Pearl Izumi
was started over 50 years ago in Tokyo, Japan by a father who wanted to make bicycle
racing clothing for his son. It has
become one of the largest makers of cycling apparel in the world. The name Pearl Izumi means “fountain of pearl”
and was named after Izumi, which is an area of Japan known for its clear water
and the gem, pearl. They have been
selling their gear in the United States since 1981 and have branched out into
selling gear for running and triathlons as well.
I have been
using Pearl Izumi cycling products for over 15 years and have found that the
quality of their gear is top notch. The
durability and design has never left me disappointed. I was excited to give the N2 running shoe a
try as I have several friends who run in Pearl Izumi shoes.
I first got
the Pearl Izumi E: Motion Road N2, Version 2 in the mail about a month
ago. The first thing that I noticed was
that the upper material was a light weight mesh and the shoes had a lifted toe,
which should help when you push off with your toes, much like the rocker design
of other brands. The shoes felt like
they were a decent weight (9.6 ounces) and the materials seemed durable. I did notice that the outsole seemed somewhat
stiff, so I was eager to take it out for a test run.
I took the
shoes out for a 5 mile test run to see how they felt. I was very pleased right off the bat with how
my feel felt in the shoes. The upper
material is made with a 3-D seamless upper which uses a light weight mesh that
kept my feet cool and comfortable. The
upper should be beneficial for people with both wide and narrow feet.
I felt like
there was a decent amount of cushion.
Pearl Izumi used an energy foam for their cushioning and I felt like it
gave back a decent amount of energy. The
front of the shoe has blown rubber for the outsole and the heel and crash pad
has carbon rubber. The result is a very
durable outsole with plenty of traction and cushion.
I did feel
like the shoes were a little stiffer than some of the shoes I have run in. I was concerned at first with how that would
feel later in my run. I was surprised
that the shoes felt great for all five miles.
I decided to take it out for 10 mile run later that week to see how they
would do on the hills and at a faster pace.
Again I was very pleased with the results. My feet felt good and there was plenty of cushion,
even going back down the hills, when I tend to put more pressure on my
feet. These shoes felt even better when
I decided to pick up the pace.
Pros:
Decent price at $120
Not too heavy at 9.6 ounces.
The shoe felt great on short and long runs
Cons:
The outsole was a little stiff, but I didn’t feel like it
was an issue.
The first version of the Motion N2 was one of Pearl Izumi’s
best selling shoes. While I never tried
the first version, the second version is great.
I love how airy they are and how they left my feet feeling great, even
after a hard 10 mile hill run. I would
definitely buy these shoes again. I had
high hopes for Pearl Izumi shoes based on my experience with their cycling gear
and I wasn’t disappointed. Pick up your pair at your local running store (click here for locations) or at the Pearl Izumi Website.
Pearl Izumi’s Social Media Links:
Note: I received this
product in exchange for a review. The review is my personal opinion of
the product and I was not required to give a particular opinion of it. I am not a doctor, so please use all of the
products that I review at your own risk.
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