I have about 50 miles in this shoe now, so I feel I have a pretty good grasp on it. I was excited for the debut of the Fuel - it was well-hyped and in my mind filled a void in an already solid Pearl shoe lineup.
My first wear was really not that positive. I have Fred Flinstone feet - short, fat and pretty square. My foot did not fit particularly well into this model. Bummer. I think the shoe is best suited for folks with average to low foot "volume". There is ample room in the toebox for folks with some width in that area.
After a few wears, I figured out how to lace it to accomodate my foot, and boy am I glad I did. This shoe has a great ride to it! If you're looking for pillowy cushioning under your feet, look elsewhere. The Fuel has a very responsive ride that seems to translate energy into forward motion. The shoe is solid under the heel, even a bit more stable than I was expecting at impact. I think this will make it a good option for heel to midfoot stikers. In future versions, I am (personally) hoping for a touch more flex in the rear-foot, but as it stands, the shoe does its job.
The wonder of this shoe happens as you transition to toe-off. This shoe has a lot of toe spring, and the flex grooves are well-designed to make the shoe roll exceptionally well through toe-off. This one definitely fits its description as a light-weight performance trainer!
Oh yeah - with a super cool PI logo, and contrast laces, it looks the part too! For every day training, tempo running and for racing (hey triathletes - this is a great choice for sockless wear with the float liner!), the Fuel is a winner. I can't wait to get a lot more miles in it. Nice work, Pearl Izumi!
Friday, February 12, 2010
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