Well the PX boots turned up today, not had a chance to test ride them yet as Mrs W wanted to spirit them away for Christmas
(the bribes didn't work) but I did manage to try them on just to 'check the fit'
.
At first look they seem to be well constructed, no obvious signs of poor quality manufacture (loose threads, etc), everything seems to be as it should be. The main external body of the boot (below the ankle cuff) is made from a synthetic plastic leather type material which is bonded around the bottom edge to the sole, and is also welted across the tongue (although in a different woven material) so hopefully should be pretty waterproof, that is assuming the materials used are water resistant or waterproof. Even the holes for the cleats seem to closed up somewhat; although you can slide the cleat plate fore and aft you have to push them quite hard, so maybe they've put a seal behind or closed the gaps to try to limit any water ingress. Unlike normal shoes you cant get to the cleat plates from the inside as there is no removable insole, it's completely lined with a fleece material.
The sole itself is very stiff, stiffer than my normal shoes so don't expect any problems there!
Just a note on sizing ... my current shoes are Shimano M089 MTB shoes in wide size UK11/EU46, during the summer with a single pair of thin socks on they're fine, but during the winter I ride with 1 or maybe even 2 pairs of merino wool socks as my feet get so cold, even then they're still like blocks of ice after an hour or so. The current shoe fit is a bit on the snug side so I decided to size up to size UK12/EU47 to allow room for the thicker socks and am glad that I did, with just the one pair of Woolie Boolies the fit is fine with just the right amount of room in the toe box, I might even be able to get another pair if needed but hope this won't be the case. Getting the boots on and off is easy due to the elasticated ankle cuff, and the quick lace up system works well, you can get the laces done up tight and the toggle seems to be very secure.
So my advice to anyone thinking of buying these boots is to think about sizing up, especially if your current shoes 'touch where they fit' as they say.
So in summary I'm very pleased with what I've seen so far, just need to get and ride with them. As they say 'the proof of the pudding is in the eating' ... very relevant seeing as it's so close to Christmas!
