MTB Tire Test: Kenda Booster Pro SCT

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  • Kenda Booster Pro SCT
Performance compared to all other MTB tires
(100% is best)
Pro Members get 11-point radar charts

Kenda Booster Pro SCT road bike tire on a rolling resistance test machine

The Kenda Booster Pro is a mountain bike tire that still fits within the XC spectrum with its fairly aggressive tread. Kenda claims that their Booster Pro is one of the fastest and lightest XC tires on the market, a claim that sets the bar high. We tested the reinforced SCT version, and based on our test results, we assume that Kenda's claim applies only to the lighter TR version.


The SCT version comes with reinforced sidewalls combined with a 120 TPI casing. Kenda also indicates that the Booster Pro uses a new "race compound" that is supposed to be fast and grippy. However, it immediately stands out to us that the Booster Pro uses a "single layer" compound, which differs from the compound of the recently tested Rush Pro (read our review), which features a "dual layer" compound and performed quite well in our tests.


A significant advantage of the Booster Pro is the huge number of different sizes it offers. If you are looking for a modern 20", 24", or 26" mountain bike tire, you will quickly end up with the Booster Pro or other models from Kenda.


We tested the Kenda Booster Pro SCT in size 29x2.4 and compared it with the Kenda Rush Pro SCT and many comparable tires from competing manufacturers.


Manufacturer Specifications


Manufacturer Specs
Brand Kenda
Model Booster Pro SCT
Year 2025
Supplied By Bought in store
New or Used New
Mileage 0 km
Price Range High
Buy At
Manufacturer part number 214310
TPI 120
Compound Single
Bead Folding
ETRTO 60-622
Size Inch 29"
Width Inch 2.40
Specified Weight 690 grams
Max Air Pressure (psi) 40
Made In Members Only
Available Sizes 29x2.2
29x2.4
29x2.6
27.5x2.2
27.5x2.4
27.5x2.6
27.5x2.8
26x2.2
26x2.4
24x2.2
20x2.4

Kenda Booster Pro SCT Test Results

Kenda Booster Pro SCT  mountain bike tire on a rolling resistance test machine

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements


Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements
Specified Weight 690 grams
Measured Weight 739 grams
Measured Width Carcass 56 mm (un-round)
Measured Width Tread 58 mm
Measured Height 55 mm (un-round)
Measured Knob Height Center 2.4 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge 4.1 mm
Measured Total Thickness Center (excluding knobs) 2.1 mm
Measured Total Thickness Sidewall Members Only
All size measurements are taken at an air pressure of 35 psi / 2.4 bars on a 17.8 mm inner width rim.

Rolling Resistance Test Results


Rolling Resistance Test Results
Inner Tube None (40 ml sealant)
Rolling Resistance
55 PSI / 3.8 Bar
Members Only
Rolling Resistance
45 PSI / 3.1 Bar
Members Only
Rolling Resistance
35 PSI / 2.4 Bar
30.3 Watts
CRR: 0.00908
Rolling Resistance
25 PSI / 1.7 Bar
34.1 Watts
CRR: 0.01022
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

Kenda Booster Pro SCT  mountain bike tire on a rolling resistance test machine
Puncture Resistance Test Results (higher is better)
Total Puncture Score Tread 30 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 2.1 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

Kenda Booster Pro SCT road bike tire on a grip test machine
Static Grip Test Results
Wet Grip Average 67 Points
Wet Grip Center Members Only
Wet Grip Edge Members Only
Measured Knob Height Center 2.4 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge 4.1 mm
Grip in points = coefficient of friction * 100
MTB grip test rim width = 30.0 mm
Wet Grip Test and Off-Road Tires (info)

Conclusion


  • Kenda Booster Pro SCT
Performance compared to all other MTB tires
(100% is fastest - lightest - highest - strongest)

Pro Members get 11-point radar charts

Our test results make it clear that the Kenda Booster Pro SCT does not have a low rolling resistance and is not one of the lightest XC tires on the market. Looking at the rest of the results, it's unfortunate that the rolling resistance is so high because, in other tests, the Kenda Booster performs quite well.


We assume that the TR version of the Booster Pro is much lighter, but we seriously doubt that it rolls significantly faster. Our experience is that the compound is by far the most important aspect (70 to 80%) of a tire when it comes to achieving a low rolling resistance.


With this high rolling resistance, we cannot recommend the Booster Pro and advise you to look further on our website. You can easily save 15 to 25 watts (per set of 2 tires), making a massive difference if you are even a little competitive.


RATING: 2.5 / 5
TEST VERDICT:
Not Recommended


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