The ones I've seen haven't had any paint issues FWIW (and one is ridden heavily).

Surly is 4130 CroMoly and SOMA is Tange Prestige. 4130 is pretty much bullet proof, but the ride quality can suffer. Tange Prestige is still very strong, but rides a bit smoother from what I can tell. Of course, I'm sure there are lots of opinions out there on the subject.

I ride a Cross Check. If I were buying again, I'm not sure which one I would buy. I think I'd lean towards the SOMA because of weight (they're slightly lighter) and better tubing (IMO). But I'm not about to get rid of my Cross Check.

CA