inov-8 are at it again! They have designed another epic trail shoe, the inov-8 X-TALON ULTRA 260 V2 designed for long distances over really soft and muddy ground, hence the bit extra underfoot cush and wider toe box for the distance element of it. Do these shoes have what it takes to take on the muddy UK trails?
Well, we were lucky enough to manage to grab a pair and put them through their paces over the muddy Christmas period. Race Director of the Grim Reaper Ultra Steve Cole tests and reviews the latest X-Talon.
Confidence is everything when trail running, particularly over long distances on soft terrain. If your trail shoes aren’t up to the job you have several potential problems: speed is sacrificed, the risk of injury increases and consequently your enjoyment is reduced!
inov-8’s X-Talon 260 V2 is marketed as ‘the perfect shoe for running long distances over soft and muddy terrain’. That’s quite a claim and one I was keen to find out whether it was true.
First impressions
My first outing was a 10-mile trail run that was predominantly soft grass tracks with a couple of muddy stretches…a short route to bed them in before tackling a longer run over some seriously muddy paths. The problem with the initial route was that it started with a 1-mile road stretch to reach the trail.
On first impressions, the 8mm lugs made from ‘Stickygrip rubber’ look aggressive but feel reassuringly springy. I expected the shoe to feel awful on the road and whilst this isn’t what they are designed for, I was amazed at how comfortable the shoe was. inov-8 put this comfort down to its ‘Powerflow Max Cushioning’. What that is exactly, I don’t know apart from it being damn good. Once I reached the shoe’s intended terrain the comfort was taken to a whole, new level. I was impressed.
Now for the real test
My first run was slow and on fairly flat terrain whilst I got a feel for the shoe. It was my next run that would provide the real test: 17-miles on ‘undulating’ terrain that would include deep mud, soft grass tracks and fields with that horrendous, sticky mud that adds two inches to your height!
The shoe weighs just 260gr/9.17oz which is incredible for a trail shoe with such an aggressive sole: it’s lighter than many leading road shoes! The upper material is ballistic nylon that feels incredibly durable yet retains a high degree of flex. Combine this flex with its lightweight and you have the perfect combination for long distances and/or when speed is key.
The shoe also has a yellow rubber strip around the toe box to offer protection from stubbing toes on rocks or tree stumps, something we’re all prone to doing. This is firmer than the rest of the upper material yet also retains a decent amount of flex.
The shoe was incredible on this longer run: comfortable, brilliant on the super-soft terrain and the fit was perfect and true-to-size. They really did hug my feet and have hardly any movement. But, whilst they were impressive on this run it wasn’t until my fifth outing, on the same route, did I really fall in love with the X-Talon.
I was running down a hill with my wife, chatting away only to suddenly notice that she wasn’t talking back. I turned around to see her tip-toeing down the hill whilst I was running, at speed on a section that I’d usually walk. The ‘studs’ were digging into the soft ground enough to provide stability whilst not allowing the mud to clog and render the outsole useless. Without noticing I had become confident running on terrain that I had previously been cautious walking on.
Conclusion
I hate reading reviews that don’t say anything negative but I genuinely can’t find anything bad to say. The inov-8 X-Talon Ultra 260 V2 is a superb shoe: comfortable, light, durable and with an aggressive sole that makes running through mud and on the soft ground a breeze. I would be equally happy wearing them for a fast 10-miler or an ultra on terrain that’s soft and/or muddy.
They have an RRP of £125 which I feel is really good value for money for such a quality, durable shoe. And they look incredible, perfect for ‘trainer tarts’ like me! They are well worth a look.
Tech spec inov-8’s X-Talon 260 V2
Drop: 8mm
Footbed: 6mm
Lug depth: 8mm
Midsole: Powerflow Max
Midsole stack:16mm/8mm
Shank: DFB
Sole compound: Stickygrip
Weight: 260gr/9.17oz
To purchase a pair you can head over to inov-8 online shop here
To see our review of inov-8’s ROCFLY G 390 click here
To see our review of inov-8’s TrailFly Ultra G300 click here
To see our review of inov-8’s Terraultra G 270 click here