Here's why:
During recent decades, running shoes have been designed to help initially prevent injuries in poorly conditioned legs and feet by building shoes that replace natural body functions with artificial stabilization and extra cushioning. The resulting problem is that the person using those shoes initially becomes more aerobically fit and starts running faster and longer... without their feet and legs being structurally strengthened to handle the increased demand. Before long, the shoes can't continue to compensate for the fact that the person's feet and legs' inner structures simply aren't trained to handle the running. It's too-much too-soon meets too-little too-late. Consequently, painful "overuse" injuries (shinsplints, knee pain, back pain, stress fractures, tendonitis, fasciitis, etc.) are practically an inevitability for many well-intentioned and dedicated aspiring runners who take up jogging or join a cross country or track team.
A very large number of "overuse" injuries in otherwise healthy people result from a combination of two factors. 1) Weak/underused feet and leg structures, as described above; & 2) Bad running form it doesn't immediately hurt to run improperly on 2" of cushioning, but bad form will catch up to you as you increase mileage. Really, the problem isn't "overuse" so much as "use" when, thanks to laziness and bad shoes, critical parts of our bodies are only conditioned to "under-use".
The solution is to make the following transition: Stop running in shoes that put us on a cushy path to a painful destination and carefully learn to run in shoes that enable our bodies to run the way we were actually built to run. Most people are completely capable of much more running than you might think, but it takes a little work to correct years of under-use. This transition will require a little patience as you build the strength in your legs and feet to avoid injuries. It will also require learning to run with healthier running form, which is a lot easier on your body as well as more efficient for long distance.
Inov-8 shoes are designed to enable your foot, not to support it to the extent of replacing natural foot functions. In other words, if you are out of shape and decide to start running 20+ miles per week exclusively in this shoe, you are taking a risk. The shoes are designed for the runner who is making or has already made the transition as described above. Inov-8's entire product line is built on a minimalist philosophy. More and more runners and fitness buffs are realizing that the Inov-8 approach is, indeed, a better approach. (Not to mention a darned good shoe in terms of materials and quality as well as design.)
If you have not carefully transitioned to a minimalist running style and built up strong feet and legs for this type of shoe, a sudden switch could injure you. Take the transition slowly because your feet and legs need to get strong enough to actually do what they are built to do.
Inov-8 shoes are generally comfortable, very well built, and perfectly able to carry a fit runner through many hundreds, and even a thousand, happy miles. However, they do not replace under-used arches or compensate for pounding, heel-striking strides. (Contrary to popular myth, flat-footed runners can run just fine in these shoes if they get their feet and legs in shape. Flat feet are not the running liability many have been lead to believe. See the "comments" for more on flat feet.)
How can I say all this? I have flat feet, terrible pronation, and am 6'3" tall. I ran four years of cross country in high school and was on the varsity squad for a state-championship team. The whole time, I fought miserable shinsplints, knee pain, and back pain. I popped Advil like tic-tacs. I loved the sport and ran relatively good 5K times but my chronic pain was bad enough to sideline me for all of track season senior year. Any time I increased my intensity or mileage, the problems got worse. Doctors were talking about "scar tissue" and "surgery". Well-meaning doctors told me to stop running. They said my body just wasn't made for it. Shoe-store employees continued to put me into higher support, more motion control, more cushioning to try and "correct" my feet and legs.
It wasn't until college that a former teammate (who is now a professional runner partially sponsored by Inov-8) explained the concept of minimalist running to me. Although I was in good aerobic condition, I spent a month resting and then the better part of three months carefully re-training from scratch, patiently overhauling my form to be more efficient, working my way into exclusively running in racing flats (Inov-8 wasn't available yet), and allowing my feet and legs to get much stronger and more flexible.
Since then, I run further and faster than ever before, with no more "overuse injury" bullcrap. My training mileage has at one point been greater than 90 miles per week. I have competed in a major marathon and placed in the top 4 in my age group. I have won a handful of smaller races. Better yet, I have not been injured or hurt ONCE since I made that transition to minimalist shoes and better running form. I haven't even owned a pair of traditional "trainer" shoes in over 8 years. (Much of my training is in an old pair of trashed racing flats with at least 1,500 miles on them. I prefer to use Inov-8 for more rugged terrain and tougher trails, where they excel, but they have models that make good trainers on almost any terrain. When my beloved racing flats finally die, I'll replace them with an Inov-8 racing model.)
I consider myself a "weekend warrior" and I am a far cry from an "elite" runner. Had I listened to the well-meaning doctors who told me I just wasn't built to run and should give it up, I would have stopped years ago. Inov-8 understands that we humans are literally built to be running machines. Tap into it, and enjoy.
