High Volume vs. Strong Sidewall, which is best for lower psi applications in XC/trail use?

In most cases I will go for the lighter, more supple casing. It lets the tire conform to the terrain and work better. Even at lower pressure a stiffer casing can not conform as well.
You basically have to run DH tires at lower pressure to get a similar feel.

The specific tire construction, casing size and tread design have to be factored in.

Your bike setup can make a difference, too. I rode a set of 2.6″ DH tires on a rigid bike and even at 15psi (tried 15-28psi) they rode harshly and did not corner well. Later used the same tires on the same bike with the addition of a suspension fork and they worked great @ ~20psi. Nice ride and grip.

With any tire you need to run enough pressure for pinch protection. The DH casing tire should protect the tube a little better than the XC casing.

I also posted the following in a effects of rim width thread:

Personally I prefer a narrowish rim for most tires and most of my riding. Generally I find the tires to track better (straight line stability) and have a more progressive feel when leaning into a corner.

On a wider rim, especially with a tire that already has a square profile (tall side knobs), the tire can feel “edgy” when leaned off center.
The wider rim can reduce sidewall squirm in hard cornering if you have that issue (I do not). It is also better if you are jumping or doing drops as the tire is less likely to roll off the rim with sudden side loads.

Some tread designs, even if they have tall side knobs, work better on wider rims because they have few or no transition blocks between the center tread and the edge (many DH designs are like this).

(adapted from a mtbr.com post) Originally posted May 1, 2006