Panaracer GravelKing+ im Test

Panaracer GravelKing+, an icon amongst gravel tires! The minimal tread and road look of the ultimate gravel all-road crossover tire is designed particularly with roadies in mind, promising to blast along on the finest gravel. But how does the time-tested tire fare in our big group test?

The iconic Panaracer GravelKing+ is one of the most recognisable gravel tires on the market. As one of the first gravel specific tires on the market, it’s designed particularly with all-road and high-speed gravel experts in mind. And that isn’t just evident when looking at the semi-slick tread: the GravelKing+ generally looks more like a bloated road bike tire than any of the other models in the test field.
Fitting the Panaracer tires also proves to be a little more demanding than the other tires on test, and you’ll certainly need tire levers. However, once the tire is on the rim, it seals on the first go.

Fast and puncture prone? – Panaracer GravelKing+

The Panaracer GravelKing+ proves to be more capable than it looks, though it can’t quite keep up with the competition in terms of efficiency. With 17.3 W rolling resistance, the GravelKing+ lags significantly behind Schwalbe G-One RS and Challenge Gravel Grinder. But the tire surprised us when going off-road, almost sticking to gravel and forest loam despite its minimal tread, and the round profile, resulting in extremely agile handling. That said, wet and muddy conditions quickly push the tire to its limits because it simply lacks the necessary tread. Unfortunately, the Panaracer GravelKing+ isn’t the most comfortable either, offering slightly more compliance than average, though not enough for rough gravel. It’s an excellent tire for all-road use.
We were also struck by its robust construction, surprisingly placing the GravelKing+ among the least puncture prone tires on test.

Conclusion

There’s no denying the high-speed ambitions of the Panaracer GravelKing+. However, it lags somewhat behind the fastest tires on test. On the upside, it impressed our jury with its versatility. And despite its semi-slick tread, the GravelKing+ generates ample off-road grip in dry conditions. All the purists looking for a robust and iconic gravel/all-road tire will do well with the Panaracer GravelKing+.

Tops

• surprisingly versatile
• classic look
• excellent puncture protection

Flops

• not the fastest tire in the test

Made in Japan | Tested size 40-622 | Tire width in mm¹ 36,8 | Tire height in mm¹ 31,33 | Tire height + test rim in mm² 76,65 | Weight 374,7 g | Price 59,95 €
1 measured dimension with 2,5 Bar, 2 Test rim: ZIPP 303s 622 x 20.3C (Rim height 45,32 mm)

For more information head to: panaracer.com

In our introduction of the best gravel tire on test you can’t just find our most interesting findings and our overall conclusion, but a good view on all tires tested.

All tires on review: Challenge Getaway (Click for review) | Challenge Gravel Grinder (Click for review) | Continental Terra Speed (Click for review) | Continental Terra Trail (Click for review) | Maxxis Rambler (Click for review) | Maxxis Receptor (Click for review) | Panaracer Gravelking+| Panaracer Gravelking Slick Plus+ (Click for review) | Pirelli Cinturato Gravel H (Click for review) | Pirelli Cinturato Gravel RC (Click for review) | Schwalbe G-One Allround (Click for review) | Schwalbe G-One R (Click for review) | Schwalbe G-One RS (Click for review) | Schwalbe G-One Ultrabite (Click for review) | Specialized S-Works Pathfinder (Click for review) | Specialized S-Works Tracer (Click for review) | Vittoria Terreno Dry (Click for review) | Vittoria Terreno Mix (Click for review) | WTB Riddler (Click for review) | WTB Byway (Click for review)

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Words: czajac Photos: Jan Richter