Trail Running Shoes-Sticky Rubber-Differential

Inov-8 Trailroc 235, 245, and 255 Preview

Inov-8 Trailroc 235, 245, and 255

A new range of trail running shoes from Inov-8 will tempt you in the Fall of 2012: The Trailroc™, a shoe boasting Inov-8's anatomic last, three Shoc-Zone™ options, and a uniquely designed outsole.

Trailroc Outsole

Like any good trail shoe, the outsole is the star feature here. And, the three cleat and rubber types comprising the Trailroc's outsole make for an interesting composition.Larger cleats made up of endurance rubber are placed in the high-wear areas, like under the ball of the foot. A hard, sticky rubber and more large cleats are positioned on the outer sections where grip and stability come into play most often. And, the toe and inner arch are comprised of a softer sticky rubber with smaller lugs.

Design Stuff

A couple of new design elements, changes to Inov-8's usual shoe upper construction and appearance, on the Trailroc caught my eye. And, even though you probably don't care about these minor design changes, I'll mention them. If I don't write about frivolous shoe minutiae, who will? Someone cares, right?So, for instance, the Shoc-Zone number now appears prominently on the lateral side at the base of the heel. This will undoubtedly help make the Inov-8 cushioning level system seem less enigmatic to new wearers of the brand. Fine.Also, from a lateral perspective, we see a few more wavy lines between the outsole and the upper. This differs from the rather simplistic, relatively lineless motif of previous Inov-8 shoes. In fact, the numerous lines in the midsole almost make me wonder how much cushion actually exists in their ZERO differential 235 member of the Trailroc range. See what I mean in the photo below from Natural Running Store.A more subtle display of the Inov-8 logo adds a new dimension to this range of shoes. I've always marveled at the rather conspicuous presentation of the logo on previous models, like the f-lite 230. Does a smaller logo indicate more brand confidence? I dunno. And, I'm sure none of you really care.Also noteworthy, I think, is the pull loop on the heel cup area. I mean, it's relatively large for an Inov-8 heel-pull-loop thingie. Will we complain about its aesthetic appeal when we look at the Trailroc in photos? Maybe. Will we notice it after putting on our Trailrocs? No. Again, this is a design feature that I'm only mentioning because I notice stuff that most people don't even think about.

Three Variations on Minimal

Since the Trailroc Shoc-Zone variations are being announced at one time I believe that these three shoes will be made available all at one time, too, next year. That's only logical, right? This is good. Having three options from which to choose all at once is better than buying one option before learning about a forthcoming more/less minimal option that you would have preferred in the first place. So, the Trailroc range of options are:

• the 255 with a Shoc-Zone 2 (6mm differential)
• the 245 with Shoc-Zone 1 (3mm differential)
• the 235 with Shoc-Zone ZERO - 0mm differential)

I'm most intrigued by the 235, because, despite my penchant for my f-lite 230s, I've developed an affinity for shoes with a zero differential. But, the 235 is heavier than my other "minimal" trail shoes. Why? According to Inov-8, their ZERO Shoc-Zone shoes have no midsole. So, perhaps the outsole compounds are just that much heavier. I guess I'll just have to find out when I find out.

So...

I'm excited about these shoes.Apparently less luggy than the Bare-Grip 200 or X-Talon 190, but more grippy than the f-lites, the Trailroc looks as though it will be a great all-around trail shoe for my East-Coast terrain, much like the Roclites. It's significant that the Trailroc will feature the fantastic anatomic last, something I've been enjoying immensely while wearing the Bare-X Lite 150 on road runs. And my toes are more likely to prefer the anatomic last to the Roclite's performance last on longer runs. So, the comfy anatomic last, coupled with the fact th read more..

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Inov-8 Bare-Grip 200 :: 30-Miles-from-New Review

