Daft question but how/is it possible do you take the core out of presta tubes?
Not sure whether some continental ones screw out or not, mine didn't, but with a presta to schrader adaptor that costs about a pound you can adapt any presta tube with a bit of a fiddle. The nut on the end of the presta valve is normally held on by a widening at the end of the screw thread but will normally unscrew anyway with a bit of force - I got mine off with a pair of pliers and minimal leverage - you can then either a) tie a piece of thread to the end of the valve or b) not bother, it didn't appear to make a lot of difference. Let the valve drop into the tube catching it neatly through the wall if possible, attach adaptor and insert slime etc. and then a) pull valve back into place with thread, b) push valve core back into place as you are still gripping it through walls of tube, c) work out where it has got to in the tube by feel and manipulate it back into place - and then reattach nut. Some mess, but it is relatively minimal.
They got me through last winter with no deflations despite several thorns.
P.S. Bontrager are also supposed to be doing 29er self mending tubes but I have not found them on this side of the pond yet.