"I'm still not able to recall what I used before that ..."

It finally came to me.  The tires I stopped using in favor of Gatorskins were Specialized Armadillos.  They wore oddly and the outer layer of the casing tended to flake off.

I always carry a couple of $1 bills (US) to use as tire boots. Cover the puncture hole on the inside and you're good to go. Or as Leo might say, Bob's your uncle.

I have been using Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires for most of my tours. If you keep them properly inflated they are indestructible. I finally punctured one last summer after years and thousands of miles.  On the side of the road in Oregon, I discovered that my tire changing skills have gone to pot.

When not touring, I like Mondials or basic Marathons for the lower rolling resistance.

I swap the Marathon Plus tires out before tours. I have at least four in the basement that still have plenty of tread on them. That said, I'm not planning on changing the tires for this year's tour. I bring a spare tire (Panaracer Pasella) in case of a catastrophic tire failure.

John Pickett wrote:

"My tyre  changing skills have gone to pot"

A tribute to the durability of modern touring tyres!