I heard of issues with the Everwears tread separating as well and they are quite expensive. I haven't been able to find much feedback on the Thickslick Flat Guard version that is being sold under the WTB name. Previous versions of the tire sold under Freedom seem to have mixed reviews. For the price I'll give the current version a try. But I agree, if you are not brakeless or don't really care for extra longevity there are better and lighter puncture resistant tires to run.