Originally Posted by
prj71
The majority of your weight when riding is on your back tire. Because of that you don't need a more aggressive tire on the back. You'll get the traction you need, not likely to wash out and smaller lugs = less rolling resistance and easier pedaling. Because the front wheel has less weight on it and is constantly being turned left and right a more aggressive tires minimizes the chances of washing out.
This is my reasoning as well. I like a faster rear tire as long as it has decent climbing traction, paired with a nice aggressive front tire.
milesf Part of your issue with wearing out the rear tire could also be the riding you're doing on pavement. Pavement wears out MTB tires much more quickly than dirt (especially the rear, where most of your weight sits while pedaling seated). If you're putting in a lot of mileage that includes a decent amount of pavement to get to the trail, you might just have to deal with rear tires wearing our frequently.