CX/Gravel Tire Test: Tufo Gravel Thundero HD 44

Our tests of the Tufo Gravel range (Thundero, Speedero, Swampero) revealed that these tires offer solid performance, making them our top picks for gravel bike tires. Tufo also offers its entire lineup of gravel bike tires with "HD" casings, which provide more protection than the standard casing and are the go-to tire when you value protection over performance.

The HD casing is a lower TPI casing (130/255) than the casing found on the non-HD version (210/375). While high TPI casings are good for lightness and performance, they usually offer less protection because the high TPI casing wires are thinner than those of lower TPI casings. The HD casing is roughly 30 grams heavier, which is still a relatively low penalty you pay for the better protection.

Except for the casing, it's essential to note that the rest of the tire's construction is identical to the non-HD version, and the lower TPI casing isn't a cheaper alternative to the high TPI casing. This is important to know, as with most tires, manufacturers offer lower TPI versions of their tires with lower performance than the high TPI version due to the use of cheaper compounds and cheaper casing fabrics.

The HD version of the Gravel Thundero is (just like the non-HD version) available in 36, 40, 44, and 48 mm sizes, and all versions are available with either black or beige sidewalls. We've tested the Gravel Thundero HD 44 with black sidewalls and will compare it to the non-HD Thundero 44, Thundero HD 40, and a large selection of tires from competing manufacturers.

Manufacturer Specifications

Manufacturer Specs
Brand	Tufo
Model	Gravel Thundero HD
Year	2025
Supplied By	Bought in store
New or Used	New
Mileage	0 km
Price Range	High
Buy At
Manufacturer part number	137251731047
EAN	8592723057178
TPI	130/255
Compound	Grip Silica Compound
Bead	Folding
ETRTO	44-622
Specified Weight	480 grams
Max Air Pressure (psi)	60
Made In	Members Only
Available Sizes	36-622 (700x36c) 40-622 (700x40c) 44-622 (700x44c) 48-622 (700x48c)

Tufo Gravel Thundero HD 44 Test Results

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements
Specified Weight	480 grams
Measured Weight	483 grams
Measured Width Casing	42 mm (un-round)
Measured Width Tread	44 mm
Measured Height	39 mm (un-round)
Measured Knob Height Center	1.5 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	2.2 mm
Measured Total Thickness Center (excluding knobs)	1.70 mm
Measured Total Thickness Sidewall	Members Only
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	42 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)	Members Only
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)	Members Only
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)	18.8 Watts CRR: 0.00564
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)	21.2 Watts CRR: 0.00635
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	42 Points
Total Puncture Score Sidewall	Members Only
Tread Puncture Force Sharp Needle	Members Only
Tread Puncture Force Blunt Needle	Members Only
Tread Total Tire Thickness	1.70 mm
Sidewall Puncture Force Sharp Needle	Members Only
Sidewall Puncture Force Blunt Needle	Members Only
Sidewall Total Tire Thickness	Members Only

Hard Surface Static Grip Test Results

Static Grip Test Results
Wet Grip Average	76 Points
Wet Grip Center	Members Only
Wet Grip Edge	Members Only
Measured Knob Height Center	1.5 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	2.2 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

Just like the non-HD versions of the Tufo Gravel Thundero, the 44 mm Gravel Thundero HD performs incredibly strong in our tests. While we saw a bigger difference between the 40 mm versions of the Gravel Thundero HD and non-HD, the 44 mm versions come in surprisingly close to each other in our tests. As expected, rolling resistance is slightly higher, but you get better protection for both the tread and sidewalls in return.

We've now tested both the 40 and 44 mm versions of the Gravel Thundero HD, and our test results will also give an excellent indication of the performance of the Speedero and Swampero HD versions. When we average those results, the rolling resistance for the HD version will be +5 % to +10%, tread puncture resistance will be +20% to +30 %, and sidewall puncture resistance will be +10% to +15 %.

When we compare the Tufo Thundero HD to tires from competing manufacturers, it will be nearly impossible to find a tire that offers better overall performance.

Compare the Tufo Gravel Thundero 44 with regular and HD casings on our comparison section.

RATING: 5.0 / 5
TEST VERDICT: Highly Recommended

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