can you run a tubeless tire with a tube in it. I ask because I assume the tubeless tire is built with a thicker sidewall.
Yes, the time I ripped the side wall on the Bontrager ACX tubeless tire, I put in my spare tube in, the side walls were woven tight enough to keep the tube from blowing out the rip and I finished the day ride like that.
My bike even came from the factory with tubes, and Bontrager tubeless "ready" tires. I really didn't like the tires at first, it was like rolling on basketballs. I would bounce like crazy until I switch to tubeless and dialed in the rebound.
Call me the princes and the pea of tires, but tubeless tires need to be broken in what with all that material in the side walls...witch does add weight, but you get it back and then some buy removing the weight of the tube. But for me the weight isn't the big appeal, its the squishiness of the tires. Just like with rock crawler rigs the tire kinda envelopes the rock or root for better traction. Plus flats are rare with the stans tire sealant and no pinch flats on the side of the tube because no tube.
But about your terrane, sounds like some big knobs on any brand of tire will be great. I like the Panaracer Rampage better than the Nevegal, I've used up 2 of each and found the rampage to suit me better and last longer. Both are good dirt grabbers, but rampage has less rolling resistance. I like my Bontrager tubeless tires, but they are pricy and the rocks eat off the treads quicker than nevegal and rampage, so I would point you elsewhere if you aren't going tubeless