Inov-8 Bare-Grip 200 :: 30-Miles-from-New Review

Those of us who are less than perfect will occasionally spend our hard-earned money on things we don't necessarily need, superfluous items that do not fill huge, gaping voids in our material lives. These are things we want, things that look really cool, things that require great effort to justify purchasing.The Bare-Grip 200: with Zero Arrow Shoc-Zone™!For me, the Bare-Grip 200 from our friends at Inov-8 is one of those things. I already have a marvelous collection of trail shoes, which more than sufficiently accommodate my runs on the various trails around the Triangle: There's the Roclite 285, the Minimus Trail, the f-lite 230... So, I certainly don't need another trail shoe.But, look at it. That is an awesome shoe! (Okay, maybe it's not as awesome if you don't like green) And, it was on sale for 25% off!JustificationGiven it's pronounced lugs, the Bare-Grip 200 is more of a specialized trail shoe than anything else I've worn. It's designed for very wet, sloppy, and/or loose terrain with lots of inclines to climb and descend, fell running, really. And, the last time I used the word "fell" in a sentence about running, it wasn't a noun.The Bare-Grip 200 is all kinds of awesome!So, we don't have fells here in central North Carolina. But, it rains. Our trails get muddy. And, those leaves, they can be pretty slick in the Fall and Winter, wouldn't you say? Plus, the snow and ice certainly warrants a shoe with significant traction. So, yeah, I'll be able to use the Bare-Grip 200 pretty regularly! This might even have been a wise purchase, safetywise. (Did I mention that it was on sale?)FeaturesNotable features of the Bare-Grip 200:Grippy lugs (duh) — These actually serve as a bit of protective cushioning while running over rocks. So, the Bare-Grip simulates barefoot running without subjecting your feet to the perils that VFFs might.Zero differential between the heel and the toe — Inov-8 markets this feature as a ZERO Arrow Shoc-Zone™. (I imagine that the capital letters are for emphasis) No midsole at all — This makes the shoe incredibly flexible and fun to wear. Inov-8 explains that the lack of a midsole "allows all the natural power and speed of the foot [to be] transferred directly through the shoe." The video I've embedded below explains the appeal of forgoing a midsole quite nicely.Better protected toe box — Well, this is subjective, I suppose. To me, that's a rather sturdy bit of rubber, or whatever, buffering the toe box from the outside world. I've found it to be quite useful already. The toe guard is more significant on the Bare-Grip 200 than the one on the Roclite 285. And, I appreciate that.Read more about features in this Bare-Grip 200 review. I lack the attention span to really delve into specifications, etc.Sizing and FeelI tried the Bare-Grip 200 on in two different sizes, just because. These are built on the Inov-8 performance last, which coincides with the last of the f-lite 230 and Roclite 285. But, my US Men's size 11.5 Roclite 285 is a bit roomier in the front than my 11.5 f-lite 230. So, just because those shoes are built on the same last doesn't mean they fit the same way. But, I digress.The Bare-Grip 200 is a long shoe The size 12 Bare-Grip felt better on my feet than the 11.5. I liked the added width in the toe box the larger size afforded my little toe while the 11.5 squeezed just a bit. Although, in retrospect, the shoe's upper may have stretched enough after a few runs to warrant keeping the smaller size. I make note of this because I've been second-guessing my decision to keep the 12 now that it feels a bit more loose on my foot. And, if I could have kept the 11.5, I would have preferred it, because I feel a little self conscious about the length of my feet. Anyway...The shoe feels fantastic on my feet, light and incredibly flexible. I wouldn't say it fits any more snugly than the f-lite 230. The upper is just as breathable as I'd expect by looking at the photos, which is to say that it's very breathable read more..

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Marathoners-Trail Race-Medoc

Medoc 10-Mile Trail Race :: 2011 Race Report

After six weeks of lamenting my lackluster training and 20-ish-mile weeks, I ran the best race I've ever run this past Saturday. Go figure.The Medoc Trail Races took place on October 15, which turned out to be a beautiful day for a trail race. The only way the weather could have been better was if it were pouring rain, thereby making the trails a sloppy mess; forcing us to run an entirely different sort of trail race. But, I was more than happy with the idyllic Fall temps this time.Medoc has a special place in my heart, because I ran my first marathon there last year. I also have an affinity for 10-mile trail races. So, I jumped at the opportunity to register for this one in June before it sold out.Why not run the marathon again? I just didn't have the time to train the way I wanted to this year. We'll analyze that some other time.So, here I am at Medoc State Park. In spite of having been here once before, I got lost during the drive anyway. (But, not too lost) Everything is covered with sparkly dew as the sun makes its final ascent above the trees. And, this makes for a nice scene as I pick up my race packet and wander around the starting area while the marathoners prepare for their takeoff. A perfect morning for trail racingNow, the trouble with dew is that it's wet. I wouldn't mind the wetness so much if I'd had the foresight to wear something other than my very non-water-resistant running shoes while walking across the dewy grass. By the time I returned to my car, my socks were already soaked, which inspired visions of blisters. I didn't want to get a blister during a ten-mile race. Sure, it wouldn't really affect my race. But, I'd be whining about it for a week afterward. I might even subject you all to a post about running-related blister prevention and treatment, because I couldn't stop thinking about the blister. It'd be a big one.Fortunately, I had an extra pair of socks in my car. So, I put them on just before the start time. Whew! That was a close call. Weapon of Choice: My trusty, old Inov-8 f-lite 230sSo, feet dry. Damp, but not soaked, Inov-8 f-lite 230s back on. Jeans off. Shorts on. Favorite MST 12-Miler race shirt on with racing bib attached as level as possible. (Am I the only one who has trouble putting the bib on straight?) And, I'm headin' over to the starting line with four minutes to spare. Should I stop for a pee break before the start? Those port-a-potties right beside the line were awfully tempting. But, others had the same idea. So, I just decided I'd hold it. I glanced toward the front of the line and noticed Dave Roche in his standard racing attire. I almost wanted to start placing bets on who would win. Roughly 190 runners loosened up and chatted before Herr Director signaled for us to run. We had a bit over a mile of out-and-back pavement to cover before hitting the trails. This kind of space gave us a nice survey of our fellow 10-mile runners and helped me figure out how my legs felt. I kept pace with an incredibly courteous masters runner for this road portion. I say that he was courteous, because he told me to take the single-track section ahead of him. That kind of management just wins all sorts of respect from this novice runner, that and his nickname: Nose Hair.The Courteous Masters Runner and Me on the Roadphoto courtesy of Ron FlemmingOnce on the single track, my legs felt more at home and fully warmed up. So, I decided to pass a few folks. Eventually, I settled in behind a pair of running buddies who had a good pace going. And, I owe them a ton of thanks, because they really helped pull me in after we passed mile six. The gap between us grew. And, I didn't see them after mile 8 because of the relatively plentiful switchbacks. But, knowing that they were up there pushed me to try and catch them. Entering the Single-Track TrailThat's key, I think, for outdoing yourself in a race: Trying to catch someone faster than you later in the race. I've never really thought about that before, not muc read more..

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