Field Notes: Pearl Izumi has been around a long time, gracing the triathlon world with their high-performance tri-gear. Since they’re known for biking and tri-training, people can forget that they also build the same high quality, dependable gear for trail running. Winner of our Active Junky Editor’s choice for best overall women’s trail running shoes, the Pearl Izumi N2 V3s are the go-to shoe on our massive rack of footwear: whenever we can’t decide which shoe to wear, we go with the N2 v3. 

The Energy Foam that Pearl uses in their shoes combined with a wider footbed provides superior cushion and a roomy feel, making those long days way more enjoyable. And for those gruesome trails, the forefoot rock plate protects the foot from coming back bruised and battered. 

This Pearl Izumi running shoe comes with a heel stack height of 27.5mm with offset of 4mm, an average drop for a little extra push forward. Available in two color options, you can find sizes from 5 to 12, a larger shoe-size option than many other brands offer, so a great choice for taller and large-footed women looking for a quality trail running shoe for the most extreme terrain.

Tester Comments: “Simple but surprisingly important, the lacing system uses notched laces, eliminating the need for double knotting, which testers found useful on those long and fast runs to avoid stopping to retie.”

Pros: A more open footbed and supple cushion makes for a more than pleasant experience on long distance days. Protection and grippy tread allow these shoes to run the gamut of terrain and conditions.

Cons: With such an open footbed, these shoes can tend to have a little bit of slippage within the shoe on extreme uneven terrain.

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