The season is coming to an end, the days are getting shorter, the mornings cooler, and the rain radar sounds the alarm more often. For some, that means hanging the bike on the wall and bringing the turbo trainer up from the basement. For others, this is when the interesting part of the season really begins. You are motivated to get out and smash it, only for the thought of ruining your white shoes to kill the mood again. And so the same drama begins before every ride: overshoes, yes or no? This is exactly where the Imperial comes into its own!Giro Imperial AS | 234 g in size 43 | 449 | Manufacturer websiteAS stands for All-Season. Giro has three top-tier models: the Imperial II, the Empire SLX, essentially the Imperial with laces instead of BOA dials, and now the AS. The conventional Imperial is known for its ventilation. It breathes brilliantly and feels very comfortable, but its also difficult to clean. Take a look at the pros shoes, and mesh models stand out immediately, simply because they are often the only black patches in an otherwise snow-white peloton! Riders such as Kasia Niewiadoma, Jay Vine and Biniam Girmay prove that the concept works at the highest level, all of them choosing the Imperial.A free pass from the style police! Clean white shoes with white aero socks are always a great match!Technically, the AS stays very close to its summer counterpart: the closure system, sole and race fit are identical. The key difference is the TPU layer over the mesh. Its designed to keep out wind and spray while also adding extra stability to the upper. Laser perforations ensure the Imperial AS does not turn into a portable sauna at the same time. Giro therefore positions it for hard training sessions and racing in cool, drizzly conditions.The All Season is not a winter shoe, though, nor is it trying to be. It remains a race shoe with added weather protection. As a result, its not entirely waterproof. Whats more remarkable is that, according to Giro, this extra protection comes without any weight penalty: the AS is meant to weigh exactly the same as the standard Imperial, which puts it among the lightest BOA-equipped road shoes on the market. At the same time, the TPU upper is designed to provide more stability. The sole is made out of Forged Carbon and provides plenty of stiffness. Ideal when you try to beat your mates at the town-sign sprint!What is the Giro Imperial All-Season capable of?The Imperial AS is a top-tier race shoe and makes no attempt to hide it. It weighs 234 g in size 43, features Giros stiffest sole and Li2 dials, currently the lightest and most premium system in the BOA range. The price reflects that: 449 for the standard version and 479 for the limited Kasia edition. Even in the high-end segment, thats a serious amount of money, especially given that they are likely to sit alongside your summer shoes rather than replace them. Those numbers are impressive, but the real USP is the lightweight weather protection. The AS is designed to be warmer than conventional race shoes, keep water and dirt out to a certain degree and still breathe well. That sounds like a very narrow niche somewhere between summer and winter footwear. In practice, it is surprisingly broad. The Imperial All Season is noticeably warmer than any conventional race shoe our tester has ridden so far. It works brilliantly up to around 20 C. If it gets hotter more ventilated summer shoes have the advantage. Even so, your feet never feel like they are sitting in a steam room. The TPU-coated mesh with laser perforations still allows moisture to escape effectively. Compared with toe covers in particular, that is a real benefit. If your feet get cold quickly and you tend to ride in more northerly climates, you could easily use the AS for a large part of the year.It also delivers when it comes to weather protection. Drizzle and residual moisture bead off to a certain extent, although sustained heavy rain will eventually get through. Anything else would be a kind of magic. Protection from dirt is even better. Mesh cycling shoes and grime usually have a pretty toxic relationship, but far less sticks to the All Season, and anything that does can normally be removed with a small brush. For white shoes, that is almost a superpower. As a result, our tester found himself wondering far less often whether winter socks or overshoes were necessary. And for style obsessives, there is an even stronger argument: you can ride in white shoes without going to red alert internally at the first drop of rain.Light rain and moisture bead off, but you will still need overshoes when it really pours.The Forged Carbon sole fits the uncompromising race brief perfectly. It is extremely stiff, very thin and gives you a direct connection to the pedal. Even during all-out sprints, we could not detect any noticeable flex. Another clever detail is the rubber heel pad, which is screwed in place and can be replaced once worn. The closure system matches the shoes high-end ambitions too. The aluminium BOA Li2 dials are light, beautifully made and look suitably premium. More important, however, is