CX/Gravel Tire Test: Hutchinson Caracal Race GridSkin 40

The Hutchinson Caracal Race GridSkin (GS) is a new reinforced derivative of the fastest semi-slick gravel tire we've tested to date. When we tested the regular Caracal Race (read our review) with the new SwiftEasy casing and Mach Tread 3.0 compound, both derived from Hutchinson's road bike tires, it set a new benchmark for high-volume gravel bike tires by delivering rolling resistance numbers that directly rival high-end road tires.

The obvious question with a tire that fast is always resistance to cuts and tears, and some gravel racers need better protection for riding on rough or unpredictable terrain. Hutchinson's answer is GridSkin sidewall technology: a lightweight, knitted mesh shield applied to the sidewalls, designed to isolate cuts and tears without adding excessive bulk.

According to Hutchinson, combining the SwiftEasy construction and Mach Tread 3.0 rubber with GridSkin side-protection creates an "unstoppable" tire capable of maintaining record-breaking speed on rough, high-risk surfaces.

The Caracal Race GridSkin is available in 40-622, 45-622, and 50-622 sizes. Visually, all options feature the distinctive, black-speckled tan sidewalls that showcase the underlying GridSkin mesh layer.

We put the 40 mm version of the Caracal Race GridSkin through our tests. We've measured rolling resistance at multiple tire pressures, puncture resistance (both tread and sidewall), hard-surface wet grip, actual weight, size, and casing and tread thickness to see how much speed you actually lose when upgrading to this reinforced construction.

We've compared the new Caracal Race GridSkin to the 40 mm Caracal Race with both tan (read our review) and black (read our review) sidewalls, the recently tested Touareg Race (read our review), and a selection of comparable tires from the competition. Read on below for our detailed test results and conclusion.

Manufacturer Specifications

Manufacturer Specs
Brand	Hutchinson
Model	Caracal Race GridSkin
Year	2026
Supplied By	Bought in store
New or Used	New
Mileage	0 km
Price Range	High
Buy At
Manufacturer part number	PV533561
EAN	3248382098957
TPI	127
Compound	Mach Tread 3.0
Bead	Folding
ETRTO	40-622
Specified Weight	500 grams
Max Air Pressure (psi)	51
Made In	Pro Data
Available Sizes	40-622 (700x40c) 45-622 (700x45c) 50-622 (700x50c)

Hutchinson Caracal Race GridSkin 40 Test Results

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements
Specified Weight	500 grams
Measured Weight	492 grams
Measured Width Casing	40 mm (un-round)
Measured Width Tread	41 mm
Measured Height	Pro Data
Tire Circumference	Pro Data
Measured Knob Height Center	0.0 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	1.2 mm
Measured Total Thickness Center (excluding knobs)	2.60 mm
Measured Total Thickness Sidewall	Pro Data
All size measurements are taken at low air pressure on a 17.8 mm inner width rim.

Rolling Resistance Test Results

Rolling Resistance Test Results
Inner Tube	None (30 ml sealant)
Measured Width	40 mm
Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 30-32 = 66 psi/4.6 bar 33-35 = 60 psi/4.1 bar 36-38 = 54 psi/3.7 bar 39-42 = 50 psi/3.4 bar 43-46 = 46 psi/3.2 bar 47-50 = 42 psi/2.9 barHigh Air Pressure (50 psi / 3.4 bar)	Pro Data
Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 30-32 = 55 psi/3.8 bar 33-35 = 50 psi/3.4 bar 36-38 = 45 psi/3.1 bar 39-42 = 42 psi/2.9 bar 43-46 = 38 psi/2.6 bar 47-50 = 35 psi/2.4 barMedium Air Pressure (42 psi / 2.9 bar)	Pro Data
Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 30-32 = 44 psi/3.0 bar 33-35 = 40 psi/2.8 bar 36-38 = 36 psi/2.6 bar 39-42 = 33 psi/2.3 bar 43-46 = 31 psi/2.1 bar 47-50 = 28 psi/1.9 barLow Air Pressure (33 psi / 2.3 bar)	15.8 Watts CRR: 0.00474
Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 30-32 = 33 psi/2.3 bar 33-35 = 30 psi/2.1 bar 36-38 = 27 psi/1.9 bar 39-42 = 25 psi/1.7 bar 43-46 = 23 psi/1.6 bar 47-50 = 21 psi/1.4 barExtra Low Air Pressure (25 psi / 1.7 bar)	Pro Data
The CX/Gravel section is a multi tire size section, air pressures have been adjusted to the measured casing width. All numbers are for a single tire at a speed of 29 km/h / 18 mph and a load of 42.5 kg / 94 lbs. Use the formula: RR (Watts) = CRR * speed (m/s) * load (N) to calculate rolling resistance at a given speed and load.

Puncture Resistance Test Results

Puncture Resistance Test Results (higher is better)
Total Puncture Score Tread	40 Points
Total Puncture Score Sidewall	Pro Data
Tread Puncture Force Sharp Needle	Pro Data
Tread Puncture Force Blunt Needle	Pro Data
Tread Total Tire Thickness	2.60 mm
Sidewall Puncture Force Sharp Needle	Pro Data
Sidewall Puncture Force Blunt Needle	Pro Data
Sidewall Total Tire Thickness	Pro Data

Hard Surface Static Grip Test Results

Static Grip Test Results
Wet Grip Average	75 Points
Wet Grip Center	Pro Data
Wet Grip Edge	Pro Data
Measured Knob Height Center	0.0 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	1.2 mm
Grip in points = coefficient of friction * 100 CX/Gravel grip test rim width = 23.0 mm
Wet Grip Test and Off-Road Tires (info)

Conclusion

The Caracal Race GridSkin rolls slower than both the tan- and black-sidewall versions of the regular Caracal Race. That's probably expected, but the GridSkin version's increased sidewall puncture resistance is only +20% compared to the regular Caracal Race with tan sidewalls and just +5% compared to the black sidewall version. The GridSkin material may see a bigger gain in protection against larger cuts, since our test needles are smaller than the mesh material on the sidewalls.

We can't find much difference in the other tests, which means Hutchinson's new Grid Skin tires share the same high-quality components as the regular "Race" versions.

We feel the GridSkin is a safe buy when you need better sidewall protection than the tan-sidewall version of the Caracal Race. In the end, it comes down to the type of puncture you'll encounter, as some objects will pierce the tire within the mesh material, and we expect puncture resistance in that case to be the same as the tan-sidewall version.

Compare the Caracal Race GridSkin and Caracal Race on our comparison section.

RATING: 4.5 / 5
TEST VERDICT: Highly Recommended

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