Falken Wildpeak MT 2.9" Trail / Crawler Tire
Axial SCX-6 Honcho
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Falken Wildpeak
Arriving as the 6th tire review in our 2.9” wheel size lineup, the Falken Wildpeak MT by Axial Adventure rounds out the OEM offerings for the SCX-6 product line. Coming as standard equipment on Axial’s SCX-6 Honcho trail truck, the Wildpeak tires bring a fantastic level of scale appearance to the truck while also offering a reliable level of performance on the trail. In this review we will dig into the tire details, foam setup, and performance in our rocky desert terrain. |
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Inspection Notes
The Falken Wildpeak MT tire brings a scale appearance perfectly suited for one of the largest trail trucks on the market today. Standing right at 7.2” in height, the Wildpeaks provide plenty of axle clearance for rough, chunky terrain. Tire height and width are correctly scaled to the 1/6 sizing of the Honcho. The tire itself is closely based on the 1:1 version of the Wildpeak tire, featuring a non-directional, blocky tread pattern. Each tire lug features a shallow sipe molded into the rubber, with the staggered center line showing a mirrored dual sipe pattern. Spacing between the tire’s lugs is generous, providing plenty of space to grip rock surfaces and kick out and loose or wet debris. |
Symmetric and non-directional tread pattern.
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Great scale detail on the Wildpeak tires.
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In between the outer tire lugs are small and functional rock ejectors molding into the carcass, which then taper off before wrapping around into the sidewall tread pattern.
The mid-section of the tire is smooth and free of any lug pattern, transitioning into a perfectly form tire bead. This is attention to detail in the tire bead area is common among Axial tire offerings, and much appreciated when mounting onto a set of aluminum beadlock wheels. Decorative molding of the name and dimensions completes the scale details of this tire. |
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Wheel, Tire, and Foam Setup
In preparing the Wildpeak tires for the trail, there wasn’t much to do other than venting the tires with three 3mm holes for each tire. The wheel selection was straight forward with a set of our Treal RC aluminum beadlock wheels handling the testing duties. Link to Wheel Review: Treal RC Foam selection for the SCX-6 is a challenging proposition considering the limited options. That said, after testing a number of foam options, we keep going back to the Injora two-stage foams with side inserts. It’s the best combination we’ve found when it comes to supporting the SCX-6’s hefty weight while still allowing the tires to conform to the rocky terrain. |
One of our favorite wheel patterns from Treal RC.
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Test Crawler - Axial Honcho
With the SCX-6 Moon Buggy still under construction, we headed back out with the SCX-6 Honcho for this tire evaluation. Over the past few years, the SCX-6 Honcho has become one of our favorite crawlers in the fleet. It's ability to handle steep, technical terrain at such a large size never ceases to amaze us. Check out the link under the Crawlers section for a detailed look at the SCX-6 Honcho and its modifications. Link to SCX-6 Review: Honcho Review |
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Out on the Trail
We spent a few months cruising along the trails at bedrock, and overall we came away satisfied, but not overly impressed. While the Wildpeaks looked the part, they tended to struggle on the steeper sections of slick sandstone. The Wildpeaks felt like a typical OEM tire offering in that they are a bit more focused on their looks and durability than all-out performance. |
When the Wildpeaks did hook up in the rocky terrain, they would perform quite well, and at times the trail conditions seemed to be just right for these tires to really impress.
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Aside from slipping and fighting with slick sandstone climbs from time to time, the Wildpeaks moved though our sprawling trail network in a workman like fashion.
In this video you can see one of the difficult technical ascents the Honcho was able to scale with these tires, show that they do have some ability to handle technical rock. Consistent, average performance is a good way to describe these. |
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If the Wildpeaks have a strong suit, it's for general exploration of new trails and rock formations. With Badrock Ridge being such a large crawling area, it’s easy to spend an hour searching out new features along rocky trails and sandy washes.
The tough carcass of the tire withstands the abrasive nature of rock, with minimal wear showing after hours of trail use. So, if exploration is a big part of your interest, these are well suited for such a task. |
Evaluation Results
Up and over the technical sections of trail.
