The tires he had were probably very high durometer and thick as heck providing a lot of resistance to debris but also a less comfortable ride. They probably weighed a lot also.

High performance tires depend on supple casing, low durometer (so they stick to the road) and low weight. You sacrifice durability. Plain and simple.

What's the saying about bicycle stuff? You can have two out of three nut not all three: light, durable and cheap.