I LOVED the Evo boots -- they're beautifully made, sturdy, have an excellent sole and good ankle support. But they won't fit in my fins, and bigger fins made me miserable, so I sold the boots. So I guess I'd have to say that fitting in my fins is the highest priority.
Since then, I've tried a number of different solutions. Things which are very hard to put on and off while suited up get discarded pretty quickly. Things with thin soles that are easy to put on get used, but I worry about their durability and the wear and tear on the suit sock. Right now, I've got a shoe that's pretty easy to get on and off, has a decent sole, no ankle support, but is too narrow and compresses the insulation so my feet get cold.
If there were a semi-permanent option that allowed me to have a good sole, still use my L Jets, and not overcompress my insulation, I'd be all over it.
I pretty much agree with all of this.
I love the idea of built-in boots... but have yet to find an implementation I like. I have small feet for my size, so sending the whole suit in to chop off the legs and install the right size is lame.
The thing I liked about built in boots was speed of getting ready and simplicity (less stuff to remember), and the fact that they were small and low profile enough I could wear the same fins. However, sizing issues remained, as did any sort of ankle support. Air passage is another issue that hits you with built-in as opposed the air being squeezed out by sturdier outer options. And, of course, longevity if you need walk in gear frequently.
With DS socks plus external shoes, size customization is no problem... lots of good options for size. Getting those shoes into fins is another story, however. I dumped my DUI rock boots in favor of Chuck Taylors, which let me cram the shoes into the same fins. Big plus, but it was still cramming... not great, and a little tighter on my feet than I'd otherwise want.
My current solution is mid-height wetsuit booties (with soft-ish soles) which give me just the right amount of foot squeeze to keep air out, and let me easily fit the same fins I dive wet. They also pull on super easy, no need to tie or mess with pull strings, which can break, wear out, and otherwise need special handling to keep them from coming loose and tripping me or getting me caught on something.
I'd love a shoe with a better sole that could meet all of those criteria, but I can't imagine something that could. Of course, I doubt I would have imagined a suit like the Fusion, so who knows what you folks will come up with.
To make a long story short, though:
A- good solid sole- somewhat important
B- Low profile- very important
C- Attached- not important
D- Easy to put on- very important
