Blaze Shoe

I had really high hopes for these shoes, they look like they should be perfect. But I had two issues. First the fit of the cuff is really dependent on your ankle size. The cuff material does not have much/any stretch so if your ankles are too big you can't zip them to the top. My ankles are measuring 225mm circumference (smallest part of ankle, above the ball) and on a size 46 shoe I can just barely zip them without socks. This is my main issue and the reason for taking 2 stars off, I usually wear a 45 and went up a size just to get a little more cuff fit, still not enough. Second issue is they are not as waterproof as they look. The upper material seems to allow some water through on top of the toes, much better than other shoes but even though they look like waders they are not. But they are as good or better than other winter shoes for water resistance. Other than that the closure system is great, these are the easiest winter shoes to get on and off by a mile. They are warm but no more so than Shimano winter shoes. If you have small ankles these would be great.

- Warm shoe, seems water resistant. Rode it in wet 20-30° weather and stayed warm and dry - Stitching near the cuff failed after 3-4 rides. I submitted it for warranty repair - still pending. - The cuff is very tight and is not adjustable, but the material just beneath the cuff is weirdly baggy and bunches up. - The sole is not great for hard pedalling, when out of the saddle the sole flexes in one spot, and it feels like there is a hard bar under the mid foot. I couldn't see this visually, it just felt weird, like riding on an egg beater pedal with tennis shoes. -I wish there was a bit more room mid foot, for doubling socks on super cold days without restricting blood flow to the toes. It will fit a heavy sock but two pairs was a bit tight If the shoe was $80, it would be 5 stars, but for $250 it is a dissatisfying product.