As per title, tempted to spank £88 on XTR but if Sram cassettes don’t mark the freehub & last longer I might be swayed.

XT, XTR or any cassette with an ali spider config. Cheapest places for cassettes at tyhe mo is http://www.rosebikes.co.uk , xt for £38..

I exclusively used XT on mine, eventually that gouged too, just took longer.

Yup, XT on mine and still marked it up (and likewise the alloy hub on my Traversees). Using SLX now which isn’t on the approved list but isn’t any worse than XT. There’s no cassette that I know of with all the cogs on a carrier.

i’ve had no issues with a SRAM 990 cassette (cos yeah, aluminium spider thingy).

45 quid from rutland cycles online at the moment too. either 11-32 or 11-34 9 speed.

I think all of them will do at one point or another, next time you rebuild/change the bearings in the free hub maybe consider a Stainless one, the bearings cost around twenty quid anyway and a new Stainless freehubs only about fourty five

XT and above from Shimano, 990 and above from SRAM.

I’ve got an XT on mine which has gouged the freehub so much it’s permanently stuck to it
next time I replace the cassette I’ll have to get a new freehub body too

I use a stainless steel freehub.

I have a pro2 ally freehub and whilst my shimano cassete does leave gouges it isnt exactly a problem, a quick tw*t witha rubber hammer and the cassette loosens off.