MEMBER REVIEWS
TANNUS TUBELESS PRO REVIEW
A CUSHCORE PRO TIRE INSERT COMPARISON
Review by Jeff Jackson
May 7, 2025
When it comes to MTB tire inserts, there are a few main players in the game. While Cushcore may be the Kleenex-style namesake for anyone running tire inserts, Tannus Armour has earned a loyal following thanks to their range of products, versatility, and performance. Tannus sent us multiple sets of their Fusion, Pro, and Lite inserts for a review. While we have installed some inserts in our test rigs, we were really excited to incorporate feedback from our new Member’s Platform and pass some inserts off to one of our Wolf Pack Members who has exclusively been running Cushcore inserts down in Arizona for several years.
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Tannus takes MTB tire insert tuning to the next level with their Fusion series tubeless inserts. What differentiates Tannus Fusion tire inserts is the modularity. The Fusion series utilizes two unique inserts that can be run individually or combined to suit your performance and protection needs.
Specifically, there are three distinct options; Pro, Lite, and Fusion (Pro + Lite). The Lite is a narrower, lighter insert that is designed for gravel or XC. The Pro is a wider, channeled insert that is designed for trail or enduro. Nesting the Lite inside the channel of the Pro creates the Fusion (hence the name). The Fusion is designed for aggressive enduro, downhill, or E-bike.
ABOUT THE TANNUS INSERTS
What are Tannus Inserts Made of?
Tannus inserts are made from a patented, lightweight, closed-cell foam material called Aither. It is made by combining copolymers with olefin polymers, making it similar to foams used in some sports shoes. Aither is puncture-proof, has a low weight and offers shock absorbing properties. Another benefit of this closed-cell foam is that it absorbs much less sealant than some other inserts.
How much do Tannus inserts weigh and how thick are Tannus Inserts?
The thickness varies based on the model: Tannus Pro inserts are 20mm thick and weigh 140 grams, Tannus Lite inserts are 10mm thick and weigh 60 grams, and Tannus Fusion inserts are 30mm thick and weigh 200 grams.
How is the Performance and Protection?
The main purpose of the Fusion setup is rim protection. In fact, it offers the most rim protection as it is the thickest block of foam protecting your rim from impacts. Secondly, it does offer performance enhancement in the form of incredible sidewall support but also the ability to really lower your tire pressure without ever thinking twice if your rim will get dinged.
For some riders, the Pro insert could offer the highest-level performance enhancement. It still offers 80% of the rim protection of the Fusion, and incredible suppleness, giving you all the benefits of running lower PSI like the full contact patch, incredible grip, and natural movement from the tire. The Pro has an interior air chamber that helps your wheel maintain momentum as it rebounds off of impacts instead of creating a dead zone where impacts deaden the momentum of your wheel.
COMPARISON AND BACKGROUND
For comparison, the Cushcore Pro weighs 260 grams per insert. I have been running Cushcore Pro inserts front and rear for a few years now. I'm a heavier rider (220 lbs) and I ride a 170/170 enduro bike with alloy Industry Nine Enduro S wheels. Skill-wise, I usually run in the top 20% for downhill segments (based on Strava)… so I'm not blazing fast, but not super slow either.
To tell the story completely, I will be discussing the concepts of the Tannus Pro/Fusion modular tubeless inserts, the Cushcore Pro inserts and comparing the two.
This is important! Each design has a slightly different use case. For example, Cushcore was designed with performance as the primary goal. The concept is for Cushcore to act as a "volume spacer" for your tire and provide sidewall support, allowing riders to run lower PSI for better traction without sacrificing lateral tire stability. Rim protection is a secondary benefit for Cushcore, and a good one at that! At least if you're running a wheel that doesn't break due to the energy transmission to parts of the rim that weren't designed to handle major impacts. We've heard plenty of stories of that and brands who won't warranty wheels with inserts. Tannus is hoping their design will change that.
Cushcore has individual products; Gravel, XC, Trail, Pro, and E-MTB to cover various riding disciplines.
Tannus, on the other hand, states the primary function of their inserts is rim and tire protection with peak performance achieved by using the Fusion insert. Their tubeless modular system consists of two elements that can be run individually or combined to provide the protection and tuning the rider desires.
