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PRODUCT REVIEWS: PEARL IZUMI OCTANE SL ROAD SHOES
Road Bike Action
October 29, 2008
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THE STORY
The new Pearl Izumi Octane SL road shoe is one of the lightest road shoes on the market, the lightest Pearl Izumi has ever made and is currently one of the shoes of choice of Team Slipstream-Chipotle. The first thing we noticed when putting on the shoes really was the scant weight. Our size 46 review models weighed 246-grams per shoe (Pearl lists the weight at 199 grams per shoe in a 42). They are also surprisingly comfortable, making it easy to feel as if one could wear the shoes all day.
THE TECH
The Pearl Izumi Octane SL is designed with a vent port built into the unidirectional carbon fiber sole which allows for air intake at the front of the shoe. The added perforation at the top of the shoe then allows the air to flow to escape through the top of the shoe. In the hot California weather, the extra air flow really made a difference in keeping our feet cool. In retrospect, this might not be a great feature if you were riding in colder climates, but in hot weather it is a definite plus. Our cold weather tip is to wear booties when temps are going to fall below 50-degrees and Pearl Izumi can help you in that department as well.
RBA SAYS
The three Velcro straps on top of the shoe make adjusting easy even while you are riding. The synthetic heel cup kept our heel secured even when we were out of the saddle and sprinting. Other added features are toe and heel scuff guards and a textured section where the cleat attaches to help hold the cleat in place. In short, if you can afford to spend $299 on a top of the line shoe, the Pearl Izumi Octane SL road shoe is a good option.
Info: www.pearlizumi.com
Price: $299.00
Weight: 246 grams per shoe in a 46. (199 per shoe in a 42)
Bonus Points: Light, light, light. Comfort. synthetic heel cup, scuff guards and user-friendly straps.
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