As is the case with a good number of other guys who have written evaluations, I upgraded from the older model 697 to the newer Dueler. To tell you the truth, I didn't notice much of a change between the two kits because I was already really happy with the first one. The loudness did not bother me, and there was no aquaplaning during that time period. Well, yeah, maybe they became a bit more comfortable on the pavement, but I want to emphasize that everything was OK for me in the past. Therefore, I'll just say that I'm more than delighted with the quality of the breeches, and they validated the trust that I placed in the brand once more with their performance this time.