I've been impressed with the handling, life, noise, and traction of these tires. About to get another set, but might get Duratracs next. Got 43,000 miles out of my current 265/70R17's on my Chevy Silverado 4x4 (daily offroading and lots of gravel roads). I am not easy on my tires, but made sure to rotate at least every 4,000 miles. I could probably get another 2-3,000 miles out of my current set, but need deep tread for my driving conditions and the amount of rain that I drive in. Road noise is not that bad, and I have a feeling that most people who complain about road noise are urban folks who rarely go offroad, drive SUV's, and are used to street tires. Smooth ride!