The Trail Kings are marked as being tubeless friendly for Continental’s Revo sealant, but I just used my normal home-brew sealant. Initially, it took a bit of work to get these to seal up; I definitely needed a compressor, and I ended up having to put substantially more sealant in than I use on some other tires (Schwalbe, Maxxis, and WTB, to be specific).

I'm sure on more predominant downhill rides this works much better, or on the front may be good(I'm a bit worried about how much the front end will rise with it), but if you're pedaling with it on the rear...get ready for a workout to get any speed! As with front tire braking traction, rear tire braking traction is also dependent on the size, shape, and orientation of the tread knobs. As a general rule, the more aggressive the tread design, the better the tire will perform in loose conditions. Taller knobs with wide spacing can penetrate deeper into loose surfaces, and braking edges that face perpendicular to the direction of travel will most help slow your roll when it's super loose. The Maxxis Minion DHR II has an aggressive tread pattern with wide paddle-shaped lugs that offer great braking traction on most surfaces, including soft and blown-out corners. Through 6+ sets of TKs I’ve never had a failure like you describe. They’ve been bulletproof through lots of BC riding and weeks in Moab/Sedona. Having said that it’s happened to my buddy twice and we ride the same trails. The only difference is I ride a bit smoother/lighter than him. The Eliminator T7 is a well-rounded and versatile tire. However, it sacrifices slightly in the braking traction department for a tradeoff in rolling speed. When conditions get really loose, this tire has a penchant for breaking into a skid, drifting through corners, and spinning out while climbing. We also found the Grid Trail casing to be somewhat squirmy under hard cornering forces and that we had to get the pressure exactly right to not burp it. This casing may not be supportive enough for super-aggressive riders. That said, this is a great rear tire option paired with something a little more aggressive in the front and an affordable one at that. The Maxxis Minion DHR II is an aggressive rear tire with terrific cornering grip and excellent braking traction. Aggressive riders who frequent loose, chunky, and rowdy terrain are the best candidates for this beefy and durable tire. It sacrifices some rolling speed in exchange for boatloads of braking traction and cornering prowess. This tire has a large and stout row of side knobs, like those found on the Minion DHF, to dive into corners and hold a line on off-camber sections. Braking bite is superb, thanks to the wide paddle-shaped knobs of the center tread. Many bike brands spec the DHR II as a front and rear tire on complete builds.The Trail King delivers decent pedal traction. We found this to be a fast-rolling tire on the front and the rear. Often, the fast-rolling tires tend to have less pedal traction since there is presumably a less aggressive center tread on the tire. The Trail King once again delivered better-than-expected performance. Specialized recently updated their ever-popular Butcher tire with an all-new T9 rubber compound. We tested the Butcher Grid Trail T9 in both 2.3" and 2.6" widths, and while the tread pattern hasn't substantially changed, this feels like an entirely new tire. The T9 rubber used by Specialized is their grippiest material. Although not super soft, it's designed to slowly rebound, reduce deflection, and enhance grip. This results in a well-dampened ride quality that feels connected to the trail surface. The tall center tread lugs offer excellent braking traction. At the same time, the substantial row of shoulder knobs provide great grip through corners. The Specialized Grid Trail casing feels supportive and supple while surprisingly resistant to punctures or tears. It's also one of the least expensive tires and offers excellent value. I’m looking at the Minion DNF in 2.5″ width and Vittoria Morsa in the 2.3″ width. They both look about the same volume/size as the TK in 2.4″. At least as accurately as I can measure with my eyeball.

The stats look good for the Mountain King; 820 grams, four layers of puncture resistance Protection, more grip. longer lifespan, less drag. We tested this tire in the 2.4-inch width. Continental recommends this tire in this size as an all-mountain tire best fitted to a 130-160mm bike. Our bikes were at the upper limits of this designation, with the Trail King and Baron recommended for freeride/enduro use.

Conclusion

At first I didn't have much thought on the tire...went through a trail section with loads of technical areas and pinch climbs, so speed isn't a big concern, more just keeping traction and upright. This went on my beloved Transition Scout---a bike that is beyond playful, fast, fun...my favorite bike ever. Since the Trail King is a fairly knobby tire, it should generally be compared to fully knobbed, “all mountain” type tires, like the Maxxis Minion, Schwalbe Hans Dampf, etc. The larger side knobs are buttressed on the leading edges, which lends some support during cornering. These knobs are not terribly high profile and combined with the additional support from these buttresses, that feeling of the knobs "folding over" when really pressuring a turn was all but eliminated. Although the knobs remained well-grounded, and perhaps as a result of this, we could often feel this tire squirm underneath us during very hard cornering. This was especially evident when being run at lower pressures. Only having these a week I've been able to log 18 asphalt miles and 84 trail miles. Central Texas (Austin / San Antonio)