There is no missing these tires or who makes them. They are red, really RED, inside and out, with bold labels proclaiming the features: Hutchinson Cross Country Tubeless Ready Cobra.

Developed with Olympic and World Champion Julian Absalon, the Cobra is designed for speed on dry terrain. Tightly spaced small knobs run down the middle for fast rolling with aggressive edge blocks for lateral bite.

The advantage of Tubeless Ready? Weight. My samples weigh 542 and 563g compared to 520g (claimed) for the Air Light (tube type) and 660g for the Tubeless Light Cobra 2.10. 

The 127tpi casing is supple, which contributes to the low rolling resistance and grip of the tire. Being Tubeless Ready (TR) the construction of the casing and bead is the same as the Tubeless tires: more ply overlap for strength and stability, proper bead shape and strength to seal and hold on UST-spec rims. The difference being the amount of rubber pressed into and coating the casing. The TR uses very little rubber, requiring a sealant to make the tire airtight. Hutchinson recommends their own Fast'Air inflate and seal canister. What rubber is used has been molded into a honeycomb pattern on the sidewall (they call it a snakeskin design) that looks good and may provide a slight scuff resistance. That is not the purpose, though, as the sidewall is smooth for the area under the labels.

Full specs with be posted soon and I will get the tires on the trail for a ride report. 

The Tubeless Ready version (available in August. MSRP $69) joins the Air Light, Tubeless Light and Hardskin Cobras that were introduced late last year. All versions are available in 26 x 2.10 and 26 x 2.25.