Ardventures 4×4 boss Russ Dykes gives Terratoura A/T seal of approval
21st December 2021
For decades Russ Dykes has been a leading voice in the 4×4 community. A dedicated fan of one of the highest-rated premium all-terrain brands, last summer we convinced the founder of Ardventures 4×4 training and tours to try Davanti Tyres’ own offering, Terratoura A/T.
After 10,000 miles and multiple expeditions across the UK, Europe and Africa this autumn in his Toyota Landcruiser, his verdict was clear – Terratoura A/T is now the tyre he would recommend.
“No-one will have put Terratoura A/T through the kind of punishment we have on our tours,” said Russ. “For example, in Morocco people think driving on sand is all soft surfaces and shifting ground, but there are corrugate rock formations which are tyre killers.”
“Across the deserts of Morocco, the snow-capped Pyrenees and the muddy splendour of the Lake District, Terratoura AT has excelled.”
Ardventures runs off-road tours across the UK, Europe and into North Africa, guiding teams of 4×4 enthusiasts across some of the most beautiful and remote landscapes.
It also helps emergency services understand how to access casualties in the toughest crisis situations – including as an approved training provider for Mountain Rescue England and Wales.
For Ardventures, reliability is crucial so when we approached Russ to try Terratoura A/T, he was hesitant.
“I was loyal to a premium brand at the time, which I had tried, tested and trusted,” he said. “I knew that it could do what was required wherever I decided to go. I simply had no knowledge of how Terratoura would perform.
“But I had been recommending premium tyres for many years. Drivers often told me that cost was their main barrier. Davanti made me think – does my trusted premium tyre really justify being so much more expensive than Terratoura A/T?
“Having put it to the test, I have to say that it doesn’t. Terratoura A/T is right up there with premium all-terrain tyres for its practical performance off-road and on.”
According to Russ, the key to Terratoura A/T’s success is in its sidewall strength and construction.
“The sidewall is what really impressed me,” he said. “There are three things off-road drivers look for in tyres – the brand name, the look of the tyre and tread and the reputation of the sidewall.
“Sidewalls need to be strong and resilient. Despite the wide range of challenging overland routes we have driven since fitting Terratoura, there have been no chunks or gouges taken out of the sidewall.
“The 265/70 R17 tyres we have are 10 ply, offering strength and toughness on more extreme terrain. At the same time they are quiet and composed on the road, where a lot of drivers will use them for significant miles.”
For Russ however, significant miles have been covered across a range of climates and terrain.
After the desert sands of Morocco came a two-week expedition across the Pyrenees through snowdrifts and across ice. He has also tackled the unearthly rocky terrain of Pamplona to Granada in Spain and tackled sticky, muddy overlanding in the Yorkshire Dales and Lake District.
“I have given Terratoura A/T every chance to show me where its limit is, to give up on me and force me to switch back to my old brand,” said Russ. “But it hasn’t happened. Wherever we go, it just keeps on going and after 10,000 miles of tough off-roading, to still have no sidewall damage is pretty impressive.
“I will definitely be fitting Terratoura A/T to Ardventures vehicles moving forward.”
If you would like to join Ardventures’ next expedition and see Terratoura A/T in action yourself, visit ardventures.co.uk.
