Tires Laufenn or Maxxis

DHR II 2.4WT exists in double down and EXO casing at least in 27.5 -- I own both.

I have liked maxxis crossmark.

On my XC hardtail I have a Maxxis 2.4 Ardent on the front, and a Maxxis 2.2 Ikon on the rear. It is a great combo so far.

I just put some 2.25" Maxxis Ardent TR EXOs on my Trek 29er and they have been awesome so far. Tons of grip compared to the bontragers I had (cheaper ones that came with my bike).

Maxxis all the way. Seem to be the best combo of grip, price, durability, and weight.

Your trails sound pretty similar to what I ride. I have a set of Ardent 2.25s that I really like.

I love my aggressor on the rear, rolls and grips well.

I also have a minion DHF for downhill and "rowdy" trail or wet/sandy conditions. It rolls a lot better than I expected for such tall knobs

I run 2.35s and it certainly doesn't fit super well, however it's not that big of a deal. but if i'm going to have it on the rack for a longer drive I just air down the tire. i run the nevegal dh tire or the maxxis holy roller so the sidewall knobs interfere, I just crank down the straps.

If the DHFs are hard to mount on a given rim, particularly Stans, wait till you try a Maxxis Ikon. One of the hardest tyres I've ever installed.