Loading ...The British are coming! Yep, the British are invading the shoe market in the US. Well the British shoe company Inov-8 is anyway. They specialize in trail running shoes and I've been testing the Roclite 295 and 320.
The 295 The 320
As you can see the constuction of the sole is identical for these two models. The upper is different mostly in look. I am partial to the 320 because they are funky, bright, and attention grabbing. They are both breathable, but the 295 may be a bit mroe breathable because there is more breathable material in the upper.
As far as performance, these shoes are great for walking and casual use. For running they have Fascia band-aids built into the sole. This aids in propulsion when running. The lugs on the bottom are almost boot-like. They are sticky and grab rocky trails with ease. Ankle support is typical of a lowtop shoe, so these could also be used as hikers for those who don't need much support in the ankle area.
My only complaint with these shoes is the lack of padding in the heal. The 295 simply has none. There is a layer of material over the hard plastic in the back. I got a blister after running 2 miles on the trail with those. As for the 320 it does have some padding in the heal. The padding hugs the side of the heal and still leaves a small sliver of vulnarability in the back. These didn't cause a blister, but rubbed a bit and long-term use or longer runs may be an issue for those with boney heals.
Overall I'd reccomend these for casual use and the occasional jog. Dont' do any hardcore running in these though if you are prone to heal blisters though. You can find the Inov-8 brand in most running stores or specialty stores. They are online at www.zombierunner.com, www.backcountry.com, and a few other online retailers. Inov-8 has several other styles to choose from and they are making big waves in the running world. We'll be checking more of their shoes out and keep an eye on them as they continue to penetrate the US market.
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I tried some of these on at "The Trail Store" in Louisville. They basically said the same thing about the support. I think they designed them to run on softer, marshy trails, a little different thant most trails around my neck of the woods. I think they would be a good second shoe for muddy races around the southeast and midwest though.
It's spelled "heel."
Just sayin'.
damn spellcheck....
[...] which makes me look more contoured than the sack look many other jackets offer.” Inov-8 Roclite 295 and 320 “As far as performance, these shoes are great for walking and casual use. For running they [...]
The point of less padding in the heel (and overall) is to promote a more natural forefoot strike, hence, the emphasis on the bare foot. I'd say these shoes are more for hardcore running on trails of all types.