@David Max
Speaking for myself, I have both and they are very different overall. I'm using Huck Norris on my 26+ hardtail, and the Cush Core on my 27.5 FS. I don't have a hugely extensive amount of time on both setups yet, but enough to begin tell what benefit they each provide and what they feel like from my own perspective.
Huck Norris doesn't really change the way the tire/wheel feels overall. You kind of just forget its in there and go happily along now that you can run a bit more normalized/ideal pressures if you previously found yourself over-inflating a bit in order to protect your tires and rims from pinch flats and unnecessary damage. Kind of the beauty of HN is that its just that and really not much more. Costs the least, weighs the least, doesn't really alter the way anything feels, offers just enough insurance and peace of mind. You can still feel the tire bottom out here and there but it takes the edge of what would otherwise be a really hard strike, and consequently makes it a non-event up to a point. Its just a relatively thin strip of very dense foam after all. Not a miracle. But I think they got it right for the right application. You just need to manage your expectations of these things and try to be honest about the limits and the actual benefits.
Cush Core is a lot more substantial and changes the way the tire feels on the ground by a noticeable amount. I was very apprehensive when I took it all out of the box. Like holy goodness these things are dense and bulky, and adding ~520g to my wheels had me seriously considering riding alone for a while until I determined if they were going to be a life draining succubus or any kind of actual benefit. As it would go my first ride with the inserts was with a great group of close friends and fast riders. I was very worried. The worry quickly faded away and I forgot all about the weight and quickly began to realize the benefits. The tires roll great. The tires roll extremely quietly. No noticeable rim strikes. Great traction and precise tracking. Without the insert, I was at 25-27F/30-32R as a low limit before I would inevitably pinch the rear trying to hold it open through a rough line or any particularly smash-like rock garden or less than perfect landing. Comes down to my trail habits I guess. I see a line like that and I can't help myself. Cush Core offers a lot more protection than HN for those moments. I'm currently running 20F/25R now and much less concern than ever before. Need to experiment with less just out of diligence, but I am quite happy with those pressures right now. Getting plenty of support and protection and traction is better than ever.
May 3, 2017, 7:45 a.m. - Metacomet
@David Max Speaking for myself, I have both and they are very different overall. I'm using Huck Norris on my 26+ hardtail, and the Cush Core on my 27.5 FS. I don't have a hugely extensive amount of time on both setups yet, but enough to begin tell what benefit they each provide and what they feel like from my own perspective. Huck Norris doesn't really change the way the tire/wheel feels overall. You kind of just forget its in there and go happily along now that you can run a bit more normalized/ideal pressures if you previously found yourself over-inflating a bit in order to protect your tires and rims from pinch flats and unnecessary damage. Kind of the beauty of HN is that its just that and really not much more. Costs the least, weighs the least, doesn't really alter the way anything feels, offers just enough insurance and peace of mind. You can still feel the tire bottom out here and there but it takes the edge of what would otherwise be a really hard strike, and consequently makes it a non-event up to a point. Its just a relatively thin strip of very dense foam after all. Not a miracle. But I think they got it right for the right application. You just need to manage your expectations of these things and try to be honest about the limits and the actual benefits. Cush Core is a lot more substantial and changes the way the tire feels on the ground by a noticeable amount. I was very apprehensive when I took it all out of the box. Like holy goodness these things are dense and bulky, and adding ~520g to my wheels had me seriously considering riding alone for a while until I determined if they were going to be a life draining succubus or any kind of actual benefit. As it would go my first ride with the inserts was with a great group of close friends and fast riders. I was very worried. The worry quickly faded away and I forgot all about the weight and quickly began to realize the benefits. The tires roll great. The tires roll extremely quietly. No noticeable rim strikes. Great traction and precise tracking. Without the insert, I was at 25-27F/30-32R as a low limit before I would inevitably pinch the rear trying to hold it open through a rough line or any particularly smash-like rock garden or less than perfect landing. Comes down to my trail habits I guess. I see a line like that and I can't help myself. Cush Core offers a lot more protection than HN for those moments. I'm currently running 20F/25R now and much less concern than ever before. Need to experiment with less just out of diligence, but I am quite happy with those pressures right now. Getting plenty of support and protection and traction is better than ever.