TL;DR - I gouged a sidewall, and I need a new tire.
These things are stout!
I've been running Cooper ST/Maxx tires for the last several years. They are a great tire, and I have yet to find a tire that I prefer, overall. Traction is excellent in a variety of terrains, road noise is low on the freeway, and while they are only available in a heavy, stiff, "E" load rating, there are no other tires at the size I use - 255/85R16 - that are available in lighter variants.
On this trip, I finally damaged a tire, by gouging a sidewall on Black Bear Pass. While I'm not happy I have to buy a new tire, this only increases my respect for the ST/Maxx - this is a large, deep gouge, and the tire continued to perform flawlessly through the remainder of the trip, as well as after being aired up for a 1000 mile trip home on the highway.
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