[MENTION=212158]pdlamb[/MENTION], yes, it's stupid that they do this, and I can't even think of a rationale that a marketeer would defend.

It makes perfect to me with the Schwalbe Marathons.

Just like Audi:

A1
A2
A3
A4
A5
A6
A7
A8
A6L
A8L
S1
S3
S4
S5
S6
S8
RS1
RS2
RS3
RS4
RS5
RS6
TT
TTS
TTRS
Q1
Q3
Q5
Q7

Why mess up a good system?

The hole doesn't look too big. I'd keep riding on it, but might put a patch on that spot of the tube as a bit of extra protection.

I hate my Gatorskins too. I've gotten three flats in <1000 miles of all on-road riding.

That's a pretty mean looking hole. Don't think it was the tires' fault per se, I bet most would have fallen to whatever you ran over.

Pretty new to the Gatorskin way here. Bought a folding pair for an ungodly price. They arrived pristine, with a funky rubber smell that filled the house. As a bonus the folders installed easily.

Flatted on the second ride with them, to the ever present goathead thorn. Not a big deal, made it home as is typical with this type of flat and changed it at my leisure.

Likes about folding Gatorskins? Looks. Easy install. Smell. Yes, smell. They are very light (I think around 220 grams?) compared to Armadillos. They are very fast and grippy, like a race tire in comparison.
Dislikes? None yet. Have put on another 200 miles thanks to nice weather. Smooth sailing.

I've had some more time to look at the tire to decide whether to move it or bin it.

In the end, I counted no less than 6 somewhat deep gashes in the rubber that were at least 5mm long. Therefore, I'm going to bin it/drop it off at the local shop for recycling (along with a green tire that has no flat protection that I also almost wore through).

So, it seems that it stopped a bunch a cuts already and it's time had come ... I still think the roads in the UK are brutal!

As much as my inner cheapskate would hate it, I would probably scrap the tire. If you keep it, put a boot on it and only use in the rear. I have booted and continued to ride tires with similar cuts but I never felt secure, waiting for a blowout to occur. A compounding factor, with this particular tire, is that I also don't like Conti Gatorskins. They have worn well for me, but I don't like the way they ride.

That said, I don't blame the tire for the cut. Stuff happens. I have gotten similar cuts on wide range of tires, sometimes with only a few miles and sometimes after a couple thousand. The one that hurt the most was a Rivendell Jack Brown in which a large rock cut the sidewall right at the bead, and it was unrepairable. I was able to limp to a bike shop using a boot, but just barely. Another time, a piece of glass cut a nearly new Conti GP 4 Seasons on the tread, and I booted it and continued to ride for 2,000+ miles without another flat.