Men's Pearl Izumi Peak XC Light Trail Running Shoe Review

I was privileged enough to receive a pair of Pearl Izumi's Peak XC Trail Running shoes this spring while living back in Michigan. I used them almost every time I ran, covering 5K distances right out of the box, comfortably. The first time I put them on, I could notice the incredible shock absorption and cushion, not just in the heel, but also on the balls of my feet. While my running schedule has been shot to pieces since taking my summer camp counselor job, I still love the shoes.

Pearl Izumi Peak XC on top of Cold Mtn, NC

The body of the shoe is made from extremely porous mesh of several layers. Even in a light rain, water easily splashes through to my socks from the smallest rain droplets. The mesh on my left shoe tore a little the other day as I was hiking the Cold Mountain Trail in NC and accidentally kicked a stick with the side of the shoe. The stick caught in the mesh material and tore a small hole in the outer layer. The hole has not widened or been a problem in any way, however.

The shoe has a lot of reflective material. Pearl Izumi made this shoe show up in the headlights, that's for sure. The PI logos show up pretty well in the light and a lot of the stitching and shoelace loop webbing is reflective. Even the fabric on the tongue of the shoe shines pretty brightly. Also the silver rubber piece that travels up the middle of the toe of the Peak XC shoe is reflective. There's a reflective PI on the heel of the shoe, as well.

My favorite part about the Pearl Izumi Peak XC Trail Runner? The tread on the shoe. The front half of the Peak XC has aggressive rear-facing teething that really bites into any surface. It makes these shoes great for running, trail running, or hiking. I use them for backpacking religiously down here in North Carolina. I can always rely on the Peak XC to grab whatever terrain I decide to plant my foot on.

One of the best parts about this shoe is that if (and when) it gets wet, you only need remove the insole and let dry. I have gotten this shoe soaked through from mountain biking, backpacking, and work. Every time I've removed the laces, opened up the shoe, removed the insole and let dry. It only takes 24 hours or less to be thoroughly air dried. Then I brush out whatever mud or dirt might be left dried in the shoe, lace it back up, and go. The Pearl Izumi Peak XC shoes are also very lightweight. Most of the time I don't even remember I've got them on. I love the lightweight mesh body because these shoes are still comfortable even on 90ºF mountain days when the humidity must be over 100%.

The Pearl Izumi Peak XC shoes receive a 5/5 stars from me. They are very supportive, lightweight, breathable, have great traction, comfortable, and look sweet. Look for a Pearl Izumi Iso Seek IV WRX review soon, also.

Happy Trails, friends!

Running is Good Backpacking Conditioning

I've been very busy ever since returning from hiking in the Red River Gorge and haven't been able to post much other than video and written reviews of gear that I tested on that trip. The next few weeks won't be much better, unfortunately, so stay tuned for new articles when I can get the chance. For now, I'll be doing a quick post about backpacking and hiking training and how running can help you in the long run (no pun intended) on the trail.

Wolverine Terrain Mid Waterproof

Coming up in April I have planned a 12 hour attempt of the 38.5 mile Waterloo-Pinckeny Trail here in Michigan. I have, of course, been training for this extensively over the last month keeping myself on a very regular running schedule. You will see it argued, especially among those who are setting off on the Appalachian Trail, that the only good conditioning for backpacking is backpacking. Thus one school of thought is to simply hit the trail and do short days for the first few weeks while you gain the muscle and conditioning necessary to pump out long days on the trail. There are a few problems with this.

For those of us who are not planning to be doing months of continuous thru hiking, a weekend backpack for an unconditioned body will do nothing more than make one sore and miserable. Even on a long journey, the first few weeks will be slow and miserable. This is why I advocate running as a great training exercise for hiking and backpacking.

Running allows one to adhere to a rhythmic schedule, develop and maintain great cardio, get the legs ready for strenuous use, and keep ones self healthy when you're not on the trail. It allows you to get outdoors to train, running takes minimal time and produces good solid results. You don't need gym memberships or special equipment. It really is a universally achievable conditioning tool to keep hikers and backpackers motivated and fit for the trail.

A lot of people will argue that running doesn't use the same muscles as backpacking. Well here's the real truth: running keeps the legs strong and used to strenuous exercise. While it may take a few days on the trail to develop the trail specific muscles for carrying the pack, the legs and your cardiovascular system will thank you for already being conditioned to running.

Try trail running, it's the same as hiking except you put out a lot more effort and get faster training results.  If you're tight on time, running or trail running will deliver the results you need. You can trail run a few miles a week for a total time of less than two hours a week and get in shape. It would take days of hiking to do the same thing. It's really an economical and time saving solution to trail conditioning.

My Pearl Izumi isoSeek IV WRX Trail Runners

If you're looking for trail running (or any running) shoes, I can whole heartedly recommend our partner Pearl Izumi. I have their Peak XC shoe which is by far the most comfortable and breathable trail running shoe I've ever worn. It has been accompanying me on my recent training runs for the Waterloo-Pinckney Trail. When the weather is wet (often this time of year in Michigan) I rely on Pearl Izumi's IsoSeek IV WRX trail runner. It's a water resistant (just don't stand in the puddles and you'll be fine) shoe that doesn't fit me quite as well as the Peak XC but is still a great shoe. Bear in mind that shoe size and fit will be different for everybody but head on over to Run Like an Animal and look at Pearl Izumi's running shoes for your training.

Pearl Izumi isn't your thing? Try some of Wolverine Footwear's new 2011 trail runners.