Designed for superior traction in the most demanding conditions. The Survival Pro features the "Endless Edge" tread design in an aggressive open pattern that bites through every surface, with the exception of extreme hard pack or pavement. Also available as Survival Pro Tection.
57-559 (26 x 2,3) 700 grams 630 grams
57-559 (26 x 2,3)
Survival Pro Tection 710 grams 640 grams
Submitted by
maclgallant
a Weekend Warrior
from Moncton, NB, Canada
Date Reviewed: February 16, 2010
Strengths: This tire shines in mud, snow, dirt, grass, very good traction// it really excels in soft to medium compounds
self cleans in mud and snow
Weaknesses: now i have hade these tires during winter (loads of snow and ice) and summer, the weakness of these tires that has not been mentioned by anyone else is there terrible on wet roots and wet rocks (rocks with flat surfaces), maintly the front tire , the rear is average on those condition
i have found myself very often sliding the front tire out and landing on my ##### tire was defenetly ment for the back
Bottom Line:
DO NOT USE AS FRONT TIRE lol
not ment for wet rocks or wet roots
intended for mud and medium to soft compounds
it really shines in those condition
overall i am satisfied with tire and would buy again
but i only put it on the rear after rainfalls and after snow melts to deal with mud and soft compound
Similar Products Used: cont edge, panaracer fire xc pro, cont explorer pro
Bike Setup: Giant Rainier, full x7, tora 318 u-turn, survival pro in rear and cont explorer pro in front
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Submitted by
karfiol135
a Weekend Warrior
from Slovakia
Date Reviewed: January 2, 2010
Strengths: great grip in snow i cant imagine winter riding without this tire i use it both front and rear, this tire will take you anywhere in mud or snow, it corners well, traction is amazing and braking power too
Weaknesses: doesnt like asphalt but its not supposed to do that...
Similar Products Used: conti vertical, conti gravity, maxxis larsen tt...
Bike Setup: 2005 giant reign not stock
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Submitted by
MeanBlackBike
a Cross Country Rider
from Sofia
Date Reviewed: July 31, 2008
Strengths: Outstanding, and I run it az a front tire cannot imagine how will work as rear :)
Weaknesses: None
Bottom Line:
Outstanding, and I run it az a front tire cannot imagine how will work as rear :)
I tested it like rear tire as well but it is 2.3 and for rear it is difficult to ride fast in mud with is it just grips too much in the mud for rear tire.
Well mine is Survival 2.3 Protection and punctures never happen i keep it on max pressure and still grips great.
Why this tire is no longer in production ?? Conty might be going mad not to make it.
It is light enough and in mud like front tire it slows just a little bit but grips great and on corners with high speed also.
Go for it is great and price is good even for every day ride all the year.
Similar Products Used: Conty Edge Protection, Schwalbe Black Jack, Conty Survival Protection 2.3, Maxxis Ranchero/High Roller/ADvantage/Worm Drive/Overdrive
Bike Setup: Which one :)
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Submitted by
Gorilla Nips
a Cross Country Rider
from Lehi, UT
Date Reviewed: August 9, 2007
Strengths: Grip, sticks to everything! Love it!
Weaknesses: Seemed to slip a little in the hardpack uphill, but nothing to really to make me hate it.
Bottom Line:
These tires rock! I've got the 2.1's on the front and back, and it did a world of difference for me. I just swapped them out with the Roll-X because those felt really scary on the downhill. Felt like they were always going to slip out from under me and when going really fast the back tire felt like it was fishtailing. Not with these babies, I felt like I could give 'em hell and they'd stick with me the whole way. Love this tire, one of the better rides i've had because of them! And I've only done one ride, I bought them yesterday:)
Submitted by
Tim Dudley
a Weekend Warrior
from Oldham, Lancs, U.K
Date Reviewed: April 1, 2006
Strengths: This is for the Kevlar bead 2.1" .. Light and very good grip. Very acceptable tread resistance for a tyre with big lugs. Last very well. Great on the back and quite good on the front.
Weaknesses: I can't really complain other than the carcass is a bit thin. And also the width is slightly more akin to a 1.95" rather than a 2.1".
Bottom Line:
I have used this kevlar bead 2.1" for several years. It is better on the front than you would think but its main strength is on the back. Superb on mud, gravel and loose/soft conditions. But I think it is also very good on dry and hardpack. I note that some reviewers have shortcomings about the tyre's performance on hardpack but I have found no problems there. For me this is a good alround tyre, durable and reliable.
Strengths: Traction, durability, and continued performance as the tread wears. Good for front or rear.
Weaknesses: None
Bottom Line:
Probably the best tire I have used. Great cornering in front and super rear traction. The tread starts really deep, which is great for traction, and as it wears, it keeps its grip, but improves its rolling resistance. When the tread lugs get pretty low in back, you can put it up front and it will still corner great.
Bike Setup: Santa Cruz Superlight, V-Brakes, Psylo.
