Shoes choice. Need your option

Keep the pair that is more comfortable. Fit is far more important than anything else, I'd find a brand whose sizing/last shape suits you before you do anything else.

I bought Specialized BG Sport 43 after trying a friend's pair. 43 fits me well (my usual shoe size 42), I have both a road cleat version for racing & MTB version for everything else. I'm sure lighter shoes would be nice but in the real world these do me just fine. They seem pretty stiff to me, I struggle to imagine that a carbon fibre sole could make much difference.

If you also ride in cooler weather will there be room for thicker socks?

I went leftfield on my last pair of shoes as well as going by online reviews. Got some Bont A3's pretty cheap. Supposed to be a 9/10 shoe by road.cc. Just no.

Actually thought they were good at the start, but they're pretty bad I think now. Sole shape is really wide and odd, and the fibreglass sole is a bit spongey. If not the sole then something is spongey about it. Numb feet are easy to get, need to shift feet around regularly to avoid it.

I want a carbon sole next and a regular shoe shape. Something that looks and fits like a normal shoe. My feet are pretty normal so I'll be looking towards some Giro's or similar. 

Spuik fit is similar to Giro. I also have the Giro Republics and while they're great for riding I found the rubber on the walking supports came fairly quickly (they were abused though).

Carbon soles are usually stiffer just because it's a stronger material so at a given thickness it's stronger. As such you don't 'need' it but it does help make a better shoe.

You want your shoes to fit close, closer than you want a pair of trainers to for instance as your feet don't move around as much in cycling shoes.

You want a bit of room though as your feet will swell in the heat and on longer rides.

The walk around in the living room test is one of the best you can do if you don't know what brand fits you the best. For me the Giro Factor's were like slippers on the bike until they finally wore out after about 30,000 miles of riding.

If you want to stomp on the pedals then carbon fibre soles are a must for me at least, I find anything else too flexible which causes hot spots.

Have you tried with the smallest footbed insert?

I also treated myself to the VR90s, and had to go up a full size to 45 from my usual 44. I don't race and rarely cycle for longer than a couple of hours. The microfibre nature makes them easier to clean and quicker to dry than the pair I had prior.

If you find them uncomfortable, I'd suggest a different make as a comparison - the Giro Last may not be for you.

All l can say, my normal shoe / trainer size is 43 ( size 9)

the two pairs of cycling  shoes , a pair of bontrager  race dlx size 44 the other a pair of giant bolt size 45, both have ventilation , both pairs fit a treat, my feet I suppose are average in size not wide across the ball

shoes are a personal thing , a friend of mine orders them on line and sits with them on his feet for about an hour ,just walking round on the carpet , if they don't pinch his feet , and feel ok he will keep them, as for carbon soles I cannot comment as I've never owned a pair, personally I would only think you would want them if you were into racing

sorry I can't help any more than that , I would keep the pair that feels the most comfortable