been outfitted with stone ejector grooves, which help prevent stone retention.

Unique Sidebiters

Just like other Dick Cepek mud-terrain tires, the Extreme Country also comes with side biters.

These side biters provide additional traction up the tire’s sidewall, which will come in handy when you are driving through loose terrain or when you encounter deep mud.

Apart from providing extra traction, these side biters also add another layer of protection to the tire’s sidewall.

Sizes and Compatibility

The Dick Cepek Extreme Country comes in various sizes, ranging from 15 inches to 20 inches. Some of the vehicles it's compatible with include:

• Chevrolet Blazer and Silverado
• GMC Sierra
• Wrangler
• Dodge Dakota and Ram
• Hummer H3
• Toyota Tacoma
• Ford Bronco and F series
• Nissan Titan and Armada

Should You Buy the Dick Cepek Extreme Country?

From its aggressive off-road performance to its impressive on-road manners, it’s easy to see why this tire is so popular in its class.

It handles rocks, roots, loose terrain, mud and other conditions comfortably. And on the highway, it barely produces any noise. And while it may not deliver a luxurious ride, you are assured of a comfortable, smooth and quiet ride on the highway.

If you are looking for an all-terrain tire or mud terrain that delivers maximum off-road traction and a refined on-road experience, then you should check out the Dick Cepek Extreme Country.

Dick Cepek Fun Country

Are you an outdoor enthusiast looking for a tire that can equally provide dependable off-road performance with comfortable on-road driving?

If yes, then the Dick Cepek Fun Country may be the tire you are looking for. Designed for SUVs and light-duty trucks, this tire is more of a hybrid between a mud-terrain tire and an all-terrain tire.

It has been furnished with several advanced design features and technologies, to ensure that it can deliver what it sets out to do. They include:

Symmetrical Tread Design

First, its symmetrical tread design, featuring wide lateral grooves and offset circumferential grooves help the tire to provide maximum off-road traction.

At the same time, the added ultra-thin sipes provide biting edges, thus helping the tire to deliver reliable traction on snow-covered roads.

Optimized Shoulder Edges

Dick Cepek has also equipped this tire with notched shoulder edges, which work together with the scalloped to provide grip and traction on various surfaces.

Whether you are driving through sand, rocks, mud or loose dirt, this tire will perform well in all these conditions.

Sidebiters

The Fun Country also comes with Dick Cepek’s proprietary Sidebiters, which supply additional traction in loose terrain.

The Sidebiters also add an extra protective layer to the sidewalls while giving the tire a rugged appearance.

Sizes and Availability

Dick Cepek produces the Fun Country in several sizes, ranging from 15 inches to 20 inches.

Should You Buy the Dick Cepek Fun Country?

Overall, the Fun Country is a reliable on-road and off-road performer. Its traction in off-road conditions is excellent, performs great in dry and wet roads, handles light snow comfortably and road noise is minimal.

So, if you drive an SUV or a pickup truck and you are looking for a tire that can cope well with both on-road and off-road conditions, then you should add the Dick Cepek Fun Country to your shopping list.

Design and Performance Features

Dick Cepek tires are mainly built for off-roading enthusiasts. And as you may probably know, off-road conditions can be hard on a tire.

So, if a tire is not adequately provisioned for such conditions, the vehicle may get stuck or it may get easily punctured by rocks, roots, and other elements.

To this end, Dick Cepek has equipped its tires with several features and technologies, to ensure that they deliver reliable off-road performance without sacrificing on-road ride quality. They include:

Construction

During your off-roading adventures, you may come across sharp rocks and roots, among other hazards.

Therefore, the off-road tires on your vehicles should be sturdy enough to resist chipping and cutting.

The tire should also have a tough internal construction so that it can roll over hard-packed surfaces and absorb impacts.

Off-roading tires should also have reinforced sidewalls, to minimize any potential damage like cuts, chipping and bruising that may be caused by large rocks.

Dick Cepek tires come with almost all the vital features for an off-road tire. For instance, they are engineered with high tensile ply cords, which help to strengthen the sidewalls.

They also feature silica-enhanced tread compounds, which enable the tire to withstand sharp, hard rocks.

With Dick Cepek tires, driving over jagged rocks or sharp tree stumps should not present any issues.

Traction and Grip

Snow, rocks, sand, gravel, mud, and grass are some of the materials that you will come across during your off-roading trips.

Therefore, off-road tires should have sufficient grip and traction, to keep the vehicle moving in such rugged conditions.

Dick Cepek tires are specifically designed and built to handle such conditions. They come with larger contact patches, which help to increase the tire’s gripping surface.

Also, they are outfitted with Sidebiters, which help to provide additional traction, especially in muddy conditions or loose terrain.

They also feature aggressive tread patterns, designed to provide superb grip and traction in extreme terrain

Warranties and Guarantees

Just like other consumer goods, tires come with warranties, designed to protect the buyer from premature wear and tear or workmanship and materials defects.

