Inov-8 X-TALON 212, Men's Trail Running Shoes

Product Information

I apologise for the glowing review, but I didn’t set out to be technical - these are simply a great piece of kit and have changed my running considerably for the better. I’m interested to try out some other brands (I’m quite keen on the look of the Salomon Speedcross) to see how they compare now but they have turned me into a bit of an Inov8 fanboy.

The only fault with these (and it might just be down to my foot shape) is that because they are fairly minimal shoes without much cushioning and have very knobbly soles, they can become painful when running on harder ground. There's one stud on the sole in particular which I land on right in the centre on the ball of my foot behind my second toe, if the ground is hard then this really becomes uncomfortable after about 8k. I am training for my first Spartan race and I'm using these shoes. I love them. I think that putting an insert in these will help with longer wear and running. Alternatively, you can measure the length of your foot and add between 1 and 2cm to find the correct insole length. It is hard to be exact here, as sizing is so personal – but in hiking boots, running shoes or training shoes, we’d recommend having at least 1cm of extra space beyond the end of the longest toe to ensure comfort. Shoes UK SizeThey seem to be really well made, and use good materials. They're usually pretty muddy, but I'm sure they'd be like new if I cleaned them. Delivery timescales are based on working days; Public Holidays, Saturday's and Sunday's are NOT classed as working days. After buying our house near to Epping Forest and taking up trail running, I decided to invest in a new pair of trainers that would not only work for me as trail running and mud racing shoes, but also actually fit for once.

We have meticulously studied the foot and its function during the gait cycle and also the interaction between the foot and the terrain. We have used this knowledge to develop our fitting scale. For technical footwear a good fit is essential to enhance your performance. Please note, that a newer model has come out since mine, which I hear has improvements for the better - I have no idea how. The full specs for my model are on the link below; Overall I love these shoes but I do have a few complaints. They don't dry very well as the water stays at the bottom of the shoe when wet. They don't have a lot of arch support and they can be a bit narrow so buy a larger shoe size if you don't have narrow feet.The upper comes in a tightly woven and dirt repellent mesh that – coupled with the reinforced toe-cover – protects the foot. All applicable customs and import duties and any other charges are the responsibility of the customer. Shop for the X-Talon 200 if you have broader feet and/or have obstacle course and other challenges in mind. When I finally got to try them out, the X-Talons were a slightly better fit. Remembering my dads advice not to go for the ones with the coolest name, I finally bought the X-Talons. They were ridiculously light and felt great - from a functional perspective, there was also very little cushioning or material on them and as I do a lot of running through streams, rivers, big puddles and water in general, drainage was important for me. They fit like a glove, which made me wary. The fit is really nice. I did as suggested and steamed them before I first put them on so they'd fit my foot shape better. Very comfortable to run in on the right surfaces.

It's been 20 years since I've run and now I'm starting again. These shoes are priced well and very comfortable and they look good. There is no exposed stitching in the toe area, and the stitching on the heel has held up for all those special Ks. They are little warmer and more water repellent than most other shoes in my stable, and also don't let as much dirt and dust in.

Style

I’ve been a runner for about 9 years on and off (I was a late starter) and most of which was on road. My first pair of running trainers were a pair of yellow and green suede pumas (most probably fakes, as they cost about 30 pence in Thailand), which were little more than a plimsoll; they’d probably be called a barefoot running shoe now. I loved running in them but everyone told me that I’d do myself a mischief as they didn’t have any cushioning.

In December 2019 we launched the first-ever X-TALON shoes to include our revolutionary Graphene-Grip outsoles. You can find out all the details here. The X-TALON G 235 is joined by the X-TALON G 210 (V2 version now available) as the new Graphene-Grip products in the range. We’d recommend looking at the size guide which shows the approximate length of each size’s midsole in centimetres. If I could rate these shoes higher than five stars I would. They fit perfectly. I was able to overcome all terrain. They clean up well also. I highly recommend these shoes.

The Inov-8 X-Talon 212 was originally intended as a cross country racing shoe with studs that were spaced out enough as to not clog with mud. It was flexible enough to mould to the ever changing shape of the ground you run on during a cross country run or race. The shoe was light, with a mesh upper that prevented water being absorbed, making you uncomfortable and weighing you down. The shoe had a fast and responsive feel and yet was shortly followed by the stripped down, even faster racing version–the X-Talon 190. Although the Ultra 260 v2 is branded as an ultramarathon shoe, for many people, it’s going to be more applicable as a 10k-to-marathon option. It’s weight – 260g – is, in fact, still at the lighter end of the scale. And while there’s a little more cushioning than normal, the overall feel is one of a shoe that’s still low to the ground and built for speed as well as endurance. As I say it might just be my foot shape. Having said that the stud seems to be wearing down and the shoes are becoming more comfortable.