Okay, so I’ve been riding a Navegal for a few weeks, it’s okay, but I want to run lower pressure and the Navegal just doesn’t have enough volume/width. I’ve read through all the discussions on 29er tirs, both on this forum and others.
I already have an Exiwolf and a Rampage, neither are significantly different from the Navegal.
Is there a better choice than the Navegal? Does anyone have info on a new tire coming soon to our LBS?
Kris now recommends the Stout:
http://www.unicycle.com/shopping/shopexd.asp?id=1287
It isn’t much wider than the Navegal though. There simply aren’t a lot of choices for freeride 29er tires out there. There are wider tires than the Stout, but they are also of very light compounds and have thin sidewalls and from what I hear they just don’t do well for 29er muni. I am doing fine with the Navegal, I think it is a great tire, especially after using a nanoraptor, but I if I need to get a new tire for my 29er I will pick up the Stout.
There was some good discussion in this thread:
The Stout is the hugest knobbly 29" tyre I’ve ever seen. It is a beast! Peter Bier is going to be riding his one on his Schlumpf 29er at a 6 hour race this weekend. I’d imagine he’ll have a good idea of what its like after 6 hours of muni!
I went ahead and ordered a Stout, it seems to be the best choice available at this time. I’m hoping that WTB or some other mfd will see the opportunity for a large volume 29er: Muni, SS Mtb, Downhill MTB, All Mountain MTB, Cruisers, etc…
If there was a true 2.6-2.8 like the Duro, I’d run it for muni. Though I like the Navegal for all around, it’s too narrow and slippery for good muni. I’m hoping the Stout is a little sticker as well.
Be sure to post your review and comparison between the Navegal and the Stout after you ride with it for a while. 
I went for my second or third ride using a Stout this evening. Its good, feels solid and is a big improvement over my Kenda Klaw 1.95. I find assesing new equipment quite difficult though. I usually forget about it and concentrate on the ride. Mud clearance with my nimbus frame is an issue though. Not too bad at the moment but once winter comes along…
I took my Stout off after a couple rides. The slightly larger profile wasn’t enough offset for the added weight. It really felt to me the way it does when you ride through sticky mud and your tire completely loads up with crap. It basically took away the light and speedy feel of the 29er. I ran the ExiWolf for quite a while, but found it had serious trail camber issues, and am now happy with the Nevegal with the tread running reverse of the casing’s recommendation (a little better climbing grip, a little looser in steep braking situations). But I got a Stout pretty early on; maybe they’re a little lighter now? Mine weighed in at around 1200g, although WTB’s website said something like 900. Bike 29er sites also reflect a higher than advertised weight (big surprise there).
When i first put the tyre on i was running 125mm cranks and i did find the weight an issue i think. That particular ride I did struggle a bit on terrain I could manage before. Maybe was having a bit of an off day though. Put 140’s back on now and the extra leverage is enough to get me up most slopes.
Back in July I was also on a mission to find the ultimate big and fat tire for the 29. I think a lot of it comes down to your own riding. My off road rides on the 29 are typically long rides that include a lot of climbing and descending, not huge amounts of hardcore technical muni but still some.
I’ve ended up running the Panaracer Rampage 2.35 the last four months and have really enjoyed it. It’s light (748gr) fast and agile - a big upgrade to the Kenda Klaw which is not adequate for dedicated off road uni imo.
I don’t have any interest in lugging a heavy tire around off road all day on the 29’er. A lighter tire has also helped make it possible for me to settle on 137’s on the 29 providing enough control and power and also a comfortable spin on longer rides. Brakes get around the reduced braking power.
The Rampage is great at higher pressures - where it struggles for me is at lower pressures where it becomes quite an uncooperative tire. That suits me fine though as I run it at higher pressures. If I want to head off on a short distance, more intense muni, I’ll take the 24 instead.
Not sure what my next 29 tire will be when the Rampage wears out, so it’s great to hear what other guys are riding an enjoying.