The Pacer ST is an entirely new shoe from 361 and is designed to be an everyday performance oriented trainer with an integrated propulsion plate. Basically, they are meant to go fast and be an up tempo shoe you can use in training or on race day. It is definitely a little more streamlined than other shoes in their lineup, but shares a lot of the same technologies. So let’s see how they run!
Quick Details, Specs, and Availability
- Weighs in at 9.4oz or 266g for a US Men’s 9 which feels a little heavy for a performance shoe
- Has a 9mm heel/toe drop with an integrated “propulsion” plate
- Retails at $119.99 USD comes in 1 color for Men and Women
Run Test
The 361 Pacer ST look hot out of the box, that lime green has a ton of pop to it and the profile looks pretty quick. The upper material is super soft and you really need to open up those laces to get your foot in there. Once in there however, the shoe holds you really well albeit it does run a little narrow. The cushioning is not as high as we’d like, but you can definitely feel a little bit of pop from that plate.
In run, you can really turn these things up so speed days are a good candidate. The only caveat is they run a touch heavy for this use and there isn’t a whole ton of cushion. That being said, we will still take it because that propulsion plate really does its job and does encourage responsiveness and acceleration. The other issue many folks will find is the narrowness of the shoe overall. The toebox is long and tapered, but again, these are performance shoes so it is par for the course to see this profile on a speed shoe.
We were debating where we would want to see improvements and the more we ran in them, the more we started feeling like they could use a touch more cushion and a bit more pop. We would also love to see the weight drop a bit because it does hold them back a little bit.
Construction: Upper
The upper on the Pacer is made of a double layer of jacquard mesh. It is super breathable and feels great against your foot. As you move down to the mid-foot area, you will find some internal supports which should help with lateral control. The tongue is only engaged to the front of the foot, so there is not internal gusset and it is thin so there is no pressure or real cushion in it.
A look at the jacquard mesh upper 
The lacing system and vented tongue 
Really simple collar with a medium level of cushion 
361 Pacer ST from the front 
361 Pacer ST from the back
Construction: Midsole
The midsole is where things get crazy interesting and a lot of tech shows up. First, you get a layer of QU!KFOAM which is an EVA rubber blend which is supposed to help with durability, cushion, and responsiveness. Internally you have what they call their propulsion plate is a rigid plastic that is designed to help with forward momentum, much like we are seeing on other performance shoes. You then have their QU!K Spring+ which is straight EVA that gives you more lightweight cushioning.
Midsole – Lateral front 
Midsole – Lateral rear 
Midsole – Medial rear 
Midsole – Medial front
Construction: Outsole
The outsole on the Pacer is a combination of two forms of rubber. In the front they have placed an engineered blown rubber which is lighter and softer and in the rear, a carbon rubber which is more durable and highly stable.
Outsole overheard
Style & Aesthetics
We actually totally love the lime green color as these things have a lot of pop and look fast. Our only drawback would be lack of other color options as it only comes in one option, but all in all it is solid looking.
Overall Conclusion
The 361 Pacer ST was a bit of a tough one for us. We loved the upper, styling, and performance, but definitely felt a little remiss about the weight of the shoe and questioned if they couldn’t get more performance out of it. Our suggestion for the next iteration would be to remove some of that outsole rubber and also thin it up a bit and work on getting more acceleration from that plate. This is a great first start though and we can’t wait to see where they take it from here!
Check Out Other Reviewers Thoughts
As always, we gather together some of our favorite reviewers so you can get a well-rounded view of the shoe. Here are our favorites.
