I needed a new pair of runners. My shoes would not dry in time in the wet year-end weather. I picked up a pair of Pearl Izumi SyncroPace from Running Lab, and was eager to test them at Safra's run. The route was ~12km from Clubhouse to Cantebury Estate, 2 loops of Labrador Park and return via Henderson Road. That was my 1st pair of Pearl Iz shoes and I was curious to try them. According to Pearl Iz's brochure, the SyncroPace was a "Stability + Cushioning" - moderate stability with excellent cushioning. At Running Lab, it was listed as "Performance Stability". My daily staple are stability shoes like Asics GT21** series and Mizuno Wave Elixir. So the SyncroPace matched that genre.
For the 1st stretch from Clubhouse to Depot Road, the shoes felt really good. Cushion and support were very good, my feet felt snugly in place and the shoes could adequately catch hold of wide strides. The shoes had a nice bouncy feel which added a spring in each step. However, the problem of slippery shoes arose when I was coming out of Cantebury Estate. The cement path was slightly downslope, wet from the rain and semi-covered by fallen leaves and twigs. I almost went gliding but managed to stop myself in time. So I tried to gingerly walk through that stretch of wet pavement. Even then, I skidded a few times.... walking! In all my days of running in different shoes and terrains, I had never skidded as much as tonight! That was when I realized that I should have checked the soles before buying the shoes. :(
The soles had little circular bumps instead of flat markings. They drastically reduced the amount of surface area and frictional contact with the ground, making it especially slippery on wet pavements. A typical mid-foot striker engages the ground on the fleshiest part of the runner's soles, toe-off and go. The bumps are located on the forefoot area of the shoe soles (see picture), meaning the big toe experiences the 'skid' and instability right at the very moment of toe-off. It happened a few times as I was walking, and also when I was opening up strides. It was very irritating, because one would have to hold back and be extra careful. You never knew if your next step would send you sliding.
Tarmac roads are not a problem. Cement pavements that are dark, wet, covered with fallen twigs, brown leaves and so forth... you get the idea... would be a challenge. In my mind, the shoes would be really dangerous if we were doing speed work on MF loops or running down MF slope.
The shoe body that cradles one's foot was a full-piece seamless construction. There was a thin sponge/ fabric that lined the inner shoe completely such that the foot was kept snug and eliminated chances of foot/ toe abrasions. However, that same construction meant that you would not feel the 'wind through your socks' on runs and consequently, a less ventilated feeling. By contrast, most running shoes have mesh tops and sides that allow more wind and ventilation - but which would leave your feet cold in winter runs.
Conclusion
From an amateur runner's perspective, the Pearl Izumi SnycroPace offered a softer (yet firm) cushion over the Asics GT, but had a firmer support over the Mizuno Wave Elixir. The SyncroPace would be a good pair of shoes for cool and dry conditions on tarmac (or rough) surfaces. For instance, evening track workouts, and marathons in Tokyo, Hong Kong and temperate countries.
That said, my intention of buying those shoes as a wet weather backup would have been misplaced. The shoes offered an excellent blend of support and cushion for an enjoyable run. Pity the skid marks.
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