Pearl Izumi E:Motion Road N2

Right around the time I had resigned to working on speed over trails, my usually-full shoe cupboard went perilously empty of road shoes. My Asics 890V2s and the On CloudSurfer had seen about a thousand miles each and it was time for something new.

Each of those pairs of shoes fit me perfectly in terms of fit, wear, and drop, and since I’d long ago abandoned the “I only buy trail shoes” mantra, I went hunting. In full disclosure, Pearl Izumi provided me with this pair of shoes for review, without any expectation or request for a positive review. The thoughts are all mine.

Initial Impression:

Yeah, it’s a running shoe. Pretty flashy and colorful with a lime green sole, but it’s a road shoe after all. The padding along the ankle is thicker than many shoes I’ve held or worn, but it’s by no means a boot. Feels pretty boxy up front and it seems to be a seamless upper. I generally try to fold the shoe up to determine its flexibility, and this one passes my little test moderately. Nothing blows me away, but it feels like a nice shoe.

Fit:

The Road N2 is certainly not the lightest shoe I’ve got, but it doesn’t feel heavy at all while on the feet. It’s a very comfortable shoe that I’ve used in a wide array of workouts and would probably be great for a variety of different types of runners. It’s not an exciting shoe, but it feels very safe and able to withstand some serious mileage and speed.

The toe box is a bit more generous than some shoes I’m used to, and that comes in handy on long runs when my feet swell. Towards the other end, there’s a heel cup that keeps my narrow foot perfectly immobile and balanced.

Without a doubt the most impressive aspect to this shoe is the seamless upper. It’s sock-like towards the toe box, then has a bit more plush structure towards the rear, and I’ve had zero problem with rubbing, chafing, or overheating in this shoe. There must be some wicking properties in the material, as I don’t end up with wet feet after a hard run.

One major issue is sizing. I’ve got a lot of shoes and wear a size 12 in every single pair. ThePearl Izumi 12s don’t fit me…they’re too small, but the 12.5s are almost perfect. I’d highly recommend trying these out at your local running shoe before purchasing to ensure you have the right fit.

Ride:

This shoe allows my foot to roll well. There’s no pavement slapping and pounding is limited. It does sit high and slightly forwards, but just enough to feel fast while running.

Weight and Drop:

They weigh in at 12.2oz for a mens 12.5, which is pretty heavy. Billed as a “light and fast” all purpose shoe, that’s only partially true, but as I mentioned, the weight disappears once it’s on the foot.

The Road N2 has a 4mm drop. I would have guessed it was 6-8m, as I get a slight “leaning forward” feeling with these. I’m comfortable in anything from a 2-10mm drop for trainers, and this feels like a shoes that’d do me no wrong.

Usage:

Great, safe shoe for training. Neutral, cushioned, and stable, this PI is a top candidate for the long paved/light trail run. The tread is meant solely (get it?) for the road, as no real grit is available for traction.

If I had a road 50k or 50M coming up, I’d choose the Road N2 above all others. I’m running about 60 miles per week right now and most of those are in this shoe. After my run, I generally wear them around town when out on errands.

Complaints:

The tongue is not gusseted and it’s slips around on my runs, eventually wedging itself in the side of my foot. Not a huge deal, but something that should be fixed with the next generation of this shoe.

Sizing…see above.

Price:

$120 with an assortment of wacky color combinations.

Final Impressions:

I like this shoe a lot. It’s quiet, I don’t pound with it, and it’s one less thing I have to worry about with a few big races early next year. I’m not sure I would initially pull this shoe off the shelf in my local running store, and that’s unfortunate. It’s a fast and safe shoe that’s worthy of some serious mileage.

Benji says:

December 16, 2013 at 5:13 pm

I had the same problem with the tongue. I loved everything else about the shoes. The tongue was all over the place though. If they fix the tongue issue and make it connected like the Brooks Cadence, then Pearl Izumi will be my new favorite brand.

Matt Newell says:

December 16, 2013 at 7:15 pm

PI had definitely stepped up their game in the trail/road shoe realm for sure! Agree on the sizing. I comfortably went up a half size for best fit. I’m glad you mentioned the increases stuffing around the ankle collar. Doesn’t seem like a big issue, but as the miles racked up for me, it created some issues. Increased milage, increased lateral lower achilles rubbing and pain. Got out of the shoe, pain went away. Back in the shoe, pain came back. Damn! Overall, I still love this shoe (and the trail M2 and trail N1), but hopefully (for my sake at least) future version will have less padding around the collar.

Shawn buddenhagen says:

December 17, 2013 at 3:04 am

These are my favorite shoes. The one piece upper is super comfortable. The ride is responsive. I hope PI keeps this line of shoes for awhile.

LukeD says:

December 17, 2013 at 7:09 am

Haven’t had any problem with the tongue like others have…? And I’ve almost “gotta catch ’em all!” –> http://seekingultra.blogspot.com/2013/11/pearl-izumi-emotion-trail-n2-trail-m2.html

Brian says:

December 17, 2013 at 11:21 am

I’ve gone through 4 pairs of the trail n1s and 2 of the road n1s. I hated the road N2s, but the N1s felt perfect to me. Super durable, great ride.

Good review.

Justin says:

January 29, 2014 at 5:12 am

I have the M3’s and am thinking of trying out the N2’s. I really love these shoes, and have just put over 500k on them and they still feel great. The size, while a wee bit tight, was actually perfect after a couple of runs when the material around the ankle and heel cup settled in. Never had a problem with the tongue, unless I had loose laces. I also wear these as my everyday shoes as well, there just so dang comfy!

Ben says:

February 18, 2014 at 5:22 am

I really dig these shoes. I also have NOT had the tongue problems, but different bodies bring up different issues. These shoes diss appear from my feet for me…which is my highest priority. I don’t know that they’re there. My biggest complaint is the outsole is no good for anything slick (wet grass, mud spots, and winter ice/snow)…the type of stuff you don’t intend to hit on a road run but do.

Yggy says:

April 6, 2014 at 10:42 pm

Have now done two shorts runs in my new Road N2’s. Agreed on sizing, these are my first ever pair of size 14 shoes, I’m normally a 13. (13.5 might have been ok if the store had it, but 14 seems fine.)

My left foot feels great. Unfortunately my right foot is being pressured quite uncomfortably near the far right edge of the tongue, at the bottom of the laces. Really hope my foot and the shoe can grow to like each other, because other than that one spot I’m loving the feel of the shoes. Will go back to my old shoes for a few days to let my foot recover, then try lacing more loosely next time. Any other suggestions?