Last fall I wasn’t looking to replace my much loved Brooks Cascadias, but one foot in to the Inov-8 Flyroc 310 and I was sold. I love trying new things and frequently change my shoes. At the time I questioned whether their light weight (310 grams), low cushioning and profile, and high breathability would hold up to the high mileage I would be putting in on the trails over the winter training for my ultra trail season. I am a heavy heal striker and break down shoes quickly. Throughout the winter I ran five to six days a week in these shoes. I put more kilometres on them than any other trail shoes I have ever worn, and I have tried many! In the winter snow and spring mud their superior grip gave me confidence to attack downhills and helped stabilize me in slippery conditions. My yak-trax sat comfortably on them and I suffered minimal blistering even during my five hour training runs. The fit is snug and my foot does not slip at all in them. As I drive to the trails I train on I don’t have to deal with pavement, and these shoes aren’t meant to be worn on it! You feel everything. That’s great for trail running, where the shoe allows for ultimate control of technical sections while providing enough protection. I was also amazed at how well these shoes drain. Their incredible breathability must aid the drainage of water. They dry very quickly and perform well wet. The lacing system stays tight and doesn’t come undone even going through vegetation. Being a high mileage runner I wondered about the low profile, but I have loved it.

I bought my second pair of Flyroc 310s to race in even though my first pair was still going strong. I raced my first 78km trail in these shoes and loved them. A hilly, mixed surface course (rocks, roots, mud, gravel, hard-packed dirt, sand- you name it, it had it) course with six river crossings.  My feet were wet from 3kms on. I kept all my toe nails and skin on my feet. The shoes did their job throughout. These are a performance shoe that can handle high use.

I loved the Inov-8 shoes so much I bought a pair of the Roclite 282 (see future review) for the ultra distances I will be racing. I now alternate between the two pairs of Flyroc 310’s and Roclite 282’s depending on the trail type and length of my run. If there’s mud and water involved I grab my Flyroc’s. My stabilizer muscles and feet thank me. The only thing I would change is the colour. Although not performance enhancing, colour is very important in selling a shoe (unisex shoe or not). I hope consumers see beyond the rather blah blue and give this amazing trail shoe a try!