Bicycle Mechanics - Equivilant of Vittoria Randonneur or Schwalbe Marathon in a mountain bike tire?

Is it just me or are tubes getting more expensive? I've been a bike commuter for years, and I learned early on to buy reliable, puncture resistant tires. They're especially important here in AZ where every tree and bush has vicious thorns. Nothing is more frustrating than waking up, getting ready to go to work, and then finding out your tire's been leaking air all night. I've had one flat in countless thousands of miles on my Vittoria Randonneur tires. I had zero on my Schwalbe Marathons but I changed them out for the Randonneurs when the tread wore out because they were so heavy.

Anyway, I recently started mountain biking again. My LBS charges 6 to 7 dollars for a 29er tube and in the last 3 days I've gone through four. Three were due to thorns and one was a "pinch flat" when I crashed. I'm a full time student right now too, so money is tight. Is there an equivalent of Vittoria Randonneur or Schwalbe Marathon in a mountain bike tire? I don't care how heavy it is.

Thanks!

GOATHEADS !!! tubes are your LBS's bread and butter get some thorn resistant tubes even go so far as to run slime as well, won't make for the lightest tire try marathon supremecomes in 26"

GOATHEADS !!! tubes are your LBS's bread and butter get some thorn resistant tubes even go so far as to run slime as well, won't make for the lightest tire try marathon supremecomes in 26"

Yeah, you know, I usually get as much mileage out of a slime tube as I do out of a regular tube. Plus, I hate cleaning all that green crap off my clothes and bike after I get a real bad puncture. Oh yeah, should mention I'm looking for a 29er tire. Schwalbe doesn't seem to have a Marathon equivalent in 29er.

my bad .... but um 29"= 622 road right?? so why not just buy a 40C tourer type like you mentioned?

my bad .... but um 29"= 622 road right?? so why not just buy a 40C tourer type like you mentioned?

Not commuting on my MTB =p. Looking for a decent off-road tire.

I can't read man, sorry-wow.. long day I guess. I ride the mounting king protection 2.2 it comes in 29"--- although I don't live in your type of terriain-

considered UST?

Mr. Tuffies will save you tube money.

Maybe a patch kit...

Patching tubes is much cheaper per flat than buying new tubes every time.

The same flat protection that goes into tires like the Marathon and the Randonneur are found in tires from several manufacturers. SOmeone above mentioned a Continental tire. Geax make MTB tires and it is the same company as Vittoria.

But remember that road tires may get less flats because there are fewer thorns on the road then there are on the trail.

Thanks guys.

tgrssn, this is somewhat OT, but do you run the Randonneurs or the Hyper Rands?

Schwalbe does have 29er MTB tires with puncture protection. Rapid Rob comes with KevlarGuard (http://www.schwalbe.com/gbl/en/produkte/mtb/produkt/?ID_Einsatzbereich=5&ID_Produktgruppe=41&ID_Produkt=286&ID_Artikel=929&info=1) (and it's even a rather cheap 29er tire)

Smart Sam comes with a slightly heavier (and better) GreenGuard. (http://www.schwalbe.com/gbl/en/produkte/mtb/produkt/?ID_Einsatzbereich=5&ID_Produktgruppe=44&ID_Produkt=293&ID_Artikel=927&info=1)

Tubeless, from the issues you are saying you have, this would be the obvious choice to resolve the puncture issues you are having.