Editors Note: This is part of the WTB 2008 new tire introduction for 29″ers. The Prowler SL was given to Captain Bob for his impressions. Look for more first impressions on the other 2008 new models coming soon!

Lucky for me I get to test out these new treads from WTB. The Prowler SL 29″er. I am always excited to try new tires. If you’ve read any of my tires reviews here before you will know that I like running low pressure. So, getting a hold of a tire with a smaller casing than I am accustomed to was going to be a real test to these babies. But first I will touch on the mounting phase of this “First Impression.” Also, this ‘First Impression” might be a little longer that it should be but please, stay with me for just couple of minutes.

I am running an Alex Anti-snakebite rim and using a large volume 26er tube. I had a little trouble mounting the tire. It kept falling off of the rim. I think the problem is the 26er tube. It was just too fat for the tire. I am picking up some actual 29er tubes later this week that are a smaller volume. I think that will help. I can’t stand a tire that I can’t get on the rim without ripping the skin away from my finger nails. So, are they too loose? No, I don’t think so. I pumped them up to around 35 psi and rolled around my driveway. Grip. Grip was the first thought that popped into my head. I noticed it right away when I stood up and cranked on the pedals. I noticed it again when I turned around at the end of my gravel lane. Good cornering grip on gravel (which is something I have not been getting a lot of lately).

So, a few days later I made my way over the Boy Scout camp for some single track. The ride started out on some cold dry dirt. The tires felt a little hard at 35 psi so I started dropping pressure everytime we stopped to chat or re-group. The ride started feeling less “hard” and grip stayed the same or better. By the time the ride was over I had settled on around 25-26 psi front and rear. The harshness I was feeling must have been from the 35 psi because the feel is great now. They seem to roll fairly fast too for a tire with such an agressive tread. I was expecting them to feel slow for some reason.

My next ride on the Prowlers came a couple of days ago. It was a 20 mile gravel ride. I left the pressure at the 25-26 psi. Seemed to work well for the front but the rear I could have used a little more pressure. They rolled good on the almost concrete like gravel and rolled just as well on the loose shoulders.

I have a few other thoughts on the tire but I really need to get more miles on them before I can make an accurate comment. What pleases me the most about this tire is sidewall strength. It seems to be an issue I do not need to worry about. Even at the lower pressures I am running combined with my 200 pound butt I never noticed any squishy feeling when cornering. I will get some more miles on these and get an update out to you all soon. No rain in the forcast so it will me more dry single track and gravel road reviews for now. I also may get the chance to ride the WTB Vulpines and these Prowlers on the same day, on the same bike, on the same trail. That will be a fun day or tire testing!

Captain Bob

Editors Note: I got a chance to roll around a bit on these at the lower pressure that Captain Bob had them at on his Mamasita and I can confirm that the sidewalls do indeed seem to be rather strong. Usually at that pressure tires feel squirmy to me, as if they want to roll off.

Look for some more first impressions on the Stout and Vulpine later this week!