With the Proven Trail, British wheel manufacturer HUNT claims to have developed a versatile carbon wheelset for demanding trail riding. Different rim profiles front and rear, a freehub with just 2° of engagement, and a lifetime crash replacement policy all sound promising. But how does the HUNT Proven Trail wheelset actually perform on the trail?

HUNT Proven Carbon Trail H_Core | Weight: 1.739 g (29”/XD) | Price: €1,449
Test duration: 5 months | Manufacturer’s website

Founded in 2015 in West Sussex, UK, HUNT set out with a clear mission: to develop performance-focused wheels with no compromises, for every type of riding. Whether you’re into MTB, gravel or road cycling, HUNT have something for everyone in their portfolio. For mountain bikers who live for downhill kicks, the Proven Trail is their flagship carbon model, retailing at € 1,499. That’s reason enough for us to take it out on the trails and put it through its paces.

HUNT Proven Trail wheelset in detail

At first glance, the HUNT Proven Trail wheelset stands out with its clean, understated design. The raw carbon finish is rounded off by discrete decals that can handle a blast from a pressure washer without peeling off. You can choose between “Bright White” or “Stealth Black” decals. Either way, the Proven Trail wheels have a sleek, high-end look that blends in nicely with almost any bike.

HUNT went for a front- and rear-specific design with the Proven Trail wheelset, aiming to keep down the overall weight while at the same time meeting the different demands placed on each wheel. The front is built to offer a bit more flex and comfort, while the rear focuses on stiffness and durability. Up front, the rim has an internal width of 31 mm, while the rear has 30 mm but uses a tougher carbon layup and wider bead walls for added strength. The spokes are different too: both wheels use straight-pull, triple-butted spokes, but the front has a minimum diameter of 1.6 mm, while the rear is slightly beefier at 1.7 mm. In both cases, tension is applied using aluminium nipples.

HUNT rely on their proprietary H_Core technology for the construction of the carbon rims. This involves pultruded carbon inserts–a process where the fibres are pulled through a heated mould under constant pressure, resulting in an especially uniform fibre density. These inserts are designed to reinforce the transition from the rim bed to the sidewalls, boosting impact resistance without adding unnecessary weight.

At the heart of the HUNT Proven Trail wheels are CNC-machined 6061-T6 aluminium hubs, featuring six pawls arranged in three pairs. Two pawls engage at a time with a 90-tooth ratchet ring, resulting in an impressively quick 2° engagement angle. The hubs are available with SRAM XD, Shimano MICRO SPLINE or HG freehub bodies. For the brake rotors, HUNT rely exclusively on the Centerlock system. If you want to run 6-bolt rotors, you’ll need a special adapter that costs an additional € 23.99. A shame, really, as we think Centerlock brings more drawbacks than benefits – frequent play, trickier access to spare parts, and the need for a specialist tool are just a few of the common issues.

The HUNT Proven Trail wheels are only available with Boost hub spacing – 12 × 148 mm at the rear and 110 × 15 mm at the front. This ensures compatibility with the majority of trail and enduro bikes. Forks with 20 mm thru-axles, like the new FOX Podium, or frames with Super Boost Plus rear ends aren’t supported – but then again, those setups are rarely standard on trail bikes.

The HUNT Proven Trail wheelset is available in either 29” or in a mullet setup. Our 29” test set, including tubeless tape and an XD freehub body, tips the scales at 1,739 g (784 g front, 955 g rear). That’s not record-breakingly light, but it’s a solid figure that fits the intended use. Speaking of weight: the Proven Trail wheels are rated for a system weight of up to 135 kg.

If things go sideways on the trail and the included spare spokes don’t cut it, HUNT have your back.Their H_Care service, included with every Proven Trail wheelset, offers a lifetime crash replacement guarantee for the original owner. That means that HUNT will cover the cost of any parts and labour needed for repairs. If you order the wheels directly from HUNT, you’ll also get a three-year warranty from the date of purchase. On top of that, the Ride & Return programme gives you 60 days to test the wheels and see if they’re right for you. If not, you can send them back.

The HUNT Proven Trail wheelset on the trail

Before hitting the trails, you’ll first need to get some tires onto the HUNT Proven Trail wheels. HUNT recommend using tires widths between 2.3” and 2.6”. For our test setup, we went with MAXXIS rubber – 2.5” up front and 2.4” at the rear. However, mounting the tires required a bit of patience. The rim diameter sits at the lower end of the tolerance range, which makes it very easy to fit the tires by hand – but it also means they can be tricky to seat properly. Using a floor pump, we couldn’t get them to seal at all. Even with a compressor, we had to press the tire down against the ground to get enough pressure. So make sure to set aside a bit of time for setup. Once inflated, the factory-fitted tubeless tape seals up reliably with the supplied valves.

A test of patience: Even with a compressor, it took several attempts before the MAXXIS tires finally held air.

From the very first pedal strokes, the HUNT Proven Trail wheelset makes a strong impression. Thanks to the fine ratchet mechanism, there’s virtually no dead zone, which ensures immediate power transfer. Stop pedalling, and you’ll hear a high-pitched buzz reminiscent of Brandon Semenuk’s Raw 100 videos. That said, the noise is low enough not to become annoying – even on longer rides.

Once you hit the trail, the finely tuned freehub engagement becomes noticeable once again. On technical climbs, the fast pickup helps you maintain momentum with minimal delay, allowing you to respond quickly and manage your power output with precision. Riding downhill, the same quick engagement means you can get back up to speed faster when exiting corners. The combination of direct power transfer and low weight results in noticeably sharp acceleration out of turns.

When it comes to descending, the ride feel – especially for a trail-focused wheelset – is definitely on the stiffer side, particularly compared to something like a DT Swiss XM 481 alloy setup. The HUNT Proven Trail carbon wheels deliver a very direct, precise ride. They don’t have quite as much compliance as DT Swiss’ alloy wheelset, but still provide enough to keep things comfortable. They deliver a good amount of feedback from the ground, which helps you stay on line through rough sections. And although designed primarily for trail use, they made it through several bike park laps without a single issue.

Conclusions about the HUNT Proven Trail wheels

The HUNT Proven Trail wheelset impresses with a clean look, practical design and direct ride feel. The freehub engages quickly, the weight is low, and the service and warranty terms are genuinely reassuring. The only real downsides are the fiddly tubeless setup and the exclusive use of Centerlock, which we see as a major drawback. Out on the trail, though, the stiff build delivers a confident, precise ride that holds its line through rough terrain.

For more information, visit HUNT’s Website.

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Words & Photos: Lars Engmann