May 8, 2008

It is a grass root revolution! Pearl Izumi Shoes

Many people have seen Pearl Izumi clothing. You may have even seen their shoes, be it cycling or cross trainers. If you are a cyclist than you certainly have seen their jerseys, bike shorts, and various styles of arm, leg, knee, and shoe warmers. However, they are pretty new to the running shoe scene, only really getting into the market about 5 years ago.

Pearl Izumi is not big on advertising, yet you see their brand on everything from base layers, clothes, warmers, biking shoes... you name it that distinctive little PI logo sticks out.

PI has embraced grass roots marketing. As such they have contacted runners all over who have blogs and/or are active in the running community and have sent us free shoes for us to test out and report back to the community about.

Grass Roots baby. Can you dig it?

I will be posting my reviews and thoughts about the shoes here peridoically! I am really excited about this opportunity!

My first impressions of the Women's Synchroinfinity shoe.

LOVE the color.

If you know me, then you know that I love colors and the look of something. Unfortunately I am the person who sees first then goes with what is best for me. I have been known to get disappointed that my preferred running shoe only comes in blue, when I would much rather it be in some absurd color like.. oh I don't know... acid green.

Second impression: they fit WONDERFULLY! I take an 8 to an 8.5 US women's dress shoe, and a 9 to 10 in my running shoes.

My current Mizuno's are a size 10 - a full 2 sizes larger than my dress shoes. They fit well and leave plenty of room in the front for foot shifting. Not a blister or bruise since I got them.

I ordered blindly a size 10 in the PI figuring that a lot of shoe makers do not have half sizes on hand, so a 9 may be too small, a 10 may be too large. Better to be too large than small I say!

Well the 10 fits me perfectly! I full thumb and a half width from toe to end of toe box, and the shoes feel AMAZING on my feet. I cannot wait to get out for a run tomorrow and try them out!

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I am pretty excited to be able to help out PI and get some free shoes in the process. Everything happens for a reason, and this has helped keep me motivated and I am so grateful that I have this opportunity!

Keep on running!

})i({ Runnergirl

12 comments:

MNFirefly said...

Niiiice new kicks!

Run For Life said...

Ooooo I LOVE the colours, too! I'll look forward to your review. :) I think the small amount of ads they have are genius and effective.

TNTcoach Ken said...

Wow, you’re a celeb now! You’ll be like MJ and people will ask, is it the shoes?

Ian said...

I think you're going to love them. I love mine.

chia said...

You lucky bugger! I was just ogling a pair at the running store a couple weeks back based upon Vanilla's review of the men's version. I'm really anticipating your review on these. Congrats!

Tim Wilson said...

I wish I could say the same for mine. :( I got them, liked the look, liked the feel and fit, but after a couple miles in them my knees kept hurting each and every time. I don't think it is the shoes, I think I just needed different support than what they offered.

Hope they continue to work out good for you as I am sure they will - they really seem like some wonderfully made shoes!

Doug said...

It is all about the look?

Full Metal Lunchbox said...

Pearl Izumi has alienated a lot of runners with their obnoxious magazine ads.  I will never, ever buy their shoes.

Doug said...

What was that made the ads obnoxious?

Jenniferlyn said...

The whole "We area not joggers" campaign. It is pretty hard core against jogging.

Running since whatever BC - jogging since 1970... etc. etc.

Our ancesters never jogged down dinner.

We think that Darwin was a runner...

ever notice how runners always find the dead bodies?

it goes on and on!

Doug said...

I tracked it down, funny.

So, do you like the shoes?

Anonymous said...

So nice!! I like the shoes color. Got a new pair of running shoe from Foot Locker last week for high school athletics event.