INOV8 ROADFLY – a promising return to the road!
INOV8 have not yet made a huge impact on the road shoe market, despite several releases over the years. One of their first road releases, the INOV8 Road X 233 (circa 2011) remains one of my favourite all time road shoes. There have since been various iterations with varying degrees of success. The new INOV8 ROADFLY marks the release of a new road range, and testing so far suggests a return to the principles of the old Road X range, which is than welcome by me!
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
On its arrival at my door the box felt empty and this is definitely a good thing in a running shoe. Out of the box first impression was, “these are light!” My second first impression was, “these are black!” An odd colour choice for a road running shoe in my opinion – they have the aesthetics more akin to a gym or multi-fitness shoe. Superficials aside, I had the impression of a nice, light and flexible shoe.
FEATURES
There are neither bells nor whistles in this shoe, and I think its simplicity is one of its strengths. In a world of carbon plates and super cushioned and super thick midsoles, it is refreshing to see something more stripped back. The one piece upper is simple but comfortable, offering slipper-like comfort and a snug fit around the heel and midsole. I think I would have appreciated more of an overlay on the tongue to protect from lace pressure.
The shoe comes in a standard and wide foot option. I have a wide forefoot and went for the wide fitting option. There is a lot of room in the front of this shoe, but unlike some competitors a snug and supportive heel and midfoot fit is maintained.
In terms of midsole, there is nothing overly fancy here. Not overly stacked and without a plate of any kind, this midsole rewards the fleet of foot and encourages an efficient style in the less fleet of foot. I think this would be a good partner to a plated shoe. The midsole is firm and more responsive than squishy. This works to my preference.
We get a full coverage outsole with sipping on the modest tread pattern. There is enough here that I would be happy with these as a summer trail shoe (on easy trails). Though I do wonder if the full coverage is essential here for a road shoe?
ON TEST
A recent calf injury means I am only recently getting back into regular running, but I feel I have done enough to be getting the gist of what this shoe is about. On initial runs the midsole felt overly firm and a little ‘dead’. However, I am now getting the impression that there is a break in period and in recent runs I’ve found them to be responsive and rolling over nicely.
The upper is an absolute winner, snug in all the right places and supportive enough that my foot wasn’t sliding on corners. This has the feeling of a great do it all shoe – a daily trainer as well as a race day shoe for those that don’t want a carbon plate.
CONCLUSION
I am a long time INOV8 wearer and it’s great to see the brand bringing back a road range. The INOV8 ROADFLY is a breath of fresh air in a world of super cushioning and carbon plates. Light, comfy and fun to run in, I recommend!
My only criticism is that the heel felt significantly more stacked than it actually is. I am usually good with a 6mm heel to toe differential but I think I will very much prefer a 4mm or zero drop model (which I understand are coming soon!).
About the writer: Conrad Wild has walked/jogged/ran some 30 ultramarathons, as well as a spoonful of DNFs and a marathon in a multi-story car park. These days, when he hasn’t got his head stuck in a book, he can be found jogging around his local woods with his spaniel, Jack.
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