What do I need. I commute off road so I,m riding in some pretty filthy conditons at the moment every day. The Fire XC pros just pick up the clag and hold onto it until the wheels stop turning and everything is jammed up. It's not helped by the fact that I have to run V brakes, although I suppose I could put a disc on the front. So fast clearing, especially of the edges is a priority even over grip, I've got quite used to the bike skating around and can live with that.
bonty mud-x.
Mud X's clear well. Supposidly not as grippy as trailrakers, but roll a lot faster. I really like them, apart from only going upto a 2" (similar volume to a fire XC)
I Have been very impressed with my specalized "the Captian" tyres and have not found them to block up as yet.
mud-x 2.0 rear
Jones ACX 2.2 front isnt bad
the mud-x are a bit thin though so not reccomended if you ride in a area prone to thorns etc
I wouldn't run a Fire XC Pro and disc brake on the same wheel - I found that combination tends to rip valves off innner tubes...
I found Bonty Jones ACX to be pretty good too, not too claggy.
Thanks guys, it'll be the mud x then. Thorns aren't much of a problem around here (South Downs) In fact so far only one puncture in 2 1/2 years of commuting and that was a sharp bit of flint on the seafront with narrow road tyres on.
Continental Edges clear quite well, but are a little skittish in all but really wet conditions - particularly over roots.