Halo GXC gravel tyre review

The most aggressive option in Halo’s gravel tyre range, the GXC is much more of an all-rounder than the brand’s semi-slick GXR and RXR tyres.

The GXC performs well in both dry and wet conditions over a wide range of terrain, from gravel and hardpack to rocks and mud.

Easy installation, low weight and ample grip whatever the terrain make it a very versatile choice and one of the best gravel tyres on the market.

Halo GXC specifications and details

Featuring a directional diamond-shaped tread pattern from shoulder to shoulder, the Halo GXC tyre is available in three sizes – 38mm or 42mm for 700c wheels and 47mm for 650b wheels.

You also get the choice of black or tan sidewalls for the 38mm and 47mm sizes, while the 42mm width is available with tan sidewalls only.

The intermediate and shoulder blocks are siped to aid wet-weather grip, while the central tread blocks are packed more tightly for straight-line speed.

The tyre features a lightweight 60 TPI (threads per inch) carcass, bringing the weight for the 38mm model in at a low 422g.

That’s lighter than the 38mm-wide Vittoria Terreno Dry TLR, which weighs 450g, and Vittoria’s winter-weather option, the 38mm Terreno Wet at 479g.

Like its other tyres, Halo uses a softer rubber compound for the shoulder tread and a harder compound for the centre line of the tyre.

This is intended to aid grip when cornering and help maintain speed when riding straight and upright.

Halo GXC performance

Setup was surprisingly quick and easy.

The bead of the Halo GXC tyres were a snug fit onto the rim, but inflated with a tubeless setup using only a track pump, unlike the other tyres in Halo’s gravel range, which required a shot of air at 100psi.

Inflated onto WTB i23 CZR rims, the 700x38c Halo GXC tyres were a little narrower than most gravel tyres I’ve tested, measuring up a fraction over claimed width at 39mm on the 21mm-wide internal rim.

Testing these tyres immediately after the Halo GXR and Halo RXR, the first and most noticeable change was an improvement in my off-road confidence, moving from the semi-slick centre-line design of the chain of H symbols to the shoulder-to-shoulder diamond tread of the Halo GXC.

With very unpredictable weather this summer on my UK test ground, dry-weather semi-slicks have been next to useless for my local trails, so I was eager to see how these more aggressively treaded tyres would fare.

I headed to Muddy Bottoms (yes, it is really called that) in Devon to test the wet-weather, dirt and mud credentials of the GXC.

The diamond-shaped tread blocks of the fairly narrow tyres hooked performed well through even the sloppiest mud, through puddles and over wet rocks on a sunken bridleway.

While this isn’t an out-and-out mud tyre, like the Terreno Wet or the XC-inspired WTB Sendero, the Halo GXC provides plenty of confidence in wetter terrain.

On linking lanes, the GXC didn’t feel quite as nippy as the GXR, or other similar gravel tyres with a smoother centre line such as the WTB Vulpine SG2 or Schwalbe G-One RS.

That said, I’d happily take the trade-off for the extra grip when heading off-road, especially when conditions are changeable.

The Halo GXC gravel tyre performed well on forest fire road gravel tracks too, making it a great all-rounder option.

However, if you enjoy taking on more technical trails, you may be better off with the slightly wider 42mm tyre and the additional grip that size is likely to afford.

Halo GXC bottom line

As a solid fit-and-forget gravel tyre, it’s hard to fault the Halo GXC.

You’ll find confidence-inspiring grip in most conditions and terrain, without having to make a substantial compromise on rolling speed.

There are three sizes to choose from, so there should be a suitable option for most setups and riding preferences.