One running shoe brand I had never heard of before I started shooting running shoes is Pearl Izumi. They are nowhere near as well-known as adidas, ASICS, Brooks, New Balance, or even Saucony or Mizuno. I reckon that might be because they made their name as a high-end cycling gear brand. Coincidentally, they entered the performance running shoe market right around the time I started shooting running shoes.
In a market full of overdesigned shoes with too many elements, Pearl Izumi's designs are refreshingly streamlined. The branding is so subtle that the shoes nearly appear brandless -- which to myself and a growing number of consumers, is a good thing. More and more folks are beginning to see the Matrix, and no longer wish to pay for the privilege of being walking advertisements for corporate forces. Serious runners who are of this mindset, yet are unwilling to sacrifice performance, will find a lot to like about Pearl Izumi running shoes. I've also noticed that their line of performance running gear is very unique. Some of their men's running gear line looks eerily similar to outfits worn by the crew of the Enterprise on Star Trek: The Next Generation. I'm thinking that it must be by design, and that their market research showed signifigant overlap between serious runners and sci-fi geeks. If you're lucky, you might even find some of this running gear at closeout prices!
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