It is my belief (based on somewhat limited experience) that different treads have different susceptibility to goat head pickup. My first encounter was my first Cycle Oregon in the goathead country of eastern Oregon. I put the fairly hard rubbered Vittoria Rubinos on. I didn't like the tires; they were treacherous when wet and I never fully trusted them on hard corners. (This was 2010. I believe the Rubinos have changed a lot since then.)

I had no issues with goatheads that week. Never brushed for them, looked out for them and had no flats. For the Cycle Oregon mechanics, the theme of the week was goathead flats. So bad that a few years later Cycle Oregon bought (or was given) a street sweeper. Last summer I rode with Vittoria Corsa G+, much better road grip, OK for debris pickup. I got several goathead flats despite far more awareness and tire wipes than 8 years ago. Those tires, sweet in every other respect, would have been a nightmare in the pre-sweeper eastern Cycle Oregons.

My belief is that some tires are goathead magnets, others are not. This is completely separate from the ability of the tread and casing to protect the tube from the goatheads. IF the goatheads never get started, no protection is needed. If they do, it takes a super belt or sealant to prevent the flat.

Ben