I find the tires makes the biggest difference in amount of flats. Had some tires made of soft rubber that flatted every ride. Other tires with a dual compound with no flats for a very long while.
I carry 2-CO2 carts, spare tube, boot material (a PWR bar wrapper in emergency
), patch kit and small pump. I use the pump to inflate the flatted tube so I can find the hole and use the CO2 for quick full pressure. If there's time, I just take a few extra minutes to repair the tube vs. using the new tube.
I've also had bad valve stems on new tubes where they attach to the tire, so check them out beforehand.
