Teravail Kennebec review- Plenty of grip!

I’ve spent about 16 hours of hard trail time on the Teravail Kennebec 29x2.6 Light and Supple tire.  This replaced the 29x2.5 Maxxis Minion DHF Dual compound EXO I’d been using for quite some time.  The short and simple word on the Kennebec is that it’s a fast tire that leaves little to be desired in the grip department.  

Teravail made a great competitor for the Maxxis Minion when they made the Kennebec.  While the Kennebec has some fairly pronounced tread like the minion, it’s nicely spaced to keep from clogging up in muddier weather, but close enough down the center to keep the tire rolling as quick as it needs to.  Stopping power was absolutely excellent, due to the paddle shaped pattern and horizontal siping of the center treads.  The rubber compound slipped less than expected on wet rocks and roots, and did great in the very muddy spring we’ve had this year.  With the dryer part of the season now here, the Kennebec is still holding its own in the packed, dry single track.  It grips great into the corners of the tread because of the vertical siping on the edge knobs for those occasional sharp corners that try to knock you off the trail.  Even in loamy, freshly made trails, it holds up.

The supple, smaller plus-size casing does wonders for absorbing small bumps on rocky, rooty New England trails.  I could see the Durable, thicker casing version of the Kennebec being a better option for the southwest US or other more puncture prone areas, being that the thinner, Light & Supple version (as tested) wouldn’t provide as much protection from goatheads and sharper rocks, however in New England, the added flex really eats up the roots, rocks, and small bumps.  

Tire used on WTB ST i29 Rims using WTB rim tape, Stans valves, and Orange Seal sealant, 17-23psi depending on terrain on a Transition Smuggler.