Presently running HRII 2.3 x 27.5 on back, feels confident so far with lots of traction in all situations. Also a Conti Mountain King Protection 2.2 29er which I've read being panned online, but it work well around here and is moderately priced and long wearing. I've run many The Captain as backs and had generally great performance and longevity. Thanks for testimonials; always looking to try something new. OP let us know where you land...
I've been running a Hutchinson Cougar on the rear, and I like it. Much better traction on loose climbs than the Nobby Nic it replaced, better life and a better price. If you're a fan of Specialized, you might want to look at the Purgatory. That's what my Stumpjumper came on, and it was a good tire, although my riding style and power have changed a bit since I last rode one.
Just don't reverse that order...the Fire XC Pro is pretty sketchy out front IMO. I know there are a bunch of people that like this tire, but I thought it was a POS on the rear. Poor traction, unpredictable cornering, and slow-rolling. If you can deal with how slow the Purgatory is, then you might as well put on a High Roller II and get great traction and cornering for the price of the rolling resistance. Never tried the Purgatory on the front tho.
I've been disappointed by every Continental tire I've ever tried. The rubber seems really stiff even on the high end tires - plus their sizing is super narrow. They are difficult to mount tubeless to boot (always have to resort to mounting one side of the bead with a tube first). I have been absolutely amazed by the Maxxis High Roller II's - such a great (if aggressive) tire. Can't go wrong with the Kenda Nevegal either - the Forte Pisgah is a good knockoff if you want to save yourself $30. Running the Bontrager XR4 Team Issue on the back of my Hardtail right now. Great XC tire, wears crazy fast. Tires are always a 'life' 'performance' or 'light weight' [pick two] affair.
I really like the Geax AKA 2.2 for a rear tire. Set up pretty easy tubeless with Caffelatex. If i wanted bigger, i would get the Ikon 2.35. The Ikon will be my next 29er front tire. Even the EXO version is pretty light. Up front, i really like the Kenda BBG. I run tubes in the front though. I can get away with 22lbs with a tube no problem. Then again, i don't charge through chunk like most of you do. Wide rims are your friend. Don't know if it would do well tubeless.
I'm also a big fan of the Saguaro on the rear tire, I use the AKA on the front. I seem to remember that if you're mounting these on a Stan's rim, stay away from the TNT version.
Thanks for all the feedback. I've thought about mounting my spear high roller on back as a temp and see how it goes. I'd rather have a tire that performs and lasts over one that saves grams. That's on of the main reason I'm not even looking at any schwalbes. I've heard great things about their tires and they're super short life span.
Update... Desperate for a ride and having yet to decided on a new tire, I mounted up an extra high roller that I had to the rear. The thing climbed like a billing goat and was uber confidence inspiring on the downs. But it sucked balls on the flats. Something I pretty much expected. Super slow rolling. I need to find the perfect balance of billy goat climbing and solid XC speed. A bit of research leads to either the Trail King or a Maxxis Minon DHF. It seams that people either love or hate the Minon, which isn't a great sign in my book.
The minion is not gonna be a fast roller on flats, its just as aggressive as the high roller. Check out the ikon 2.35 also, its like thd geax aka but with more volume.
+1 for Ikon. Prob the best overall rear trail tire money can buy for this area. A little pricey, esp for the full featured ones, but I think it's totally worth it if you're the type that goes for smiles over miles.