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Submitted by
shawn malloy
a Downhiller
from Lynn, MA USA
Date Reviewed: August 23, 2005
Strengths: Excellent grip in all conditions from rock faces to mud bogs, loose gravel to hard pack. Almost no knob deflection. Good sidewalls with the pro tection version.
Weaknesses: none. maybe not the best tire for a front but still better than most. Best as a rear.
Bottom Line:
I have tried just about every tire that is worth trying and NO company offers better tires than continental. The only catch is that I am light (135lbs) and have never needed a super beefy tire under me. If you are a big'un try the gazzaloddi's. Nokian's rank second in my book. Most european tire companies use REAL rubber not synthetic (maxxis). This provides the best grip to durability ratio available. I get better grip with any of my continentals than any of the maxxis Super tacky's. I run two sets of rims and thus two sets of tires. For freeriding I run my 721's with a survival on the rear and a vertical on the front. For DH I run 823's with gravity UST for rear and vertical UST for front. The continental's are predictable, stable and grip any surface you are going to ride. Continental has been making tires for nearly 100 years and it shows. If you are a serious rider you owe it to yourself to at least try these.
Similar Products Used: Maxxis- hans venture, minion, high roller, mobster. Nokian- gazzaloddi, nbx. Panaracer- fire series. Hutchinson- spider UST. Michelin- wild gripper, Hot s. Continental- vertical, vertical UST, gravity, gravity UST.
Bike Setup: Intense Uzzi SLX, Fox 36, mavic 823's to hadley's and 721's to king. Standard shimano / race face mix. Thomson post and stem and easton monkeylite's.
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Submitted by
Carlos
a Cross Country Rider
from Lakewood, CO USA
Date Reviewed: December 9, 2004
Strengths: This tire has unbelievable traction on a variety of surfaces, but is at its best in loose, mud and snow. Even my stoker is amazed by the traction this tire has and it takes a lot to get comments like that from her. I have had problems with the sidewalls on Continental in the past. This tire has very strong, durable sidewall thanks to Pro Tection. It’s good to see a big company address a problem this well.
Weaknesses: None found so far.
Bottom Line:
The best rubber we’ve had on the tandem so far is hands down the Vertical Pro Tection 2.3 on the front and the Survival Pro Tection 2.3 on the rear. They hook up solidly and track very well on every surface I have used them on. I would recommend them to any team for use on their two-seater mountain bike.
Similar Products Used: Continental Traction Pro Tire and Nokian Boazobeana R
Bike Setup: IBIS Cousin It (tandem), XT shifters, XTR derailleurs, LX cranks, 11-34 cassette, White Brothers TM 1.0, Hope Mono6ti (205mm rotors) front and rear and Phil Wood Disk/Mavic EX 729 wheels with a Continental Vertical Pro Tection2.3 on the front and a Continental Survival Pro Tection 2.3 on the rear
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Submitted by
Conor
a Weekend Warrior
from salt lake city,ut,usa
Date Reviewed: November 1, 2004
Strengths: Great grip in loose of wet dirt
Weaknesses: havn't found any yet other than the loud noises from the nobby tread on pavement
Bottom Line:
Great for climbing in dirt or other offroad terrain i love the way it grips into almost anything. Ive used this in so many different types of terrain, even snow, and the grip has never failed me
Strengths: Low rolling resistance, light, it does grip and do what it should
Weaknesses: Excess vibration when running high volume on roads............but its not designed for road riding, its designed for mountain bikes
Bottom Line:
Its designed for mud and unlike some mud tyres its not unstable over hardpack/wet rock and back to mud. So many times I've walked into a bikeshop and spotted some new tyres, thrown off the Survival Pro's only to ease them back on again.
Now if only Conti could make their summer tyres puncher-proof from thorns......
Used 2.3 front and rear. Great traction offroad on dirt tracks or mud. Can slide out if braking on grass. High rolling resistance (and accompanying 'tractor tyre sound')on tarmac - great for building up the leg muscles! Wet pavements are a definite problem when the tires are new, slid out on me a couple times when using the front brake too vigorously - be careful! Also watch frame clearance, the large knobs can literally eat into your aluminium chainstays if there is any buckle or flex in the rear wheel. Tires held up well when hard-cornering, where other tires often distort ('squish' as I call it, if you know what I mean). Look great, lasted me a couple of years on and offroad. Lots of choice though at this size/price range.
Similar Products Used: Specialized Roll-X, Ritchey
Bike Setup: '95 Cannondale CAD1, mainly deore stuff
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Submitted by
Kenn
a Cross Country Rider
from Henderson
Date Reviewed: February 15, 2004
Strengths: Great grip and soft pliable sidewall. Outstanding when used with Stans No Tubes. 2.3 rolls very well front and rear. Conti makes a very good quality product.
Weaknesses: None yet. I can't even say price because you do get what you pay for.
Bottom Line:
For the trails in southern NV I have found these to be a great buy. I have been pushing Maxxis Minions 2.35 front and rear for a while now and they were nice. The Survival Pros are very easy to push even though I am running 2.3 front and back. On very steep climbs the Maxxis would break a tad bit and these bite very well with no release. They sound pretty sweet on pavement as well.