And Dick Cepek tires are no exception. Dick Cepek tires come with two main types of warranties. These are standard limited coverage and the limited treadwear warranty.

Standard Limited Coverage

The standard limited coverage is basically a workmanship and materials warranty. Under this warranty, Dick Cepek offers to replace your tire, if it becomes unusable or unserviceable due to a workmanship or materials defect.

So, if your Dick Cepek tire becomes unserviceable within its first 2/32 of an inch of tread wear, then the company will replace your tire with a comparable new one free of charge.

In case the tire becomes unserviceable during the warranty period and the tread is worn more than 2/32 of an inch, then the replacement will be done on a prorated basis.

For the pro-rated replacement, the buyer will be charged a replacement fee, depending on the percentage of tread worn off the tire.

This percentage is then multiplied by the dealer’s current selling price. Apart from paying the replacement charge, the buyer will also be required to pay for the tire mounting and balancing, as well as applicable taxes and related service charges.

Tread Life Warranty

Just like tires from other brands, Dick Cepek’s tires also come with a tread life warranty. Also known as mileage warranty, this warranty guarantees that your Dick Cepek tires will deliver a certain number of miles before they wear out.

Hence, if your tires wear out to the last 2/32 of an inch of tread before they attain the promised mileage, then Dick Cepek will replace the tire.

But unlike the workmanship and materials warranty where you may get a free replacement, the replacement under this warranty is purely done on a prorated basis.

And this means the buyer will have to pay a replacement charge. To determine the replacement charge, you will divide the actual mileage the tire has delivered by the warranted mileage with the dealer’s current selling price.

For instance, the Trail Country EXP comes with a 45,000-mile tread life warranty. If it only delivers 27,000 miles before it wears out, then it has only delivered 60% of the warranted mileage, which translates to 0.6.

Assuming the tire is currently going for $150, then your replacement charge will be $90 while Dick Cepek will pay the remaining $60.

It’s important to note that you can only use the replacement credit that you get to purchase a new set of tires. Simply put, it will be more of a discount that you will get when you buy a new set of Dick Cepek replacement tires.

Uniformity Warranty

Dick Cepek is among the select few tire manufacturers that offer a tire uniformity warranty.

So, if your Dick Cepek tire fails to perform satisfactorily due to uniformity issues within its first 2/32 of an inch of tread, then the tire will be replaced free of charge.

If the tire’s tread is worn more than 2/32 of an inch of tread, then it will not be replaced, regardless of the situation.

Warranty Eligibility

As much as Dick Cepek offers to replace tires that wear out prematurely or become unusable due to workmanship and materials defects, some tires may not be eligible for the above warranties.

If a tire is damaged by road hazards, over-inflation, or under-inflation, wheel misalignment, vehicle malfunction, as well as improper vehicle or tire maintenance, then it may not qualify for a replacement.

Dick Cepek Tires Pros

• Superior off-road performance
• Rugged, sturdy construction
• Refined on-road performance

Dick Cepek Tires Cons

• Tires may slide in icy conditions

Why Buy Dick Cepek Tires

When it’s time to purchase a new set of tires for your vehicle, you have numerous options on the market to consider.

So, why should you choose Dick Cepek tires instead of the other brands? Here are two main reasons:

Easy Tire Selection

Dick Cepek tires are specifically designed and engineered to deliver outstanding mobility for light trucks, SUVs and various other types of 4-wheel drive vehicles.

Currently, the company is only selling 2 main types of tires: hybrid tires and rugged off-road tires.  

The hybrid tire is more of a blend between an all-terrain tire and a mud-terrain tire. It’s capable of delivering a reliable off-road performance without sacrificing on-road comforts.

With Dick Cepek, you can easily find the right all-terrain tire for your SUV or truck, without having to sort through hundreds of different products, which is usually the case with most tire brands.

So, if you are looking for reliable all-terrain or outstanding off-road tires and you don’t have the time to go through hundreds of different types of tires, then Dick Cepek may be the right brand for you.

Exceptional Off-Road Tires

Dick Cepek manufactures some of the best off-road tires you can find on the market today.

Its tires are not only sturdy but they can tackle a wide range of rugged off-road conditions like mud, sand, gravel, and rocky surfaces, among others.

Therefore, if you are a weekend warrior and you like exploring remote areas with your Jeep Wrangler, Toyota 4Runner, Ford Expedition or any other off-roading vehicle, then Dick Cepek tires are a perfect match for your needs.

Our Take

Overall, Dick Cepek tires are a great choice for outdoor activities, off-roading and driving on various unpaved surfaces. Their on-road performance is equally impressive and better than most of the other all-terrain tires on the market. So, if you are looking for a set of tires that will deliver excellent on-road and off-road performance, then you won’t go wrong with Dick Cepek tires.