I roll latex in my race wheels and they seem smoother, faster, or perhaps that is the wheels.....

sure you can - at the end of the day, it’s your call. If you consider the the hole(s) to be sufficiently small that a permanent boot will fully support the surrounding tire, then go for it, but give them a good hard look before each ride to ensure that the boot hasn’t moved or the holes haven’t grown. That being said, were I in your shoes, I would consider the tire to be compromised, and I would rather eat the replacement cost than run the risk of eating asphalt somewhere down the line

Truth! “Operator error” can be a bitter pill to swallow, but it’s not the tube’s fault for getting pinched or damaged from tire irons. I’ve learned the hard way that installation of latex tubes takes patience and good technique, but the payoff in my experience is well worth it (lower rolling resistance, greater snakebite / pinch flat resistance and a smoother ride).

Latex tube posts are kinda like carbon vs steel, Campy vs everything else, aero vs weight weenies, etc. with lots of strong opinions on both sides!

So much in here and so frustrating to read knowing there’s a lot of misinformation on here but only a few will take the time to read this far down.

Op - you installed the tubes incorrectly. Period. Whenever you get a flat with any tube simply perform an inspection of that flat. The shape and position of the hole will tell you the cause. Large holes (opening that run along the tube and have a jagged edge (butyl - smooth on latex) in the center are caused by the tube not being contained. You didn’t keep it under the bead of the tire. Sorry.

Mounting a latex tube Can be subtly harder. It flops around a lot easier........BECAUSE it’s more supple. The whole point. It conforms easier and even though you think you have it tucked away in the tire you could easily pinch it or have a small edge of it between the bead and rim without realizing it.

Ok next...

latex tubes are are more durable in the same conditions and are more likely to conform to an intrusion than they are to yield to it. BUT - it’s still a tube holing air. Sure it can be popped. So what. Anyone’s personal anecdotal history of a flat or two is meaningless in a way because they don’t have any idea what they rolled over or hit, etc.

this is akin to the same situation you run into while wrenching in a shop. “I got a flat. You just changed my tube so it must have been you or the tube.” “Let me look. Nope - look you ran over something causeing this hole. Let me check your tire- yup piece of glass is still there. Sorry you ran over glass.”

to the person with the tube tube sticking out the side - your tire’s purpose in life is to hold your tube in. If it’s not doing that then it needs to be fixed. Outside of temporary booting - there’s not really a fix. Get a new tire. Don’t like it? Sorry I guess. Don’t run over stuff that can cause a hole in the side of your tire.

Not noticing the “performance aspect of latex tubes” while riding on anything made from continental but gatorskins in particular is a facepalm moment. A latex tube there is like putting lipstick on a pig: At the end of the day it’s pointless and you probably should explain your motivation for doing so to a therapist.

Yes the majority of tubulars (of which I mount hundreds of annually) have latex inner tubes. Yes this is for the performance. Are they a performance enhancer when used in clinchers? Of course. For the same reasons. Will they turn any clincher tire into performing like a tubular? Of course not. There’s more to a tubular than the inner tube. The casing, the tread compounds, etc. same with clinchers. See above reigs and lipstick.

TLDR- it’s a tube. It works. If it isn’t working for you then all roads point to you doing something wrong.