Pearl Izumi N2 road shoe review

Pearl Izumi N2 road

Almost four weeks ago I received a pair of the new Pearl Izumi N2 road shoe from Pearl Izumi via Outside PR to test and review.  I was really excited to test these out as I had some great success in their N2 trail shoes and even ran my last trail marathon in them.

While I never start with looks when selecting a running shoe, it sure does not hurt that this is one fine looking shoe.  I like the blue color and design of the overlays.

Incredible seamless upper

The upper is very similar to the trail version in that it's a seamless design.  For me(and I would think most runners) the seamless design means comfort.  Theses shoes are so comfortable when running.  I never experienced any hot spots while using them thanks to this seamless design.  They have the same design on the trail versions too.  While some shoe companies are going towards this, I wish more manufacturers would do it as it feels like you are wearing slippers when running in these.  The upper still has good structure too as there are overlays throughout the upper to keep them together nicely.  In addition, I like how there is no overlays over the front part of your foot near your toes. This allows your toes to splay which is one of the features I look for in a shoe.  Having that room in the front allows for comfort even as your feet start to swell as you extent the miles running.

I also like that the shoe wraps around your mid foot nicely so I feel like the shoe keeps my foot in place.  The collar on the shoe does feel a little lower than the trail version giving a little different feel.  Not that it feels bad but it does feel like my heel is not fully planted into the shoes.  I will say, however, that my foot did not slip out at all.

In regards to the fit, they fit true to size and I wore my standard 8.5 and they felt perfect.  These are made for your Neutral runner.

As you can see below, the front has a little toe protection which is nice to see since I also run on trails.  While I do wear trail shoes most times, it's nice to have a little protection especially when I'm running a little of both trails and hard surfaces.

Being this is the N2 version of their shoe, I was expecting this to have that extra cushioned feeling like the trail version.  That is not the case at all with these.  The feel while running is quite firm in my opinion.  It's certainly not a minimal shoes but it's also not a maximum cushion either.  If you like more of a feel on the road while still giving you cushion, I think you will really like the shoe.  I personally like having a more cushioned feel so I would only be comfortable running in these up to the half marathon distance which frankly is 80% of all my running distance anyway.

The sole is really where the shoe differs from the trail version I've used in the past.  The tread is definitely made for cement as can be seen by the smooth tread.  Pearl Izumi also has their signature groove down the middle of the shoe.  You can see from the pictures below the comparison on the tread with their trail version.

Sole for roads

Pearl Izumi N2 trail

If you are looking for a comfortable running shoe with a little more road feel, check out the Pearl Izumi N2.

Have a great day and....Keep Running!!!!

Disclosure: I received a complimentary pair of Pearl Izumi road N2's in exchange for this review. All opinions are my own and I was not required to give a particular opinion other than an honest one.