I give these tires a "9" out of "10"
It's winter. Many of us still wanna ride this time of year, and when the ground is frozen solid or iced, these tires will take you wherever you need to go.
296 studs. That's more than most other models and brands.
The tread pattern is VERY knobby, which aids traction in the softer stuffs.
The studs are set well, deep into the tire and only a teeny stud surface protrudes from the treads, which gives these tires excellent roll.
If weight is an issue, look the other way.
A set of these tires weigh more than most XC frames!
The bead is super stiff and thick (i guess they have to be in order to withstand extreme conditions) and mounting them can be much tougher than other tires you may be used to.
Some studs may get ripped out. I've lost a few studs and there's no way to replace them (I've spoken to Nokian about it) and THAT is the only turnoff that causes me to give these tires a "9" instead of "10". Nokian told me:
"Unless you lose more than 10 studs, there are many studs to back you up and no one else has complained about it" (i had a hard time believing this, but that's what Nokian told me) I've lost only a couple of studs and i really don't notice it on the trails.
All in all, they deliver all that they profess.
