I would say that by all means experiment yourself, but having tried the 2.6 Mezcal’s I felt they weren’t as fast as the 2.35 due to the added weight and no noticeable increase in rolling speed. I’d almost guess they’d be slower rolling as the felt more sure footed.
2.35 - 2.4 is really where I find the sweet spot of the XC tyres when balancing speed and float.
You should check in on the XC tyre thread as that is essentially this discussion.
I’ve very much wanted to try the Continental tyres, but I haven’t found the right size and tread combo yet.
I will add that I’ve just installed my Thunder Burt on my rear race wheel and it is well undersized. Eyeballing it, it’s more like a 2.25. I am going to ride it a few times before I decide, but I’m nervous about giving up both volume and grip over the Ralph.
I assume you are aware and just have the names backwards, but the Ray is the front specific pattern, and the Ralph the rear (though some racers do run Ralph front and rear on very non-technical terrain). The Ray/Ralph combo is almost always my go to. I’m going to order a Wicked Will to add to my quiver, then I’ll have almost every corner covered with Will Front, or Ray Front, and Ralph rear, or Burt rear.