EM Trail N3 Shoe – The Tech

Pearl Izumi’s background is in road running and the EM Trail N3 is derived from a road running shoe, but with the addition of a grippier outsole and a protective stone-plate under the forefoot.

There’s plenty of  Energy Foam midsole cushioning – some 30mm at the heel no less – for a softer ride and a state-of-the-art seamless upper with the usual, lightweight protective overlay.

It’s also worth noting that the heel’s well supported and flared outwards slightly for better stability.

EM Trail N3 Shoe – Performance

The shoe may look big and bulky, but it’s actually relatively light. It’s comfortable too with the seamless foam and mesh upper giving a really snug, secure heel fit, but with masses of room from the wide toe-box and forefoot.

All that extra volume should suit ultra-runners as well as those with wider feet. Also great for long distances is the soft, cushioned ride. It feels more like a road shoe on hard surfaces with an easy, comfortable, rolling ride and it was ideal for pottering along tow-paths and short stretches of trail-linking tarmac.

We found the shoe less happy on nobbly, uneven, stony surfaces like cobbles, where the shoe felt wobbly and teetery and on fast, rocky, technical descents, they had a bit of a disconcerting ‘clown shoe’ vibe thanks to the broad sole.

Finally, the lightly treaded outsole, while decently grippy on firm to medium stuff, didn’t gel so well on soft and slippery ground, so maybe not idea for grassy UK winter trail runs.