Bought these at a great price to replace my Axo Primato's which died after a season of constant use. The liner is joined at the back of the boot down the center and constant wear has worn the liner to pieces at the heel. The prices were similar for both as I am on a budget at the moment so price/performance needs to be good. I don't need them for track use but I do commute to work every day + pleasure (2k+ Kms/mth).
I wear a mens 7/40 and the Axo's had a fit that matched those with thicker ankles and heels with large calfs. Being asian I am not quite sized that way depite lots of bicycle riding(road and mountain), so the fit was a little loose for my liking but better than riding in running shoes imo.
The Axo's in my opinion are not race level boots at all. Max probably sport riding/ commuting use. Once worn in a little they have no lateral support just ankle bone padding. They are nice and stiff in the sole and the synth leather gives a high degree of water resistance.
The Cortech's have a better fit for me. I find them a little wider in the toebox, the ankles are narrower and fit me well. The shaft of the boot is also narrower, it is actually a tight fit with leathers on as the zipper has a difficult time getting done up. The velcro closure could be a little more extensive but we'll see how it holds up with high use.
Once all closed it grips my feet well, they won't be coming off in a get off. These are the "air" versions so are perf'd all over and it has made a difference compared to the Axo's which have no perforations. The difference shows up when I take the boots off and my socks are dry. The Axo's would leave me with damp socks every time.
These boots appear to provide more lateral support given the design but I don't think so.
They do feel more supportive laterally but that seems to be a function of a tighter fit through the boot shaft and minor increased support from the outer skeleton. The outer skeleton seems to be more a means of limiting hyper extension of the ankle as opposed to prevention of lateral twisting/bending. I can feel the boot stop if I try and point my toes in the boot, it's actual effectiveness may not be huge given the lack of "beefyness" at the hinge point.
One more thing, unlike the Axo the Cortech is very flexible in the sole front to back. It seems to be torsionally stiff but it's hard to tell whether there is good anti-crush support as no mention is made of any type of shank or anti-crush prevention built into the boot.
So, i will conclude this by placing the boot into the same category as the Axo, but with added support. Yes, price does play a factor in support and features in boots in general, however the Cortech's should meet my daily needs (waterproofness not tested yet but no real hope there). Longevity is yet to be determined we'll see at the end of the season.
Hope this helps those interested in this boot.
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