the cable routing underneath. It spreads tension across a large section of the shoe and holds the foot very evenly.The Forged Carbon sole is ultra-stiff!The closure extends almost to the toe box: race fit, excellent hold, but snug!The fit is unmistakably race-focused at the rear, yet surprisingly relaxed at the front. There is plenty of room in the toe box without it feeling excessively wide. Overall, its width sits somewhere in the middle of the pack among race shoes. The heel is held very securely and the upper extends relatively high, meaning your foot barely moves at all. For our tester Benedikt, that is exactly what he wants: every movement of the foot should be transmitted to the pedal as directly as possible. To stop the heel area feeling like a vice, Giro lined it with suede. That worked well in testing. If you are sensitive around the Achilles tendon, however, it is worth paying close attention to the high heel shape when trying the shoes on. The insole deserves praise too. While some 400 shoes still feel as though the manufacturer started cutting costs on the inside, Giro supply three different midfoot inserts. These let you adjust arch support to suit your foot, which is a genuine bonus for riders with flatter arches. Ionic+ silver fibres are also designed to provide antibacterial and odour-resistant properties. By the third indoor session, that is a feature appreciated not only by the rider. Even so, we still see upgrade potential with a semi-custom or fully custom insole. If you are already spending almost 500 on a shoe, another roughly 100 can make a noticeable difference to both comfort and support.The BOA Li2 dials look premium and can be adjusted while riding.You will either love or hate the high heel. Great hold, but snug!Visually, the AS is pleasingly understated. It is available in black, white and a limited Kasia edition in pink and green. Our white test pair looks clean and premium thanks to the aluminium BOA dials and minimalist branding. The TPU upper also makes the AS look less technical than the standard Imperial II, almost like the old-money style of race shoes. Just with Forged Carbon instead of cashmere.Two pairs of race shoes for different weather conditions? It sounds decadent. After a few weeks with the All Season, though, it suddenly seems much less absurd.Who is the Giro Imperial All-Season for?The shoe is ideal for anyone looking for a race shoe but prone to cold feet. You can wear it all year round and get the added bonus of weather protection.Also anyone who trains a lot through spring and autumn and is fed up with toe covers should take a closer look at the All Season. The combination of weather protection and good breathability can quickly become a gamechanger. The shoe feels particularly at home in British weather. In fact, it should almost be destined to become a bestseller here, because there are currently no alternatives offering a similar set of qualities.Everyone should keep one thing in mind:The Imperial AS remains a race shoe. An extremely stiff sole and a close-fitting heel ensure that every watt and every movement reaches the pedal. If that is what you are after and you want to combine those strengths with weather protection, the AS is your choice. If you want a slipper-like cycling shoe, however, this is not your shoe. Nevertheless, comfort is impressively high for a race shoe.The shoes stay white. Most of the time, at least.Conclusion: Would we buy the Giro Imperial All-Season? 449 is fairly typical for the premium segment, but cheap it certainly is not. In return, Giro delivers an exceptionally high-quality race shoe with excellent hold, convincing comfort and a well-judged set of features. The technology lives up to the high-end positioning, as does the clean, premium look.What makes the Imperial II All Season stand out is its weather protection. It keeps wind out, whilst remaining surprisingly breathable and being far more resistant to water and dirt than conventional race shoes. Cleaning is easy too, despite the white colour.Before the test, we admittedly saw the AS as something of a niche filler in an already crowded market. A very specific shoe for a very specific problem. After testing it, we see things differently: our tester does not want to give it back.If your feet get cold quickly, this could be a genuine gamechanger. It is also an exciting option for anyone who wants to train outdoors all year round. Provided, of course, that the fit works for you.Ultimately, Giro are charging pro-level money, but they also deliver performance and quality that suits this price. Our tester will continue to keep both a conventional summer shoe and the AS ready to go. Between September and May, however, the choice is likely to be pretty one-sided.TopsWeather protection and thermal layer work wellWater- and dirt-repellent to a certain extentHigh level of comfort for a race shoeExtremely stiff soleFlopsonly an on-top solution for a variety of ridersFor more information, visit giro.comDer Beitrag Hot or Not? Testing Giros Imperial All-Season Road Shoes erschien zuerst auf GRAN FONDO Cycling Magazine.