Gear Review: inov8 OROCS (The ones with the spikes)
I often do not have the chance to leave the office in time to go home, change, and head to running practice, so my coworkers have gotten accustomed to seeing me walk in the door in the morning in heels and a blazer and dash out the door in running spikes and tights at night.
A number of weeks ago, they were incredulous that I ran outside and I showed them my winter running shoes.
“You know, this shoe looks like someone was sitting in their living room in 1990 and a space ship landed and a creature came out, threw them a box and said I don’t have time to explain, but take this.”
Thankfully, I’M here to explain.
I won a pair of inov8 shoes at my race last fall and I knew I was going to order this pair of OROC 208 women’s running shoes the moment that I saw them on the website. The off-trail shoe is advertised on the website as the racing version of this highly durable rugged terrain orienteering shoe has been stripped down to 280g. The DWR coating repels mud and water while keeping flexibility maximised and inov-8’s new outsole technology combines a Dual-C™ outsole with tungsten carbide metal spikes delivering maximum grip in sub-zero conditions.
They had me at metal spikes.
I have been testing these beauties all winter and I have tried them on everything from a 25 km long run through ice and slush to interval sprints up a hill. I can vouch for the fact that they are indeed completely water proof – my feet stayed completely dry and warm through each run, despite running through puddles and snow drifts.
I loved the traction that they provided. On icy nights, they gripped the road and their benefits were most notable when I was turning corners. A lot of my running partners would slip out and I was able to stay upright and maintain speed. This is a huge benefit to runners dealing with ice because the extra grip assists with your stabilizing muscles and helps to prevent injury.
inov8 is known for producing a minimal shoe and I love how light the shoe is while maintaining a hearty exterior allowing me to run hard in any environment. I will certainly be taking these with my to future adventure races.
According to a quick google search, these retail at approximately $150. I’d recommend them to anyone who is going to brave the winter elements!
Have you tried an adventure racing shoe or ran in inov8s?
LOL about the spaceship thing – that is hilarious and I smile just picturing it in my head!! These shoes look so cool! I haven’t done any adventure racing yet, but if I did, I’d want a pair! (And the colours are awesome – you know me and my coloured shoes!) 🙂 So glad they’ve been working well for you!
Hi Jessica, Inov-8s seem pretty narrow. I have two pairs, one some 150g road shoes and another pair with huge lugs for Adventure racing. Both squeeze my feet somewhat and are not my favourite shoes. How did you find the fit on these compared to your Skechers trails which have plenty of room?
Hey Stewart, these shoes are DEFINITELY more narrow than my SKECHER trails. I didn’t find any problems with them because my feet are really narrow, but I can see that it would bug someone with wider feet than me.
I’m approaching another adventure race August 9th…thinking I might try my Inov-8s with an insole and lace them loose…my feet take such a pounding in these shoes but the soles are so grippy and perfect for rocks, roots and loose forest surfaces. I have gotten so spoiled in my GoRun3s….
What adventure race are you doing, Stewart?
http://www.raidpulse.com/homeEn/pevents/event-4.php August 9, 4-hour “sprint”. Most of this race your compass stays in your pocket. Great for first-timers and pros alike. You’d love this race, but you’re busy the 9th already!
Raid Pulse 4-hour sprint. Mtn biking, trekking and paddling. It’s the ideal race for first-timers, I don’t even use my compass for this one, although if a racer is fast enough they get extra checkpoints that may require a little navigation. You’d love this race except it’s a bit far and I think you’re already racing the 9th. http://www.raidpulse.com/homeEn/pevents/event-4.php
Looks amazing! I will absolutely put it on my radar for next year. Keep me posted how it goes for you!
For sure!