Pearl Izumi Peak XC Trail Running Shoe - Men's - 2008 BCS

I like this shoe quite a bit, but don't love it. First the bad. The sole is thin does not offer any sort of stiffness plate to counter rocks or other sharp objects. Though unusual, I actually had a 1.5" thorn stab all the way through to my foot. Also, these are 1/2 size smaller than any other running shoe I've warn. I'm pretty standard 11.5 in all shoes, but this feels like an 11 for sure.

The good. The soles are very cushy. The uppers are very breathable and light. The shoe fits a low volume foot very well, which is good for me and bad for you if you have a larger volume foot. I wear these for runs, weight room and even light hiking to the crags for rock climbing.

Wow, what a shoe..!!

I love my Pearl Izumi Peak XC's, lightweight and super comforable. It doesn't matter if your running on the Appalachian Trail or some back country road the Pearl's can handle it. Even the Pinhoti 100 mile endurance run proved not to be a challenge for the Pearl's. The only draw back is the uppers tear easily when running on rough trails.

A great shoe that I highly recommend...!!!

The Peak XC is a truly impressive shoe in its accomplishment of achieving light weight, cushioning, stability, and traction. The framework of the heel box is built around a material called skydex, which is used in military helmets and climbing crash pads, which uses layers of opposed hemispheric high grade polymers(read about it here: www.skydex.com/) to absorb large impacts in small spaces. By using small amounts of this stuff, the shoe makers over at PI were able to produce the same absorbing and cushioning effects of foam with less material, and therefore less weight.
I put around 450-475 miles on trails with this shoe last summer, and I have no complaints about it. I did use a pair of orthotic inserts, but these shoes will promote the growth of stabilizing muscles in your legs (as with any shoe, don't jump right into doing big weeks with this, ease your way in) which will make you a more fluid and efficient runner. My first timed 10k with these shoes dropped me under 38 minutes, and that was on a hilly course.
Two thumbs up.

Have only used on a treadmill so far. The shoes are so light you forget you are wearing them. Good cushion on the feet to this point. Very comfortable and snug fit for running. Used on speeds from warm up jog to all out sprint, on flat ground and up to 12% incline. Love these shoes. My first Pearl Izumi running shoe. PI has done it again, and made me a believer.

Just bought a pair and i love them! feel great on the trail.Took a risk ordering them without ever wearing pearl shoes, but the size was true to fit. Grips great on the trail and feels good on the pavement.

Just ordered my second pair of these bad boys. They're light. The mesh uppers keep your feet as cool as possible even the the hot and humid conditions of a Georgia summer. I've put in some long miles on the AT with these shoes any they performed perfectly. I highly recommend. I've got a narrow foot, and these fit perfectly. The only challenge I see with these shoes is the sole due to the fact that the traction isn't as pronounced as some other shoes. that said, I've run some pretty slick/wet trail and have yet to take a dive.

If you are looking for a lightweight trail shoe for this summer, you should give these a try.

The Peak XC's are by far the best pair of running shoes I have ever put on my feet. For the price you can't beat it either. I did my long run (10 miles) two days ago and was so impressed with the over-all comfort and how my feet felt when I was done! The mesh upper kept my feet cool and dry.

You are truly missing out on a great pair of shoes if you don't have these in your closet. Columbus Marathon, here I come!

I got my Peack XC's yesterday & tried them on today and WOW! they fit like a glove, literally. Very comfortable but not a lot of toe room. I went to www.runlikeananimal.com and found out that the Arch support on this shoe is actually Standard and not High as stated on the description here. Reason why I 'm returning them. I need something more stable with pronation control & high arch support and this is just not the righ shoe. More lime the Pearl Izumi Men's Syncro Guide III. Too bad Backountry dont have those in stock.

I love my pearl izumi peak xc's...i'm on my second pair now. they do run a bit on the smaller side in my opinion...i wear a 9 in asics and needed a 9.5 to get the same fit. the laces are a bit long, but outside of that, i can't think of anything wrong with these shoes. i've ran in everything from 5k's to marathon's and they've held up great. i'm a fan for life now. 'if you're not sure if you're jogging or running, run faster.' haha classic!

This is a really nice shoe: very comfortable and can wear for a long run right out of the box. However, what I found is the toe box is very wide. I have a wide foot and when I laced these up, I found that the lace loops got very close to each other. I also found the material fairly stretch and so the shoe didn't provide much support when running turns. I found the shoe constructed much more like cross between a road racing flat and a road trainer. It is light, but for a trail shoe, this shoe lacks the luggy tread needed for any kind of rugged trail. It also lacks forefoot cushioning and rock plate. These shoes would be good for smooth trails such as a rails to trails trail, but not the rooty, rocky, and some muddy single track forest trails I run in the Finger Lakes upstate NY area.

Went for a run this moring in my new pearl iuzmi on the schools cross crounty couse. Very light and breath easy alot better than the old new blances shoes. Feel really good on a mix of payment and drit.

Confused by the other review - I ran the Pikes Peak Ascent with these shoes this year (the one with the ice and snow and lightning for the last few miles) - these shoes worked perfectly.

This are the best sneakers I've ever had. Their lightweight constructions strengthens your feet muscles and helps yours speed. I use them for running and working out at the gym. I'll keep buying them until they stop making them.

Great, light weight shoe. Feels natural on the foot, has good durability, and dries quickly. Ordering another 2 pairs.

I run trails and ultras here in the Pacific Northwest. After having my Salomons rip apart while running an ultra in Bend I found the Pearl Izumi Peak XC and haven't looked back.

I weigh 140 lbs and run neutral with a mid foot strike so I look for lighter trail shoes that aren't posted and allow for fast leg turnover. I like a low-riding lightweight shoe for dry/damp conditions and after putting about 300 miles on my pair I have to say that they've held up really well across a whole range of tough conditions are now my preferred dry condition trail shoe. I just used them last weekend for the White River 50 race and they were great. While the tread isn't very deep they are sticky enough and give good traction on rocks, loose dirt, scree and even treacherous roots on some really steep stuff.

Lightweight upper mesh keeps the foot cool and allows water to drain. I use Sof Sole and Arch Mold inserts due to having a high arch. While the Peak XC is not a burly posted shoe for a course like Hard Rock or Cascade Crest, I use them for all my training runs and trail races up to 50 miles. If it's really wet and muddy or really long then I turn to my Montrails. But for at least half the year this is the shoe I use exclusively.

I'm buying another few pairs for my late Summer and early Fall races. Happy feet.

very lite, comfortable shoes. probably the best i have owned yet.

I have a pair of the "Float" model from 2004 that still looks new, and the sizing was true to fit. These are being returned twice for the wrong size. I wear 10.5. I tried these in 10.5 and 11.0. Both were uncomfortably tight in the toes. Unwearable!

These shoes are light, and are durable. I feel like I am barely wearing anything on my feet. I do have abnormally long toes, and so the toe box is a little tight for me, but as long as my nails are trimmed - no worries! They do well going up and down the hills running or walking. They worked well for me scrambling over sandstone in even muddy conditions.

How can 2 pairs from the same company differ so?? These are maybe the worst pair of shoes that I have ever put on. They were undersized and flimsy is being kind. I want to send them back. Pearl Izumi makes a pair called the syncro float II which is one of the Best shoes I have ever put on my feet. Go figure?