@russhole - I've been running the Nev as a front tire for nearly a year and I love it. IMO, its a little too much for a rear for our local trails. the SB8 has great traction around here *as a rear tire* in my experience.

it seems as though the trend is to try to run as low pressure as you can get away with to get maximum traction...that's why you're seeing more and more riders going to the 2.4 up front - more volume, lower pressure = greater traction with minimal loss in rolling resistance.

be weary of larger publications like MBA and their recommendations. I would be willing to be a good amount of money that in the issue saying the Nevegal is the best tire, Kenda took out a few full page ads - gotta support your biggest advertisers!

what I'm liking about this thread - everyone is talking about a common theme: find what works for *you* and stick with it. what works for Vibrato and his riding style, may not work for AG, but may work for you, and so on.

there are simply too many variables to make a blanket statement on tires.