Cost and Weight Summary
- Tannus Tubeless Pro $60 each (valve stems not included) 140 grams per insert
- Tannus Fusion $75 each (valve stems not included) 200 grams per insert
- Cushcore Pro Full Set $150 (includes tubeless valve stems) 260 grams per insert
- Cushcore Trail Full Set $150 (includes tubeless valve stems) 212 grams per insert
THE DIRT
Installation | Before I get ahead of myself, I want to talk about the installation process. As stated previously, I’m used to installing and riding with Cushcore Pro inserts. The installation of the Tannus Tubeless inserts was similar, maybe 10% easier because the inserts are a hollow, c-shaped design instead of a solid piece, so they are a little more flexible than the Cushcore.
First Few Rides (Pro Insert) | As I was riding down Arizona’s iconic National Trail on South Mountain (a fast, chunky trail with tons of square edges, notorious for destroying tires and rims), I immediately noticed a difference between the newly installed Tannus Tubeless Pro inserts and my previous Cushcore Pro inserts. Specifically, I heard and felt a small rim ping on my front wheel within the first 100 yards of descending. I knew right away that I needed more PSI. With Cushcore, I typically run 22F and 26R, but with the Tannus Pro I probably needed at least 2 more PSI in each tire. I was able to adjust my riding a bit and make it down without any more rim pings and still had a decent time on the run. I had two options at this point; add PSI or add the “Lite” inserts to create the “Fusion” inserts. I chose to add 2 PSI to each tire. On subsequent runs with 24F and 28R PSI, the inserts felt much better. I was able to charge hard without worrying.
After Several Rides (Pro Insert) | Fast forward a few months and I now have a lot more rides on the Tannus Tubeless Pro inserts. I haven’t had any more pings on the rim since my first ride. These inserts are working as intended, but I do feel like I have slightly less traction than I did with my Cushcore Pro inserts, likely because I had to increase the PSI a bit. I also replaced my tires during the testing period which gave me a chance to look for damage or wear on the Tannus Pro inserts. They were holding up well. I did notice that they stretched out slightly and were a little loose on the rim compared to the Cushcore Pro inserts which stay pretty snug, even after several tire replacements. Although I don’t think performance is affected, it is something I noticed.
Riding Vastly Different Terrain (Pro Insert) | I had the opportunity to fly to Seattle and ride the loamy terrain at Tiger Mountain and Duthie. The Pro Inserts were absolutely perfect for these conditions, even at my normal 22F 26R PSI. If you ride terrain similar to the trails in the PNW, the Pro is excellent. In fact, the vast majority of places would work well with the Pro. I also rode quite a bit in Sedona and the Pro insert performed flawlessly there as well.
Tannus Fusion Inserts | After installing the Lite insert into the channel of the Pro insert to create the Fusion, I took the bike out for several more runs on National Trail at South Mountain, Phoenix. I lowered the PSI back down to my familiar 22F and 26R and felt right at home on this setup. No pings, perfectly damped feeling, and excellent traction and performance. For a rider of my size, the Fusion is the perfect setup for charging hard down steep, chunky terrain. I was very pleased with the Fusion setup in this scenario. If you’re a heavier rider, or charge down square-edged chunky terrain, the Fusion is what you should go for, otherwise install the Pro.
The Wolf’s Last Word
The Tannus Tubeless Pro inserts are great for all-mountain and the vast majority of enduro riding. They’re slightly less expensive and also lighter than the Cushcore Pro inserts. My recommendation is to get either the Tannus Fusion or the Cushcore Pro inserts if you do a lot of aggressive enduro riding, especially if you ride chunky terrain with a lot of sharp or square edges.
The versatility and tenability of the Tannus Fusion tubeless inserts is a major selling point for me. One set of inserts can be setup for different terrain depending on your needs. For example, if I was riding on my home trails on South Mountain, I would opt for the Fusion setup. If I was doing a destination ride in the PNW or Bentonville, I would opt for the Pro inserts. I usually change tires before a big trip, so changing the insert setup wouldn’t be too big of an issue. The Tannus Fusion inserts are also lighter than the Cushcore Pro by 120g (about 1/4 pound) per set. The Tannus Pro is 240g (about 1/2 pound) lighter than the Cushcore Pro. That’s rotational mass, so the difference is noticeable. 
Price: $60 ea. (Pro) // $75 (Fusion)
Weight: 140g ea. (Pro) // 200g ea (Fusion)
Website: Tannusamerica.com
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