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

£9.9£99Clearance
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I should retire them once and for all, but I still like to take them out for a spin in the dry, sandy wash that I run in once or twice a week. Not dead yet! 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. 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.

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. Besides the blister that I got on my toe at the 6 Mile mark for my first time, wearing these shoes are superb. They look great and they have amazing grip. I run on various terrains. Lightweight as well and I would definitely buy these again. The X-Talon 200 has been designed to cope with the challenges of obstacle course racing. It is made on Inov-8’s standard fitting last which means that it is broader then the X-Talon 212. It is also a 3mm differential between the height of the heel and the forefoot making it a flatter, more stable shoe. The X-Talon 200 is also a bit more flexible than the X-Talon 212. So, although it is designed with the obstacle course racer in mind it would be ideal to the runner looking for a more minimal wider fitting X-Talon for fell or cross country running.

I have had several pairs of these shoes over the years and I'm never disappointed. These are great shoes. They can't be beaten for the reliability and I use them for off-road running. From time to time carriers may deliver earlier or later, or on non working days however this is cannot be guaranteed nor should it be expected. If I was to raise a single minor concern; I found Everest at the Tough Mudder event extremely difficult to get grip on when running up the wall. That could be down to me not being fit enough, or it could be the size of the cleats offering less traction. I’d say it was most likely my fault, but I’d prefer to blame the kit wherever possible, so this could be my only negative. 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.

These shoes are lightweight and very comfortable. I love these shoes. The traction was perfect. I use these for Spartan races and running the trail. For me, they fit true to size. We’d recommend looking at the size guide which shows the approximate length of each size’s midsole in centimetres. Delivery timescales are based on working days; Public Holidays, Saturday's and Sunday's are NOT classed as working days. 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. 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.

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; 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. The run felt amazing and I did 13 miles from my house to Chingford in rain with soaking wet feet. I only decided to stop as I had pulled a muscle in my groin. Bearing in mind that with my previous running shoes, anything over 10k became uncomfortable, I was blown away by these fantastic foot gloves. 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. Expecting to have my feet ripped to shreds as with all new running shoes I hadn’t worn in, I set off in Epping Forest.

The upper comes in a tightly woven and dirt repellent mesh that – coupled with the reinforced toe-cover – protects the foot. There is no heel counter. There is no plastic and the heel is fully collapsible. However, a foam material and a suede-like overlay does provide some decent structure to the heel. Compared to other runners and trainers on the market these shoes cannot be beaten for their grip. Perfect for off-road. They fit perfectly and they look good. I think his best advice was ‘find a pair of trainers that fit you, run as much as you can and don’t try to run fast - you will improve if you just keep running’ which I scoffed at when I was young, but have come to live by. 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.

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The X-Talon 212 is one of Inov-8’s best-selling trail shoes in the world due to the shoe’s aggressive grip on wet terrain. In this review, we’ll take a separate look at the X-Talon 212’s outsole, midsole, upper, and insole before wrapping up with a conclusion. These Inov-8 X Talon 212s are amazingly comfortable. When I wear these on the trails I don't experience any irritation or sore spots. Great shoes!

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. The light weight, aggressive outsole, and snug fit of this shoe make it well suited to short-distance cross country racing or in sloppy conditions and the uppers breathed well. I haven’t tried them in a water-crossing yet, so I don’t know how well they drain, but I think they’ll perform well there also. I got these shoes to run a Spartan race and I was able to buy my normal size. They fit perfectly. These are lightweight and comfortable and they look good. Love, love, love these shoes. The lower the number on our scale, the narrower the fit, which ensures minimal internal movement of the foot when running fast on technical terrain. Shoes with the higher numbers on our scale will suit athletes with a wider foot and those wanting that extra comfort in the toe box. This wider toe box allows the toes to splay for increased stability when lifting heavy weights. It’s also perfect for longer runs and races when toes begin to swell.The new Inov-8 X-Talon 212 is an excellent shoe for certain conditions. I’ve used it over a grassy, fairly hard cross-country course and found it comfortable and very, very light. I’m looking forward to trying it in other conditions as the weather changes and (hopefully) brings more rain.

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