I've ran the ST Maxx on several trucks since they replaced the ST. No punctures, and 70k on half tons. Majority pavement, but plenty of gravel road and unimproved road. I'm not saying there's not better out there, and if there's one cheaper I'd like to know. Going to put new tires on 2 vehicles here in the next couple weeks. Haven't priced them for the other truck yet, but on my PW they're $340 apiece.
I think it depends on the type of rock in your locale. In some places out West, there's a lot of sedimentary rock. Think Utah and Arizona? Or basalt. I don't think punctures are a problem so much there. Other regions may have volcanic. Or a mix. I don't know about Montana but hear you have some gumbo mud out there
In OR, the western part of the state isn't bad for punctures but my buddy has seen a few. The central and eastern parts are more prone. The road crews dig and crush the local rocks and spread them on the roads. One of my buds likes the Duratrac. He says that the rock that stone drilled his Duratrac looked like an arrowhead.
I've seen obsidian down to northern Cali. I was shooting rats with some buds for the first time, and I asked them if they ever get flats there. They said that they had one the prior season and told me there's obsidian everywhere. One said, "Look, right at our feet!". Sure enough, where we were standing on the ranch road were pieces of sharp obsidian .
