I've just bought the Tri Fly V, I couldn't afford the Octanes, but all the reviews I read were excellent and they were highly recommended.

Good luck, I tore the pull loop off my Fly V’s after 2 months... returned under warranty, Bonts in the mail...

While they lasted, they were fairly comfy, maybe fractionally smaller than a shimano shoe of the same size and a little narrower in the toe box but tolerable.

I got a black friday deal on the Scott Tri Carbons, I like the idea of a boa strap closure rather than velcro, because they open up well for flying mounts (especially with the tongueless design), and you don't risk pulling the strap out of the eyelets, the way you do with some velcro designs. I have a fairly wide foot, and the tri carbons just fit without sizing up... That being said, I have yet to ride with mine, because at the same time I ordered Garmin Vector3 pedals that I am still waiting on, and since I currently have speedplay zero pedals on the bike, and the cleats are fairly expensive, I felt there was no point in grabbing another set, with the other pedals imminently arriving, so I have been using my old shoes on the trainer while I wait (I might have changed my mind had I realized I would still be waiting for the pedals).

But in terms of a point of reference, I have always found shimano too narrow for my feet, and the Scotts fit, so they will be wider than the shoes you found too narrow.

I had the same thing happen with Specialized Trivents. Tore the loop off the 4th time I wore them, got a free replacement. Tore the loop off that one the second time I wore them...

Not sure what I will be trying this season but not Trivents that is for sure.

You think it's fairly quick and easy to secure/tighten your feet into the shoe with the boa system leaving T1?

That would be my concern. My training shoes have the BOA system and I have to freewheel for a good 30s to tighten them. Probably not a big deal for long course, but in a large sprint (state qualifier) I recently did there was 50s separating 3rd and 13th.

I'm not overly concerned, it'll be just as fast as dealing with the velcro I think, and massively faster, that dealing when the velcro comes out of the loops on my current tri shoes. Also they keep the foot more secure which saves some wasted energy during the pedal stroke. Not to mention the quick release option will expedite the undoing process...

And I selected them precisely because I expect them to be faster for shorter distance races, since my key races are draft legal sprints or super sprints...