I'm a huge Armadillo fan. I've ridden 700 x 23 versions of the regular (all condition armadillo) and the Elite (lighter version). The Elite spins up faster because it is lighter. Ride quality is a bit better though still somewhat harsh in comparison to other tires like say Vittoria Rubino Pros. I never had a flat with the Elites (though I have not ridden as many miles on them. 250 miles vs the regular ones). They use to have a 700 x 26 version of the regular all condition. I use to ride those on my hybrid and then road/hybrid conversion. I have 700 x 28 All Condition(not elites) on my commuter/grocery getter bike. I had maybe 2 flats with the Armadillo all condition (regular) but all were pinch flats due to user error (bad installation of tubes). Keep in mind this is about 10 years of riding Armadillos model tires. If specialized stop making these tires, I may have to stop cycling all together as I detest flats when I am out riding. (Ok that's an exaggeration. but I LOVE armadillos) Not the best ride quality but man are they tough.

I notice the sidewalls get dry after about 4-5 years. I had to replace one of them because the sidewalls had a budge in it due to the dryness which lead to cracking. Anyone know what to do about this dryness? Anything I can do to slow this process down? I store them in a cool dark place and this still happens.

Yeah, if you want great flat protection, consider Armadillos. If you value ride quality and don't mind an occasional tube change and don't mind carrying a pump, co2 cartridges, tubes and/or a patch kit, get another tire.

The roads I've been riding lately has been pretty clean so I've been riding other non-armadillo tires like Vittoria Rubino Pros on my training bike. Experimenting with different tires can be fun. Ride quality can be noticeably different which affects the whole feel of a bike.