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Technical Rock: 22/30
Hauling the heavy SCX-6 up any rocky face is a tall order, and the Wildpeak tires did a reasonably good job for the task at hand. The rubber compound is on the harder side of the range, allowing the tires to slip on the rounded bits of sandstone and struggle to bite into some of the smaller rock imperfections. In areas where the rock was firmer with a coarse surface, the Wildpeaks excelled. The large lugs were able to grip the rock’s surface and hold tight for optimal traction, helping the large crawler ascend difficult sections of trail. At times we found it beneficial to drive the corner of the tire into the rock, forcing the carcass to flex and side lugs to engage. The weight of the Honcho helped with this process, and often a bit of sidewall bite would help the truck clear a difficult spot. |
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Large Slab / Slick Rock: 10/20
If there was a weakness in the tire’s performance, it was on any slick rock surfaces. The hard rubber compound struggles to stick to the rock’s surface, and the firm tire carcass underneath the lugs prevents any real flexing of the tire for traction. The smooth sheets of sandstone found on a few of the fractured slabs were too challenging for these tires to handle. |
This slick sandstone ledge proved to be challenging.
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Trying not to look down after reaching this elevation on the trail.
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Tire Construction Quality and Appearance: 20/20
It seems that across the industry, OEM tires have improved on many RTR trail trucks and crawlers, and the Wildpeaks continue in this vein. Axial consistently delivers in this area with many of their OEM tire offerings well designed and executed. The level of detail is superb, nearly rivaling their 1:1 counterpart. Considering it further, they look better than the real Wildpeaks, but I think much of this is due to their size in relation to the Honcho. In scale terms, these are like running 42's on your Tacoma. Legit, yes, but your transmission hates you. Molding lines, lug pattern, bead formation; everything has a high-level of finishing touches. Setting the rubber compound aside, since its own category, it’s hard to find any fault with the tires. |
Rubber Compound: 15/20
Wildpeaks are made from a hard rubber compound, most likely to handle the high-speed option on the factory SCX-Honcho. The toughness lends itself to a fantastic level of durability, but when the trail steepens, the tires struggle to hook up under the weight of the Honcho. I think they could stand to be a bit softer, but it would come at the cost of tire life. Again, compromises are everywhere.
Wildpeaks are made from a hard rubber compound, most likely to handle the high-speed option on the factory SCX-Honcho. The toughness lends itself to a fantastic level of durability, but when the trail steepens, the tires struggle to hook up under the weight of the Honcho. I think they could stand to be a bit softer, but it would come at the cost of tire life. Again, compromises are everywhere.
Tread Life 5/5
Looking over the tires after months out on the trail, they are still in excellent condition. The rubber is a tough compound, with a tire life measured in years rather than months.
Looking over the tires after months out on the trail, they are still in excellent condition. The rubber is a tough compound, with a tire life measured in years rather than months.
Versatility: 5/5
It's my opinion that a person should look at Wildpeaks in a bit of a different light than other tires for this specific assessment. Knowing the factory Honcho is first a trail truck, and only moderately capable crawler on most terrain, the Wildpeaks are well suited for any task the Honcho would reasonably be presented with.
The Wildpeak tires demonstrated the ability to handle any of our standard trails, and even some of the moderately challenging sections. Loose rock, sand, and other trail debris were no problem for the tires to manage.
It's my opinion that a person should look at Wildpeaks in a bit of a different light than other tires for this specific assessment. Knowing the factory Honcho is first a trail truck, and only moderately capable crawler on most terrain, the Wildpeaks are well suited for any task the Honcho would reasonably be presented with.
The Wildpeak tires demonstrated the ability to handle any of our standard trails, and even some of the moderately challenging sections. Loose rock, sand, and other trail debris were no problem for the tires to manage.
Final Evaluation Score: 77/100
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Closing Thoughts
The 2.9” SCX-6 Falken Wildpeak tires are a decent all-around trail and crawling tire, but the rubber compound is on the harder side of the spectrum, resulting in some performance challenges on slick sandstone and steep technical rock. It’s unknown if they are made from the same rubber compound as the Axial BFG KM3’s, but their performance is not at the same level as the KM3’s. Since Axial website leaves much to be desired in terms of technical information, this question remains unanswered. For most trail work and casual rock crawling, these tires will be more than adequate and likely last a few years. Their tough rubber compound makes them ideal for exploration through our harsh, rocky terrain. The lugs are tall and offer plenty of material before they wear to the carcass, and the sidewalls are thick enough to survive most rock bites and trail abuse. Their scale appearance is excellent, and the molding details are quite good. There’s no doubt that the Falken Wildpeak are a high-quality tire for general trail use, but there are better choices for technical rock crawling. |
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Specs
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