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| Pearl Izumi ELITE MTB shoes |
| Author: [ trailpeak ] Contact Author: trailpeak | Sun Apr 10 11:16:59 EDT 2011 |
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Pearl Izumi is a trusted brand when it comes to cycling. No question about, I was anxious to give these ELITE MTB II's a whirl. First off, these are super light, for about $180, or $50 more than the average spend, you get an excellent lightweight pair of mountain bike shoes. On long days on the trail, the weight savings will pay off, without giving up comfort.
Pearl Izumi promotes three main features on these shoes. #1, the Power Plate. On the bottom of the shoe, you'll notice a carbon plate (what footmakers call the last) that extends along the entire bottom of the shoe. Carbon is incredibly stiff, and, when cycling, you want as stiff a shoe as you can get. I didn't get ANY flex out of these, and the plate is moulded for comfort. The EVA insole is comfortable with good arch support. On the comfort topic, the upper is comfortable too. I like some toe and forefoot width area, it's not sloppy but you've got room and comfort. On long rides, the dogs really heat up, so this works for me. Big feature #2 is the buckle. How many pair of mountain bike shoes have you gone through with broken clasp/buckles. I really can't stand those side pinch releases. Pearl's buckle is easy to tighten, and equally easy to release. Minimal moving parts and beefy for such a light shoe. I just can't believe how much you get in this shoe for the price. I've economized before, trying to get away with cheaper shoes, but they all fall apart after about a season, the buckles giving me the most grief and none pf the shoes has a carbon last to boot.
#3, the heel cup. It's solid and supportive. Going to the other end, a really beefy toe cap. One area I bang up real bad, is the toe area. With mountain biking, you'll go through mud and wet and you'll bang into things. This toe cap may actually last, check this review back in a year. The glue/stitching looks solid, so I don't expect any delam as you find with cheaper shoes. Mostly though, the comfort, lightness, and stiffness will give me a real advantage out on the trail. For those who want quality, even if not racing, these are a nice step up. The carbon last is rock solid, and I like the side support and moulded construction. It's a streamlined fit with a fast looking design. The lugs are serious, this is no roadie shoe, but to be honest, I'll use these on my road bike also.
I just can't believe the technology that's now available for the price point. A shoe like this would be $250 a year ago. This is a computer designed shoe, and it's Pearl Izumi. Take it from someone who's gone through a good dozen mountain bike shoes, the ELITE MTB II are a welcome addition to my off-road kit. I have the black, they look good. It's nice to see Pearl Izumi supplying mountain bikers with great gear.
Kurt Turchan
Founder, www.trailpeak.com
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