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I am avid Crossfitter and have found these shoes to be the best while working out. They are minimalist, but still have enough of a sole for running and any other fast paced movement. Inov-8s have a perfect balance of lightweight, traction, and durability to them. These shoes breathe extremely well, very important while working out. Additionally, the liner fabric is comfortable enough with or without socks. I have put these shoes through paces and have still managed to remain in great condition. They feel light as a feather and they provide just enough protection from all the workouts I do. If you want to avoid cushioning, overblown support, and padding, these shoes are for you! Inov-8s are the next best thing to a "barefoot shoe". If you are looking for a shoe for lifting, running, rowing, and much more activity, then Inov-8s are for you.Best Deals on Inov-8 F-Lite 195 Lightweight Racing Shoe
I've owned these shoes for approximately 10 months now (Christmas 2011), and I have been CrossFitting for about 2 years. It was great to see a shoe company recognize the demand the running/lifting/athletic market was taking. I used to run barefoot for most of my CF runs. But I wanted to reduce my mile times, so I needed to get footwear. Enter the 195.These shoes will teach you very quickly how to run. What I mean is that if you are a "heel-first striker," you'll notice instantly that you can no longer do this for a long run. These shoes will force you to land on the midsole and/or on the toes. (Which is a good thing. If you're not used to running like this, get ready for sore calves for a few weeks.)
I've taken these shoes through many mud-runs, 5/10/15k's, and one half-marathon. They hold up very well for running. If you're looking for a run-specific minimalist shoe, this is a good entry level shoe.
In CrossFit, these shoes are OK. When doing squats, overhead presses, or any other olympic / dynamic movement, it's important to not have a cushion on your heel (that most jogging shoes have), because heavier weights will throw you off balance. The reason I gave these shoes 4 stars is because of the rope climb. I use the brake-squat method to climb ropes. Doing this almost destroyed my shoes in one climb. I tore a large chunk of the rubber soles off my right shoe, and my left shoe began to fray just above the toe box.
A word on size: The toe-box is very generous. At first, you'll feel like you bought the wrong size. However, this is to allow your toes to spread out during runs.
Ultimately, if you're new to CrossFit and you're looking for a good minimalist shoe that will aid you with better running form, you can't go wrong here. Just watch yourself when climbing ropes. If you know how to run, and you're looking for a more advanced shoe, this probably isn't it.
Honest reviews on Inov-8 F-Lite 195 Lightweight Racing Shoe
Let me start by saying I have *really* hard to fit feet. I'm a US women's 8 in most brands, with a very wide forefoot, very narrow heel. I'm actually more like a women's 7.5 street size, but because women's shoes aren't wide enough in the forefoot, I size up and put up with heel slip by using crazy lace patterns and heel shims. Most "unisex" (men's) shoes lead to heel blisters even if they're small enough to hit my toes. These have no such issues they're light and stretchy and wrap around my weird triangular feet with a gentle glove-like fit that gives my toes room to spread and my heels a snug, slip-proof grip. Once the laces are tied, the entire shoe just disappears. For me they run "true to size" in that my size 8 women's foot fits perfectly in the 6.5 UK/unisex sizing, which is what I got. They have a little room in the toe, but not awkwardly so, and as I said, the length of my foot is more like a women's 7.5 US on a Brannock device, so they're very true to what I'd expect.I am not a high mileage runner. I'm really not a runner at all, but I do some running to cross-train for cycling in the winter. I took a parkour class earlier this year to build strength and agility, and the Innov-8 brand was recommended by the coach. So when I recently discovered Amazon carries them on Prime, I decided to try them out. I've been using Vibrams but in the cold and snow of our Colorado winters, they just don't quite cut it, and I'd gone back to my old running shoes, which cause me some issues. I started using minimal shoes after years of struggling with 'stability' running shoes that fit poorly, and seemed to only contribute to the shin splint and knee pain I'd come to associate with running. I am primarily a road cyclist, and have short, blocky legs with the heavy cyclist-specialized musculature that seems to just contribute to a pounding gait.
I received these a week ago and have run twice in them, doing roughly 4 miles each time. The first run I experienced some calf tightness which led to minor plantar tenderness as well, so I stopped mid-run to stretch out and rub the tight spots and adjust the laces, and after that everything was fine. I actually expected worse on a first run in radically different shoes, so no complaints from me these shoes will force you to use your calf muscles, so be warned, your calves may fuss a bit as a result, unless you are really accustomed to minimal shoes. No problems at all on the 2nd run, and I even managed to run close to a 6.40 pace for several sections which is just unheard of for me. The lightness and thin sole encourages me to use a shorter, softer, more centered stride, and I can already feel my gait becoming smoother and more natural and less clunky.
I can also tell these shoes should be much safer for trail running than the heavy, blocky "stability" runners I've been using, which have such poor ground feel that it's fairly easy to turn an ankle in them you never get good "free-flow" on technical trails since you're constantly having to worry about foot placement and backing off. Since taking parkour, I've learned that the key to agility and running well on uneven ground is not stability, but speed, flow and proprioception; meaning, how well you can carry momentum and feel the ground. Many specialized "parkour" shoes worn by high level traceurs look similar to a climbing shoe they are ultra thin and grippy. These Innov-8 195s are light and grippy enough, and have such great ground feel, that I can't wait until the ice and snow subsides a little bit so that I can take them out on the trails and let them rip.
The bottom line is that these are great lightweight minimal runners. The fit on these shoes may not be for everyone you can expect a wide forefoot on them, especially if you're a woman. However, they are forgiving, stretchy, and extremely comfortable. The low profile heel will force you to work your calves if you're not used to "barefoot" style shoes, but the grip and ground feel is exceptional, and will be a benefit for a trail runner on rocky ground, as well as people looking to use them as a cross-trainer to use for things like parkour, plyometrics, or crossfit.
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