Compare the weight of the XZE to other tires in the same size, they weight more. This is because they have sidewalls designed to handle the abuse of delivery and bus drivers, kissing the curb and other items over their usage life cycle.
We had the XZE* in 12R size for our first set of tires on our 40' DP. We lost the outside dual, and the tag on the passenger side due to impact on a fresh/deep/sharp edge pot hole (Would have probably sunk dow to the axle, but I think a VW was at the bottom of the whole!) on Hwy 99 North of Bakersfield. (Raining, in the right lane, and being passed by a convoy of trucks in the left lane, vehicles parked on the shoulder of the road. I saw what I thought was a pot hole, was able to slow down a bit, but took my foot off of the brake once I got the front end around the hole. Not able to do so on the rears:)!) It was a hard enough impact that I drove to the next safe place to pull off, about two miles up, and went out to inspect. I saw a bulge in the outside Dual, but did not see another, I'll say ripple, in the tag until the next day at the RV Park. Broken cord in one, and a slipped cord in the other. The TCI that I stopped at to have it looked over, dismounted both tires for inspection. First the Tire Tech, and about 5 minutes later when the Manager came to take a look stated basically the same thing. I was lucky the impact to the dual did not cause a blowout. It was the Manager said that it was because the XZE had the stronger sidewalls. (Unfortunately, they did not have the tires I needed in stock, and I elected to have them put back on and I kept my speed to 50-55, until I could get to a shop that had two replacements that were young enough to get. Put those on the steers, and moved the old steers to the damaged positions.
I like the XZE. That being said, the current set is the XZA2 in 295/80. Same load range, but quite a bit less weight, and higher efficiency. I went with them, because I was trying to reduce the front end road transfer from expansion joints, pot holes, DOT's, rough roads into the front passenger seats. I like these too.
The XZE*'s were replaced at just under age 7, no major cracking, some lite surface cracks around some of the stampings, along the meaty part of the sidewalls. I'll call them hairline cracks, not the kind that you see when others post pictures of sever cracking in tires.
I also would have zero reservations about using Toyo, Hankook, BF Goodrich tires. I just helped a friend choose new shoes. He went with the XZA2's on the steers, and Hankook AH37 on the rear position.
Lots of choices, best of luck on your decision,
Smitty
