Did I say that? If so I must have had brain fade. The original objective was find off-road tires that will look the same side-to-side and there's no way that can happen without them being symmetric, unless they are symmetric longitudinally but not side-to-side. A lot of tires spec'd by mfg as directional are not symmetric in any sense so they will not look the same on both sides.
All symmetric tires will be directional if not per mfg then directional because of the fact they (almost always) aren't symmetric in a longitudinal sense - it would look (and maybe act?) very strange to put them on mounted the same face both sides, think of v-tractor tires, you'd never do that. True you can only rotate on the same side unless you remount them.
I'm making the distinction between directional tires where the mfg has arrows on them (don't know if these do) and those are often -not- symmetric (won't look the same side to side); and tires that are directional just because you'd want to mount them so they look/act the same side to side but there's no arrows on them or requirement to do so except how you want them to perform.
The only way you can have a symmetric tire that is not directional (in either sense, per above) is if it is not only symmetric side to side but also longitudinally. Then it doesn't matter how it's mounted because it's always the same. You don't see that much, if you do it's readily recognizable and makes for a king of boring tread pattern, which is maybe why they don't do it. Military tires would be an example. Which I don't think you find in my size. I'm not convinced they are horrible, especially if you watch those old WW2 vids of them going through mud, they at least seem good for that, but probably not a great highway tire.
This (XS) is the only symmetric off-road tire I found so far (not counting military). They will look the same side-to-side, assuming you mount them to look that way, which you would. It's very rare. Of all tires I have seen, this is the only one that qualifies so far (and of course doesn't come in my size and probably not appropriate for me either).
There are only four combinations:
1. Not symmetric in any sense (most tires). It doesn't matter how you mount them, they'll never look the same. Most mfg-spec directional tires are such as well as most tires period.
2. Symmetric side-to-side only (like the XS). You mount them so they look the same (different faces). Very rare if not nonexistent in a tire I could use.
3. Symmetric longitudinally only. You also mount these to look the same. Some (not many) mfg-spec directional tires may be such, but they're usually racing or special-purpose tires.
4. Symmetric in both senses. Doesn't matter how you mount them they always look the same (military, perhaps others, but you don't see them much if at all).
I am pretty much resolved to the fact, I'm not going to find off-road tires that fit my truck that will look the same on both sides of the truck. That's life, accept it, and move on.
Unless someone finds one for me.
Yeah I want them, if they're out there. It could be any of types 2,3, or 4 above. Probably would be type 2.