Really sorry to go over this again!

Not getting on with the contis and looking for a decent new set up, muddy forest floors and trips to llandegla on the trigger is what they will be used for.

What size? It does make a difference, some tyres are good in one size and less good in others. And, what contis is it that aren’t working out.

Don’t think you can go too far wrong with a 3C minion on the front. You can go grippier or faster but they’re generally a good compromise. On the back really depends on how fast you want and that’s a personal call, some people want lots of rear grip, others are happy with less or even enjoy less grip more.

27.5 running conti x king at the moment, 2.4 F/2.2 R

OK cool, so really pretty fast tyres those- not quite XC race fast but not so far off. It’s useful to know because, maybe you don’t need a grip monster, even something pretty intermediate could do give you the upgrade you want.

I’m thinking Hans Dampf/Nobbies or trying the specialized butcher/purgatory set up people seem to like. Problem with that is the butcher seems to me to be a DH tyre?

For gods sake don’t buy the lightweight 120 TPI carcass XC versions (60 TPI minimum, usually weight about 700-900 grams) as so many do trying to save weight! You will live to regret it when they pinch flat on every bad landing! unless you are an XC racer or a wheels on the ground smooth trail man of course, horses for courses and all that 😉

Got hans dampf / magic mary on the 27.5 all mountain type setup I ride and conti high roller 2 on the more trail ride setup 29er. The hans dampf/magic mary tyres are in a different league from the high rollers on the rough forest/DH type trails but the high rollers are WAY faster.
Not sure if that helps but I’m happy with what I use them for.

This is for my trails bike, while it’s carbon i’m not being a weight weenie on this one, all about performance

I like bontrager xr4 and xr3 combo either team issue (120) or expert versions at (60 tpi) both tubeless and can be picked up for around £30

For performance as in grip/reliability then I’d go with the schwalbe then (I’m no expert mind… I just know whet rides well for me). My son swears by nobby nic / rocket ron combo but I cant actually tell the difference between them and the hans dampf / magic mary on the 27.5. Hes on a 160 travel cube stereo and I’m on a 140 travel Norco Sight ….both carbon trail/enduro type bikes. Both riding anything from 7 staines red/black to lakes and north yorkshire natural trails with the odd cheeky DH track thrown in.

Ps got some 3/4 rides old 29×2.3 spesh butcher/purgatory combo both control 2 bliss versions £30 posted for both?

Sorry mate, 27.5 needed

XKings are pretty fast, relatively low grip tyres- not XC racey really but not far off it. So you probably don’t need a grip monster, just something grippier.

Hans Dampfs can **** off, if you want a fast wearing, mud-cloggy, draggy, not especially grippy tyre then they’re bang on though.

Butcher has a DH version but the control and grid versions are trailbike tyres- pretty common for the same tyre to come in different versions, like the minion etc. I don’t like it on the front personally, I think the rubber’s a bit too hard but it’d be a lot more grip than you’re used to- the tread pattern is ace. And it’s reasonably quick rolling. Could do the job well but I’d still go Minion 3C instead- very similiar, better rubber.

Not sure what Purgatories are for tbh, they’re about 4/5ths as draggy as a Butcher and a lot less grippy. It’s not a terrible tyre, by any means

Minions front and back? What about HRII? Ardent?