I used to have BF Goodrich on my Toyota in the UK , but when I started planning my Australia trip I knew I needed something a little tougher on my 80 series Landcruiser.

All the reviews and articles I read all pointed in the direction of Cooper's. Cooper Tires gave me the benefits I was looking for and ticked all the boxes on my check list-

Tough enough to handle extreme off-roading
Durability
Handling off and on-roaad
Long-lasting
And last but not least as puncture proof as you can get any tyre

The fact that they had also been fully tested in the outback of Australia was also a major influencing factor.

Not easy to get hold of in England, but I was fortunate that a local 4x4 specialist stocked them that were just right for the 80 series (285/75/R16); so I took the plunge.

Not been disappointed one bit.

Right from the start they felt more sure footed - both on the road and off. And in my opinion, much quieter on the road.

In the summer of 2013, my ST Maxx tyres covered over 5,000km across Europe, including a week off-road in Romania and a 2-week coast to coast trek from the west to the east (the Atlantic to the Mediterranean) that went across the Pyrenees on the French-Spanish border. They even handled Romania’s crazy Transfăgărășan Road without any trouble. When I got back home the tyres looked as good as new.

I’m now about half-way into Australia trip, having added two more ST Maxxes as spares. My brother and I have covered about 14,000 km starting out from Freemantle (where we had shipped the Toyota to).

So far we have covered most of the south east freo along the coast to Augusta , Pemberton and Albany, inland to Margaret River and up to Hyden, Kalgoorlie, Leonora and Laverton (all of the Golden Quest Route), Perth and Swan Valley area, the Wheat Belt area and onto the west coast route - The Pinnacles, Jurien Bay, Geraldton, Kalbarri National Park, Monkey Mia, out to Steep Point (most easterly land point in Australia), Carnarvon, Exmouth and down the west coast side of the Cape Range NP to Coral Bay, Dampier (to see the Red Dog statue), Karratha area and down the Rio Tinto track to Tom Price taking in Mt Nameless (highest 4x4 point in WA), Krinjini NP, Port Headland, 80 Mile Beach, Broome, Cape Leveque, Derby, the Gibb River Road, Windjana Gorge NP, Kununurra, Purnululu NP (Bungle Bungle), Lake Argyle, Darwin, Litchfield and Kakadu NP, Daly River (the pub!) and across to Cairns and now North to Cape York.

Obviously on the trip so far we have been on bitumen for some big stretches, and the St Maxxes have been great. Where they have really impressed has been on the rough stuff, and so far we have had everything that off-road Australia has to offer - rocks, gravel, beach and desert sand, black mud,creek crossings, bulldust, cap rock and not forgetting corrugations (not something we get in Europe). I’m pleased to say my ST Maxxes are tough, durable and 100% reliable in some of the most challenging terrain I’ve driven in.

I’d recommend Cooper Tires to anyone!