Paselas are my favourite light to medium-weight tyre. I've got a pair of Compass Rat Trap Pass to try (2.1" wide), but they look rather delicate so I'm going to wait until after winter until I try them.
I had 2" Supremes fitted to by Nomad X-series when I bought it. It was fun to ride, but didn't feel particularly spritely. Front wheel traction in muddy puddles on a canal towpath (i.e. very thin mud sat on hard ground) was terrible.
So after 200 miles (and before my first tour) I took the Supremes off and fitted some 1.75" Paselas. The overall wheel diameter was noticeably smaller (which I didn't like), but the bike felt nippier and there was a big increase in front wheel traction. They're very comfortable on the road, too.
I'd been commuting on Paselas for years, but I learned just how good their grip is off road when riding across Wales. Sustrans routes often get a bit off-road in my experience, and that tour (on NCN81) gave me a new found respect for the Pasela.
A couple of years ago I found myself on the wrong side of the Knoydart peninsula, with 45 minutes left to cross it in order to catch a boat home. I had several miles of rocky track to cover at speed, much of it down hill. I let a bit of air out of the tyres and just let the bike roll, keeping the speed just below "absolutely terrifying" with frequent application of the brakes!
The track was made of large lumps of rock (several inches across, and upwards), and I was moving too fast to pick a careful line through the larger lumps. I thought a sidewall puncture was likely, given the trouble others have had with them, but there's not a mark on either tyre.
Perhaps I've been lucky with my sidewalls, but I've never had a sidewall puncture. Neither has my Dad, and he's been riding them for well over a decade. I think keeping them well inflated is probably fairly key here.
I've worn out a set of 700x28's on my commuter. I suspect the rear lasted around 4000 miles, which I changed because it started to puncture every few weeks. That's another thing – in urban areas I've not had trouble with glass until the tread has worn right down. The only thing that's gone through mine when they've been in good condition is large thorns.
The Nomad X sees more use off road these days, so it's got fatter rubber on it again now. I've still got the Paselas though, and would use them again for a road tour.
All my road bikes are fitted with Paselas.
Here's a photo that'll give you a good feel for the tread pattern on the 1.75" version.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/grahamashton/8718824622/in/photostream/lightbox/The tread on the 28mm is noticeably lighter.
