Well, I'm late to the party.
My work schedule kills me some days.
Sounds like all the weekend work while missing wheeling trips is paying off in the form of some new shoes.
For what it's worth I am very happy, so far, with my Cooper STT Pros. I went 37-13.50-17, and they have only about 2500 miles on them, but also 14 trails.
I have found several places they got me up that my Goodyear MTRs failed at.
I think you will be happy with a set, and use the money saved from the price of the Nittos to treat Fiona to something else she would like.
FYI, I got mine for $988 for a set of four, with a $100 rebate from Discount Tire Direct on eBay, then called customer service and got the fifth at the same price, plus certs for $25 each.
I mounted mine up and have been running around without balancing them. I don't get any tire vibration until over 80, and a slight pull to the right. I had the pull before as well, maybe worse even.
You have seen how I drive, if there is a good way to go, and another way that don't make sense, you know which one I'm taking
. If the tires have a problem, I am sure I will find it.
That said, some things can wreck even the best tire. Speeding into a sharp pointy rock killed one of my MTRs. I don't blame the tire for that. Over the years I have had creosote bush and greasewood bush go through sidewalls like a hot knife through butter.
At crawling speed, even the sharpest rocks will fail to puncture good tires.