realmonster

As someone that raced cyclocross for years on tubular tyres, the closest I've gotten to replicating that with tubeless tyres is by using foam inserts. You can't just run lower pressures like DT Swiss says, the sidewalls fold so badly and your traction and handling get much, much worse. At very low pressure in fairly narrow tyres (33mm Challenge Baby Limus, for instance) you will fold the tyre and bounce off of every rock with a very bad noise if you don't put an insert in. With the inserts in, you can still run ~20psi (190lbs rider) with good mud grip and always make it home. I happen to use Rimpact inserts, but I think most would give you a better experience. The cost question is a red herring. To get similar performance, I'd have to buy another set of tubular wheels, very expensive tubular tyres, then spend money on someone gluing them up, or spend days doing it myself. Roll a tyre in a hard corner and get grass stuck to the glue? Good luck re-mounting that tyre without a few days of work. Riding home on a flat with a foam insert isn't my favourite thing, but having ridden home on a bare rim once before, I can tell you what's a better experience with confidence.