I have owned and worn 3 consecutive pairs of the older version of this boot daily or nearly daily through all 4 of the Chicago seasons for about 10 years... and loved the boot. That said the design has been altered and while I appreciate the effort and the Panaracer heritage, I have set my new boots (4th pair) aside and continue to wear my current 5 year old pair to work when I commute and go for walks despite the lack of tread and holes in the soles. They are SO comfortable and have a sleeker aesthetic than the current design. They look and feel more tailored/fitted than the new ones. I suspect/hope the new design will be more durable but its sad to leave the older fit and design behind. The toe box of the new design is significantly larger/more capacious and I think it will be fine with bulky wool winter socks.

I needed a decently rugged shoe to commute by bike to work with that wouldn’t get soaked on cool, rainy or snowy days. I don’t don bike specific clothes for the commute, just my office wear with rain gear in my pannier. These Storm shoes fit the bill perfectly. The sole is stiff enough to bike in, but comfortable to wear in the office and look appropriate too. I will addd that the soles grip my flat pedals really well. They also are respectably grippy on wet or icey pavement. My feet do not overheat or get sweaty. The fit is very average as that is how I describe my feet perhaps leaning on the snug side, which I like.. They may be my favorite shoe.