The Wolfpack MTB Cross is a cross-country and trail tyre with tread particularly suited to British riding. It works well on everything from forest mud to trail centre rocks, whether wet or dry, and while it's not the best at the extremes, it's a versatile year round performer. Though a little heavy for serious XC or racing, it's robust, dependable and well-priced.
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The MTB Cross really works well on soft ground and muddy trails, as the wide-spaced knobs clear quickly. On grassy moorland or loamy woodland soil it gives plenty of grip for what is essentially a cross-country tyre (at least in this 2.25” size), but what might not suit XC riders as much is the weight.
Both our test tyres were over the claimed 670g, at 718g and 725g. The compound is the same ToGuard rubber that Wolfpack uses across its range, and it offers a good mix of speed, durability and puncture resistance – it's that layer that presumably boosts the weight.
Still, the MTB Cross proved tough through our testing with no punctures on a wide variety of rides and conditions, and with that (not unreasonable) heft comes a fair bit of tough-trail confidence.
Tubeless installation is very easy, and the MTB Cross inflates with a floor pump without a fuss. We tested the 29 x 2.25”, although it's available in 2.4” and 2.6” widths for both 27.5" and 29" as well.
No specific information is given about the carcass or compound, but it feels fairly soft to touch and smooth to ride, suggesting a higher TPI.
Value is really impressive too for a high performance tyre – at £45 it's cheaper than most equivalents from the major brands. The Hutchinson Toro Koloss, for instance, is £13 more at £58, while the Continental Der Barren Projekt is £65.
This tyre can feel a little soft and squirmy on really dry tracks, but as all-rounders they're predictable and reliable. Wet grip is good too, although they can slip out on rocky slabs, particularly when climbing.
On more general trails, especially the loose rock of trail centres, they're great, giving confidence to push hard into the corners.
This isn't a tyre for XC racing (unless it's really muddy), but for general riding and year-round ability whatever the weather, it's a good option.
The Wolfpack Cross is a great all-round XC tyre that can handle a wide range of conditions, making it a great choice for year round British riding. It rolls fairly fast, it's an absolute breeze to set up, and it suits everything from woodsy loam to groomed trail centres – at this price, it's hard to ignore.
