I ended up with Yokohama Geolander G055s, because that's what the dealer put on it before I bought it. I wasn't thrilled with some of the reviews, but I have been very happy with their performance. I think reviews on tires have to be taken somewhat with a grain of salt, because they don't factor in the differences in size or vehicle performance, and that will have an effect.
Wet and dry, they stick to the road well. The only times I've had any wheel slippage has been in spots where there was some loose gravel built up at the intersection. They handle well; I tend to take curves, like Interstate on and off ramps, a bit fast, and the Explorer has handled them all better than my KIA Optima, and my Jeep GC, both of which had equal or better tires. In fact, the only tires I've had, on any vehicle, that stuck to the road better than the Geolanders were the Bridgestone Dueler A/T Revos that I had on my '99 Explorer.