XTR durability

Looking to pick up some tires and I love the look of the Mud Lite XTR. I have read posts about there weak sidewalls and leaking issues. Is this still the case or have these tires been beefed up? I am looking to go with 27's on 14 inch wheels.

I'm not for sure how long it has been since they have done any changes but when I bought my rhino 2 years ago that's what was on it and I busted every side wall on it they was not the best for withstanding the ruff stuff.

I know a guy who has them and has no trouble, but he rides slow and drinks alot of beer.  ITPs do have thin sidewalls for sure.  If you haul ass, I would bet they will give you lots of trouble.  Unless you hit every mudhole you come to, you will like a slightly milder tread better.  Some tough tires that I've seen hold up running hard through rough and rocky trails are Bighorns, STI Rocktanes, STI black diamonds, EFX tires, and maybe some others that I can't think of right now.  I've had two sets of ITP tires and both sets had one tire that leaked around the bead even as I was riding.  I even broke them down and put bead sealer on them and they still leaked down.  I think I read somewhere that Carlisle bought them out, so they may be better now.

i have a set of the 27" xtr's on my machine and i like them so far i have around 500 miles on them and they seem to wear good. i plow my way through swamps making my own trails and im not very easy on it and they are holding up. even do doughnuts on blacktop now and then:[URL=http://ww

I roll with a set of 27X14 Mudlite XTR. Had problems with slow leaks on the beads also. I dumped 32 oz of slim in each tire and that fixed the issue. Just last week I busted the seal on a rear wheel and had it go flat out in the woods. Pumped it back up with my portable compressor and off I went. It's held pressure all week. I really notice the blk-top eats on mine, but I don't do much riding on the blk-top. Pretty good all around tire otherwise.

For trail riding and 14" rims, you need to keep your air pressure checked. With the soft sidewalls it is easy to get a rim pinch if the air pressure is low. I have a new set in the garage waiting to go on the Rhino. The set that is on it has a couple thousand miles and not a lot of bite left. You can find the bottom of a rut in a hurry!! 

I pinched my first one the last trip at Windrock. I knocked a front one of the bead and did not wait long enough to fill it back up to what I normally run. Next thing I know it was flat again ..... 4-5 plugs and more air.....I was back moving again!!

X2 on the air pressure, I run 14-15 psi in mine.

Thanks for the feedback guys. Id like to read others opinion as well. I really like the XTR, 589, Bighorns and Bajacross. I want something with a flat profile that's durable, a radial, has a good rim protector and is a good all terrain. Don't need a street tire and I don't need a mud tire. I have a winch if I get stuck. Torn between 12s and 14s at this point. I know 12s will ride better but 14s look better.

OK, so I think I am going to try the Balckwater Evo's in the 27's and 14's. I just need to find the best price. I cant remember ever spending close to $1000 for wheels and tires. If and when I get them Ill report back. Not a whole lot of feedback on them yet.