INOV-8 Trail Shoes

I am a big fan of the inov-8 line of shoes. Sounds like it would be worth taking a look at them given your stated requirements.

The 295 and the 310 are the best for me, and given that you are using a shoe that has a wide toebox they are a good place to start. Of course, but feet are very personal so a different model might fit you better.

For many people, the ultra flexible sole is a very good thing producing less stress on the knees and hips that more traditional shoes. This advantages largely drop off if you need motion control / have to wear inserts, etc. The only downside in my experience is that the soles wear out quickly… around 400 miles / pair.

A review I wrote up a review of the inov-8 flyroc several years ago detailing my experiences. I haven’t changed my perspective since first writing the review.

Mark,
Thanks for the input. Your review was one I read during my research and it was very helpful. Nice job.

I don't need motion control because I'm an underpronator, so this type shoe would actually work well for me.

At the end of the day I probably need to just try a pair and I'm leaning toward the flyroc 310.

Thanks again for the input.

Hey Brad,
another vote for Inov8's. As Mark said, shoes are a very personal thing and my preference is more towards the higher level support of the Roclite 315 model. If you do not have a dealer near you that sells them I recommend Runningwarehouse.com. They have the best prices I have seen and free shipping both ways.

After using both the Flyroc and Roclite 315 for a few hundred miles each the key differences I found were

-Flyroc has more toe room good for long days and has a wider more stable tread pattern. I also found that the slightly wider fit makes them better with GTX socks come winter.

-Roclite 315 is more durable and is a better all arounder if you want a shoe that has a fast and nimble feel on the trail. I even use it for road running.

either way, they are both great shoes

the roclites are also popular, but I have not tried them. I am on my third pair of flyrocs. I have used them trail running, day hikes, and week long treks. My pack wt is 12 lbs + food/water when on overnight hikes. I have used them in Illinois, Michigan, and Colorado.

The mesh can take a beating when bushwhacking or scrambling rocky climbs. A dab of superglue to stop fraying or keep small holes from growing has kept them functional until the soles wear down.

I also started out wearing the Salomon XA Pro 3D GTX as my transition from boots to shoes for backpacking. The Salomons are nice shoes, no doubt, but I doubt you'll go back after trying Inov-8's.

I can 2nd the 295s and first the Terroc 330s.

So far I've found them much grippier than the Salomons and I certainly do not miss the GTX. I found the fit is about the same as well for the two I mentioned, with the Inov-8s being slightly narrower in the toe-box, I think.

I wore the 315s and 310 around my apt, and if I could've justified keeping 4 pairs of shoes to test out, I would've. The 315s had the most underfoot cushion-feeling of the four, and I think the 310s had the most flexible sole. The 330s had less cushioning than the 295s, but a stiffer sole. I wear the 295s for backpacking, and I wear the 330s for my morning runs, because I have .75 miles of pavement to cross before I get to dirt, and the 330s are advertised as having longer-wearing rubber for just those circumstances.

I wanted to like the terroc (forget the number) but had and issue with the top of the shoe rubbing against my ankle (I have read that others have had this issue as well, its personal). I was anxious to try out the Roclite 295's when they came out and have been pleased with them, but this is mostly an issue of fit. They do indeed have all of the qualities you already know about (light, breathable) but for me it comes down to fit.

Note that you will not get tons of miles out of these shoes as the tread wears down pretty quickly. I have had to stop wearing them around town and save them for backcounty trips only so I wont have to replace them every year.

Thanks for all the great information and quick response. You guys are the best.

I just ordered a pair of 330's from Zappo's, so I will start with those. I imagine I will order the 310's in a couple of weeks and test out both pairs. I'm sure the other pairs are great, but can't try them all. Well at least not all at one time.

Thanks again.

Brad,

For future reference (or now, since zappos has free shipping both ways) runningwarehouse has consistently better prices on Inov-8s, as long as they have your size. They also have free (2nd day) shipping to and from.

Just a heads up.

Thanks. Definitely better pricing.