CX/Gravel Tire Test: Tufo Gravel Swampero 40

If you're looking for a gravel bike tire to get you through more challenging conditions, the Tufo Swampero might be what you're looking for. Tufo currently offers three gravel bike tires, and we've already tested the Gravel Speedero and Gravel Thundero, both made for lighter/dry conditions. The Gravel Swampero comes with bigger and wider spaced knobs for better off-road grip and mud-clearing.

Technically, the threesome of Tufo gravel bike tires are pretty much identical, with all three using the same 210/375 TPI casing and compound. As we found the Gravel Thundero (read our review) and Gravel Speedero (read our review) to perform very strongly in our tests, the more open tread pattern should make this a very versatile gravel bike tire.

Like the Gravel Thundero and Speedero, all sizes of the Swampero are available with either full-black or black-with-beige sidewalls. We've tested the 40-622 version with black sidewalls, which is the exact same size and color as the Thundero and Speedero we tested and will make for an excellent comparison of Tufo's gravel bike tires.

Manufacturer Specifications

Manufacturer Specs
Brand	Tufo
Model	Gravel Swampero
Year	2022
Supplied By	Bought in store
New or Used	New
Mileage	0 km
Price Range	High
Buy At
Manufacturer part number	-
EAN	8592723055501
TPI	210/375
Compound	-
Bead	Folding
ETRTO	40-622
Specified Weight	430 grams
Max Air Pressure (psi)	70
Made In	Members Only
Available Sizes	36-622 (700x36c) 40-622 (700x40c)

Tufo Gravel Swampero 40 Test Results

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements
Specified Weight	430 grams
Measured Weight	433 grams
Measured Width Casing	37 mm (un-round)
Measured Width Tread	41 mm
Measured Height	36 mm (un-round)
Measured Knob Height Center	2.1 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	2.7 mm
Measured Total Thickness Center (excluding knobs)	1.80 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) (current protocol)	Conti Cross28 (160 gr) (test protocol)
Measured Width	37 mm	37 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 (54 psi / 3.7 bar)	Members Only	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 (45 psi / 3.1 bar)	Members Only	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 (36 psi / 2.6 bar)	20.1 Watts CRR: 0.00603	23.9 Watts CRR: 0.00716
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 (27 psi / 1.9 bar)	22.4 Watts CRR: 0.00671	27.4 Watts CRR: 0.00821
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	31 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	1.80 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	64 Points
Wet Grip Center	Members Only
Wet Grip Edge	Members Only
Measured Knob Height Center	2.1 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	2.7 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

Like the Gravel Thundero (read our review) and Speedero (read our review), the Gravel Swampero performs very strong in nearly all of our tests. Of course, it's a bit slower rolling as the tread pattern simply isn't made to provide the absolute lowest rolling resistance. The main weakness with the Tufo gravel bike tires seems to be in the puncture resistance of the tread, as you'll have to rely on tubeless sealant to seal small punctures.

We also see the wet grip on a hard surface is much lower than the Speedero and Thundero, which we attribute to the higher and wider spaced knobs, which results in more flexing and reduced contact area that both decrease grip on a hard surface. The grip should be much better on softer surfaces where the knobs can dig into the surface.

All three of Tufo's gravel bike tires are excellent choices, and it will be up to the individual and the expected conditions to decide which will best suit their needs. If you're still undecided on which version of these tires will suit you best, drop over to our comparison section, where you can compare the Gravel Thundero, Gravel Speedero, and Gravel Swampero side by side.

RATING: 5.0 / 5
TEST VERDICT: Highly Recommended

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