Pearl Izumi stepped up the features of the Tri Fly Elite v6 Triathlon Shoes. If youve been a long-time Pearl shoe watcher, know that theyve simplified their offerings. If youre new to Pearl, think of this as a feature-packed shoe that has most of what their P.R.0. v3 has, but at a much better price and a more conservative color scheme.

Starting at the bottom, this shoe has a Carbon Power Plate that is at Pearls stiffness rating of 13. The three-bolt mounting pattern is designed to give you extra fore-aft adjustment. The heel pad is soft, designed for walking, and replaceable. Above the sole, the lasting board has been removed to keep the sole thickness to a minimum, 5mm.

The upper is seamless for sockless comfort. Its also super-thin, to better conform to your foot. At the back, the heel pull is offset and oversized to meet the demands of getting shoes on in a hurry. Behind the heel itself is a reinforced swatch on the outside of the heel cup. This is in place to protect the shoe from both being scraped on the ground in a fast transition and stepped upon when getting the shoe on fast. The two-strap system features an oversized main strap, which has tabs so it easily remains in the open position, and then just as easily can be pulled closed. The second strap is of the set-and-forget variety: youll get it in you first few rides and it will stay after that.

The insole is comprised of two different densities of EVA foam, allowing your foot to mold the insole over time. The denser stuff is also what the arch support is made of, and holds your arch from flexing under hard efforts.

The Pearl Izumi Try Fly Elite v6 Triathlon shoe is a high-performing shoe that wont break the bank.