I do not recommend running on pavement or any hard surface for anything more than a few miles as the pressure points the rubber spikes create can really wreak havoc on your feet. Another thing to keep in mind is the sole is so thin that you can literally roll these shoes into a ball even more so than any Nike Frees on the market but that means that, if you're running on any surfaces with sharp rocks or scree, you *will* end up stabbing the soles of your feet at least a few times. The lower of the shoe is extremely grippy, which is great for keeping you on the trail.
Outside of running surface warnings, these shoes perform beautifully straight out of the box. Inov-8 truly considers the extreme athlete when making their products. The outer is extremely breathable for hot weather and even breathes well after being doused in mud and water. Over my 50-mile ultra, I ran through muddy swamps, small creeks, dirt trails, rocky scree and pavement and the only thing I had to change was my socks once.
These shoes are so light, you hardly notice them on your feet. From now on, I will only wear Inov-8 shoes for any running I do in the future. Just keep in mind they are specifically built for certain terrain types. This shoe is made for extreme terrain where grip is necessary.
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I bought these shoes after weeks of research as I was trying to find a good minimalist shoe for Tough Mudder. I can honestly say, I was pleasantly surprised! I'll list a few of my pros and cons below. Keep in mind that these DO NOT fit true to size as some people suggest. I ended up ordering these in a 10.5 (when I wear a 10.5) and the toe box was HUGE! I was swimming in them as far as the length in the toe box. The heel and midsole fit tight around my foot so if you have feet that are not slim, you may want to reconsider.Pros:
-Drains water EXCEPTIONALLY well!! I can't stress this enough. If you want shoes that do not retain ANY water, these are them! I went through all of Tough Mudder and was excited to see how well they got rid of the water after each obstacle.
-Very minimalist. They are made for runners that run on midsole. I promise you, if you don't run on your midsole and you are a heel striker, you WILL be in pain. So either change your running style, or be prepared to be hurting afterwards.
-These shoes are EXTREMELY light! I was so glad I didn't have heavy shoes weighing me down.
-Grip. These things do it. Every one else on Tough Mudder was slip sliding all over the place. Me? I handled downhill mudslides like a pro. I didn't need to grab trees, hold onto things, or brace myself. They were perfect!
-Laces were tight. Double knot them and you're good to go.
-Easy cleaning. I washed these out with my hose at home, which got most of the mud off. I later hand washed them to get the rest off. They cleaned fairly easily and I was most impressed at how quickly the mud just "shed" off the shoes!
Cons:
-I really don't have many negatives here. The only thing I will say is that you should try to order a half size SMALLER than what you normally wear. I like my shoes to feel snug, but not tight. I'm normally a size 10.5 and I ordered these (at first) in a 10.5 When I got them and tried them on, they were too huge for me, so I ordered a size 10, which fit perfectly.
-These are TRAIL RUNNING SHOES, so if you think you can run on cement with them or do road races, I urge you to look for something else (Inov-8 does do other shoe types for road racing etc.)
Overall, I will be buying more Inov-8 shoes as they were the perfect solution for my Tough Mudder race! These shoes definitely created an Inov-8 buyer!
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An amazing race shoe due to its fore and aft flexible rubber cleats and super lightweight design. With only a 3mm drop those used to running in traditional race shoes may want to slowly break them in. Traction is first-rate on both steep incline and decline. After running three obstacle races of 13, 4 and 5 miles, they are holding up fine. I wear between a 10 1/2 and 11 but an Inov-8 size 10 was plenty roomy enough.Honest reviews on Inov-8 Men's X-Talon 190 Lightweight Trail-Runner
I tried out my X-Talons yesterday for a couple of hours playing ultimate frisbee and they rocked. They're light, grippy on the field, and feel natural on my feet.Light: they're under 7 ounces each and compared to my heavy Ladanian Tomlinson high-top Nike cleats, I feel like I've got Mercury's foot wings on when I run.
Grippy: the word "grippy" is made-up, but it describes how the shoe behaves over dry dirt patches and grass on the field.
Natural: I can feel the divots and clumps of dirt/grass under my feet, but not to the point where I'm distracted. I've played barefoot before, and that feels good, but this is cool because I get the protection in case I step on a bee or sharp pebble or something.
I bought these shoes a size larger than what I normally wear so I don't slam my toes on the front edge during sudden stops or jukes. I recommend everyone do the same or at least get them at half-a-size larger.
Not sure what the mesh is made of, it feels like super tough paper or cardboard, and that doesn't sound impressive, but it looks super durable. I'll try to come back on here and say how long this pair lasted. (Marking today's date: Jan 08, 2012)
I give it a big thumbs up 5 stars!
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Inov-8 Men's X-Talon 190 Lightweight Trail-Runner
These shoes are awesome!! I wore them for the first time at a Spartan Super (9 hilly miles). They held up great, water drained very well which kept the shoes light during my race. Great traction on the goat trails in Temecula, CA and the sandy trails in AZ.The sizing runs a little small. I wear between a 7 & 7 1/2 (US Women's) depending on the shoes (NIke or Adidas) and I went with the 7, as the 7 1/2's were too big. They also feel a little narrow, but that's not a bad thing.
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