Specialized 2FO Roost Flat Syn Shoe

A lover of the FiveTen Freerider Pro, other testers claims about the 2FO's great new grip got me curious.  The Syn (synthetic toe box) is the 2nd revision of the updated 2FO.  I was lucky enough to compare it to the velour looking original back to back, having purchased the originals for a screaming $50 in shop on the day my old shoes died.  The Syn exists because the velvety toe box on the original 2FO's is truly horrible for damp climates and creek crossings.  First ride, they got rained on & became noticably heavy on the pedal, something the FreeRider Pro had never done despite the holes in the toe box letting in plenty of water.
The shop politely informed me "If you don't like them, you have 30 day trial period."  So glad that Motion Makers staff mentioned it.  
Took the 2FO & their soggy toe/heel back after they took 2 full days to completely dry.  
They made it obvious why the Syn is a better option.  True to form, it rained my first ride & hit multiple creek crossings.  The Syn shed the water & what got in through the tongue had no place to soak in.  They dried out reasonably overnight on the AC vent.

Despite riding in the south life long, the one "feature" of MTB shoes I've always hated is the ventilated toe box. I cross creeks non-stop on my weekly rides & pedaling along waiting for a puddle to squeegee out is annoying. On my FreeRider Pros, from fall to spring, I kept tape over the holes in the toe box.  The Syn toe box makes me happy.  Functional.
Also functional, the lovely spandex band across the top of the tongue that you can slap your tied laces under, even wearing gloves.  No more "flick/flick/flick" sound when your shoe tassle ends find that perfect drum beat on the side of your sole. No looking down to find a FiveTen lace wrapped in a choke hold around your pedal.

The sole of the 2FO Roosts is definitely grippy & ironically, I have a harder time repositioning my foot on my NukeProof Horizons than in FiveTens. The rubber octagonal nubs seem to be a fraction taller/deeper.  It's unnoticeable when actively pedaling, but when shifting around or repositioning, the sole has that "boot-ish" feel you get with a tall lugged hiking shoe/boot.  The footbed feels possibly more padded/damped/deeper/cushioned than the  FreeRider Pro.  I don't really enjoy the sensation.

My clipless shoe of choice is the Shimano AM51 DH shoe and switching from cleats in those shoes to a set of FreeRider Pros is a virtually identical footbed/contact sensation and feel despite one being clipless and the other being a flat pedal shoe.  The 2FO Syn feels very much separate in sensation.  Price was great. Toe box is great. But the stiffness level of the midsole/forefoot combined with the insole & sole make for a more tired feeling foot than my old faithful, despite fully committing to wearing only the 2FO Syn for 2 months straight.

For a new flat pedal rider, the 2FO might be harder to get used to with the vague connectivity & a less tactile feel through the ball of the foot in the Syn soles. 
My dream shoe is now a FreeRider Pro with a 2FO Syn closed toe box & lace keeper.