Drift Tire Roundup

During the early days of drifting, ABS tires or Yokomo Drift Rings were pretty much your only options. Things have changed a lot since then, and with the recent U.S. release of HPI's T-Drift Radials (available in 5 different treads) there are now plenty of tires to choose from. Here's a look at three popular choices.

Tamiya Super Driftechs

Installation: 1 2 3 4 5
The tires slide right on, and stay on. No glue or hairdryers required.

Grip Level: Very Low - Low - Moderate - High - Very High
These tires have the most consistent handling of the three, which makes them great for beginners. They work well on all surfaces.

Longevity: 1 2 3 4 5
Because they're a solid tire, you can wear them down as thin as you like. I opted to change mine once they got about half way through the logos on the sidewalls.

After about 25-30 runs:

Overall: Great all-around tires that unfortunately only fit correctly on 24mm wheels.

HPI T-Drifts

Installation: 1 2 3 4 5
After heating them up with a hairdryer they mount fairly easily. No glue required.

Grip Level: Very Low - Low - Moderate - High - Very High
These tires have the least amount of grip of the three, but still have a good amount of control. As the tires heat up, though, they gain a significant amount of grip which can lead to inconsistent handling run to run.

Longevity: 1 2 3 4 5
It makes sense that the tires with the least amount of grip would last the longest, but these tires last much longer than you might expect. I've had the same set for over six months now.

After 6 months these tires are still going strong:

Overall: Perfect for the drifter on a budget, these tires will easily outlast any others currently available.

HPI T-Drift Radials - Toyo Proxes R1R

Installation: 1 2 3 4 5
Even after heating them up, these tires are a pain to mount. No glue required.

Grip Level: Very Low - Low - Moderate - High - Very High
These tires have the most grip out the three, but it doesn't last very long. They have a ton of control but still slide with ease. As the tires wear, they begin to feel more and more like standard T-Drifts. When new, they have a tendency to get caught up on rough surfaces.

Longevity: 1 2 3 4 5
These tires last pretty long, but unfortunately their tread only lasts a handful of sessions.

After 6-8 runs, the tread had pretty much disappeared:

Overall: Even with the drawbacks, these tires are my favorite of the bunch.