I would definately recommend to use Stan's No-Tubes as well. No more pinch flats and no more thorn flats! Southern NV has these stupid weeds that shed thorns all over the place.
Bike Setup: Trek Liquid 30,XT throughout, Chris King headset, Fox Vanilla 125, Thompson stem and post, Easton bar, Deore Disc etc.
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Submitted by
Marcus75
a Weekend Warrior
from LA, CALI
Date Reviewed: November 10, 2003
Strengths: Wide and Long Knobs/Trends, good controls in wet and dry dirt trails.
Weaknesses: Wide Trend make pavement rides very slippery, weight and not good for XC overall tires.
Bottom Line:
Just had these installed on the rear after my enduro S Works started going balled. Looking for a tire that really digs into the dry dirt trails, these are excellent climbers because the long knows digs well. Also the wide trend design makes good traction. No Slips like with my enduro S Works Tires. Excellent fit with my specialized enduro pro because I do alot of rough terrain rides.
Had these on for only few rides, so don't know about the long term durability but much better climber than S Work. I would recommend these for climbing and if you are seeking tractions over wet and dry dirt trails. This is a very specific tire made for tractions over rough terrains, not a good XC or all round tires.
Bike Setup: Specialized Enduro Pro w/ Answer Carbon Protaper and Time Z Pedals.
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Submitted by
mtbdirteater
a Cross Country Rider
from The Colorado Front Range
Date Reviewed: October 30, 2003
Strengths: Consistant Continental quality, very grippy on rocks and decent rear braking when still new, good climbing tire on rear with 30-35psi. Kicks butt on damp dirt hardpack singletrack like after a rain where other more tightly spaced tread patterns pick up stuff and slide, good excelleration unless in four inches of dust, makes me think it would excell in mud if we ever had any... Fairly easy to mount on most rims like other Conti tires.
Weaknesses: No Tubeless UST version, what's up with this void??? Wears fast on rocky trails, can pinch flat at optimum tire pressure for best traction 30-35psi, Not so great on dusty hardpack, but this tire is not designed for that. Bounces and tears up trails on a hardtail with higher air pressure, probably due to the same widely spaced tire tread that makes it such a great traction tire at lower pressure. My white "ProTection" logo on one side of the tire is peeling off, and it's a top layer of rubber, not a decal.
After three months of trail riding on it nearly every afternoon and weekend, I have more like round bumps than any sharp knobs left. A little expensive for how soft the rubber is, but you get great traction with it before it wears and dulls down.
Bottom Line:
Good specific purpose tire in loose rock and on rocky technical trails, a fast hard pack tire this ain't. I like this tire as a rear for climbing loose stuff better than a rear Velociraptor, which is great too. Some noticeable rolling resistance on hard pack, but you'll have that the more aggressive and widely spaced the tread pattern.
If you ride asphalt to your trails, pavement eats this tire for lunch. ProTection sidewall is worth it, only pinch flatted this tire once, but at about 40mph blasting down rocky Rollins Pass. I'm sure a downhill tube would have held up better in it that day with what I was riding down after looking at the snakebite, but if getting that heavy, might as well look at a 2 ply light downhill/freeride tire like an Intense EX 909 2.35 if it will fit between your chainstays.
A Survival Pro may make a good downhill tread if they actually made it as a thicker (heavier) downhill tire in a harder rubber compound, but it is cool that you can use this aggressive tread where you need it in an XC weight tire, gives you a little edge in some places.
Mud performance? I can't tell you about mud, because I live in Colorado and rarely have mud, will have to try this tire in the snow, and I'm trying a 2.1 ProTection on the rear next.
I've never tried this tire on front, a Vertical ProTection or Vertical UST (2.3, because that's all they make) makes a great front for this tire on Colorado trails.
Tread about half worn down with nearly every day riding for three months, but sharp edges wore off after about a month, turning this tire into something different, looks like the edges of all my knobs are chipped off and rounded now.
It worked so good though when it did, that I will keep using a Survival Pro on the rear on trails that it eats, so I call this a good specific purpose tire, that like many good things, doesn't last forever. If you have a specific need for a traction solution on loose and rocky technical stuff, this may be your rear tire, and hooks up great climbing just about anything with a surface if you don't ride hanging out over your stem, there is not enough surface contact on the knob tips back there to keep you in line if you like riding on your front wheel.
Strengths: Great traction in loose conditions, great mud evacuation
Weaknesses: Rolling resistance, but I don't think these are "general purpose" tires. They work in mud or loose conditions, and in other applications may suffer.
Bottom Line:
I bought these tires on closeout from Colorado Cyclist for $22 each. I have the 2.1 Survivals, which are fairly narrow tires. However, in loose conditions, they are superb. There really isn't much hardpack where I live, so I'd imagine that they might be a bit squirmy because of their high knob profile. However, the large widely spaced knobs tear up loose terrain.
The sidewalls are fairly stiff and thick, so they aren't the lightest tires out there, but they are pretty durable. I say in the conditions that they are meant for, they get 5 stars.
