Pearl Izumi

Pearl Izumi are pretty good. I work at a running shoe specialty store. The floats and pace are both good shoes. Pearl's are seemles on the inside so no blisters, they have unique cushioning, and lateral stabiltiy for side to side movements. Make sure to try em on first because some people love them, some don't. Of any smaller shoe line I would recommend Brooks. They specialize in just running shoes and make in my opinion the highest quality product out there.

Stay away from Pearl.

they are a marketing company (not that any of the big guys arent either) that has zero R+D.

We had to offer our staff $10 per pair that they sold and we still couldnt get rid of them.

If a store tells you that PI sells well it is B/C they cannot sell any of the major brands.

Mizuno/Brooks/ASICS are the 3 companies that are putting the most research into their design.

Go to your local running store and get fit properly

I have a pair of new size 10 Pearl Izumi iQs - I believe that is what they are called. They are white and gray with a yellow midsole. Seem pretty firm.

One of the kids I coached ordered them and they didn't fit-

would be willing to sell for $30 plus shipping.

hoo ya, Brooks is the biz.Poor mans Asics

I know a couple guys up in Saskatchewan who make pretty nice fur-lined mocs. Great for everyday training and racing. Just let them know and they'll throw a little seal skin under a few spots on the footbed for added stability.

I tried some PIs as a test shoe when we were looking to bring them into the store i was working at. They were comfortable but i blew through them in 150 miles. This is back in 2003 and maybe they've made advancements but as of then i thought their product left a lot to be desired. Having said that I pretty much run in asics now but I do like brooks as well

I think that the Float is probably the one that you want to take a look at. I recently tried it on, and it wasn't too bad. I like a pretty responsive shoe, and it wasn't. I might seriously consider it as a easy day shoe though.

hey, i used this syncro pace pair. i believe thats what they were called. anyway, i thought its the best shoe that i've ever worn. no blisters from using a new show. they were really light...but A LOT of cushioning and feel really good. i got a little over 600 miles on them in about a little over 3months. they are definitley worth....but they are expensive. i'll be using those more often.

leroy wrote:

Stay away from Pearl.

they are a marketing company (not that any of the big guys arent either) that has zero R+D.

We had to offer our staff $10 per pair that they sold and we still couldnt get rid of them.

If a store tells you that PI sells well it is B/C they cannot sell any of the major brands.

Mizuno/Brooks/ASICS are the 3 companies that are putting the most research into their design.

Go to your local running store and get fit properly

Can you tell me which store you own/manage so I don't go there. You pay your staff $10 to get rid of PI's? What other sh!tty products do you push on your customers to clear your inventory?

Spiffs happen in EVERY store.

$$$ per pair sold, free shoes, apparel give aways.

The point is that some brands (ASICS, Brooks, Mizuno) sell b/c they fit well and sometimes as a buyer you take a chance on giving a new brand a chance, like PI.

Once we had the shoes in and realized how much they suck we had to get rid of them. BTW if a customer didnt like how they felt then they wouldnt buy them. It isnt like there is a gun to their head or anything like that.

Asics is the worst for spiffing. They offer $10 a shoe to salesmen and women who sell their high end models.

Why do you think you get offered the nimbus or kayano so often in shoe stores...

Pearl Izumi IS NOT THE ONLY BRAND WHO DOES THIS.

caveman wrote:

I tried some PIs as a test shoe when we were looking to bring them into the store i was working at. They were comfortable but i blew through them in 150 miles. This is back in 2003 and maybe they've made advancements but as of then i thought their product left a lot to be desired. Having said that I pretty much run in asics now but I do like brooks as well

Funny you should mention killing them early. I've done the same thing to New Balance and Asics in about two weeks each, and I killed a pair of Saucony's in one workout. Nike and Adidas are the only brands that have stood up for me.

I never said that PI was the only brand that does this.

I know that every brand does spiffs in one way or another. The fact of the matter is that even with a spiff we still cant sell PI because at the end of the day a shoe still has to feel good.

When I was in college and worked at a Footlocker, the only running shoes that were pushed were the one's whose manufacturers were having a current contest for the sales people.

cassio598 wrote:

Funny you should mention killing them early. I've done the same thing to New Balance and Asics in about two weeks each, and I killed a pair of Saucony's in one workout. Nike and Adidas are the only brands that have stood up for me.

Funny you should tout Nike's durability. I'm a light runner and always have been. I've run in PI, adidas, Reebok, Saucony, asics, New Balance, Brooks, Fila, Nike, and Diadora. The only brand that I've EVER had durability problems, between their cheap glue and the fatally-flawed concept of using pressurized airbags for cushioning, has been Nike. It wasn't just one pair, either, it's been several that have worn out or fallen apart prematurely and unfortunately it's resulted in injury on a couple of occasions.

I've found that when brands do sales promotions in my store, it just means we bring out that shoe/brand more often. So say Asics runs a promotion, and I bring out 3-4 pair of shoes for any given customer after analyzing their gait, etc. Normally, I might bring out an Asics shoe 2 out of every 3 times or 1 out of every 2 times. In the case of the promotion, I would probably bring an Asics shoe out every single time, unless there was absolutely no biomechanically/fit-appropriate Asics shoe for that customer. I would in no way try to influence what she they end up buying from that selection, however.

I had one pear of PI shoes and they might have been the worst pair that I have ever run in. I have a very neutral foot and I run in Asics cumulus for training. I have a pair of Mizuno road flats and new balance cross flats.

I swear by asics.

"Fatally" flawed? Wow, I've been a runner for 38 years and a running specialty shop owner for 25 years and while I'd admit the Swoosh has turned out some poor shoes, I've yet to see anyone die because of wearing them! "Fatally" flawed, indeed.

Brooks...Brooks...Brooks.