How do you find the MT71s Ian? They are hard to find in the shops and I'm always nervous about buying shoes online.
I get on really well with the MT71s, they are definitely waterproof and breathe quite well in spite of this.
There is a water-proof sticky insert / patch to go over the SPD mounting plate inside the sole of the shoe.
I made sure that the cleat was correctly positioned and bolted-up tight before applying this waterproofing insert.
I have *short* (european size 40 length) but *wide* (Clarks shoes width "G" / approx european size 42)
so I have size 42 pair of the shoes and they fit fine with a bit of toe-length room.
So I think the regular observation that Shimano shoes often seem to come out on the smaller end of the size error tolerance limits holds for this model too.
I agree that it can be a pain buying online, but in the UK at least, the online / mail-order / distance-selling rules allow you to send them back.
I used ChainReactionCycles and they are currently doing free-delivery (orders over £9) and a free-return service too apparently.
But these shoes definitely are not on the cheap end of the price spectrum.
P.S. They are also fine for walking around in (accepting the fact that over time the sole will wear-down and make this not as good eventually)