I tried the ching shins many years ago, after one ride i refferd to them as cheap s#!t's.
A couple of years ago my son tried a set of maxis tires... the were supposed to last a long time in the desert.
The good news is they last a long time, the bad news is his bike handled like crap the whole time.
I try to find good deals on tires I like, You can get Dunlop's on sale for $150-$170 per set online and $120 at the track.