Well if you didn't like the primo comet 1 1/8 maybe you won't like the wider one. My BF came with IRC roadlites, which flatted a lot. I tried the schwalbe stelvio which rolls real nice on good surfaces, but I found on my commute which is littered with glass, I got more flat resistance from the primo comet kevlar 1 1/8, so for touring I tried the wider one and it was great. But I know what you mean, it doesn't roll as nice as the stelvio. I've never tried the marathon to compare it to, I just liked its combination of high pressure and flat resistance for touring.