Maybe Hardshell will be somewhere inbetween Gators and Marathon Pluses?

I agree with staehpj1 about the great lively feel of regular Gatorskins, but reports of sidewall failures are a bit off-putting for a long tour (especially if you don't carry a spare, but let's not get into that... again).

I find SMPs to be heavy, slow and bouncy but needed the thorn protection in SoCal's deserts this winter... otherwise not much fun, imo

Never tried the Top Contacts, but have used regular Contacts for donkey's years mostly in europe (but this was before I discovered BF Still have them on my commuter.

Am interested in the first reports of Hardshells from the first guinea pig on tour maybe I'll get a pair just to give me an excuse to pop off for a short tour (still working this season

bek: garden hose? never tried that... hihi, but glad to see you have an open mind (just yanking)