Description
Light for the long haul.
- Highly breathable upper is lightweight, dries quickly, and helps circulate air to keep your toes feeling cool and blister-free
- Comfort last design provides a more generous fit for long training sessions and long-distance trail running
- MetaFlex groove tech features anatomically aligned metatarsal flex for a natural-feeling toe-off
- Five-finger MetaShank provides support and retains stiffness without hampering flex
- MetaCradle upper webbing is designed to cradle your forefoot for a secure fit
- FasciaBand reinforces the plantar fascia ligament to increase efficiency and reduce fatigue
- Sticky rubber outsole optimizes grip in wet conditions and over steep, slick terrain
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Share your thoughts
What do you think of the
Inov 8 Roclite 295 Trail Running Shoe - Men's
? Share a...
Solidly Lite
TwoWheeledBeard
Member since
- Gender: Male
- Familiarity: I've put it through the wringer
Great, versatile, and lite. Once broken in (which took one hike) they were a dream for my feet. Short runs to long hikes, they work. Hands down, the best trail runner I've tried.
Tremendous
Theresa Stern
Member since
- Gender: Male
- Familiarity: I've put it through the wringer
Great shoe. Very light for the protection and has fantastic tread.
Great shoe
rep4766885
Member since
On my fourth or fifth pair of the 295s, hands down the best I've worn. I do almost all my trail running on rough technical east coast trails (mountains to sea mainly) and these shoes have an amazing ability to grip all kinds of terrain, wet or dry. They are substantially lighter than other shoes offering similar protection. Definitely a wider toe box that fits my feet well - I can't wear narrow shoes like La Sportiva at all. Crossing my fingers that Inov 8 keeps making this beauty for the next 50 years or so. Only drawback I can note is the breathable upper allows water in easily and the shoe can hold a good bit of water, adding some weight if you are slogging through multiple water crossings. Also dries fast though.
hang glider launchpad
Bjo3873629
Member since
These shoes have been good to me all over oahu.
Recommended for rocky/downhill/minimalist racing
MissRunnsalot
Member since
Ran the Elkhorn 50 in 'em, so glad I chose em. Good rock protection however they are super light! Did get em sucked off in a bog, but that happened to many i'm sure. they were light and fast, no tearing of the uppers, very satisfied!! Went up a 1/2 size on my new order to keep toe blisters down (I like em really big) it worked like a champ. Pairs well with the superfeet orthodic. My last pair lasted me 1500 miles or so, the upper wore out faster than the lower part, heel fit is good and tight at the top to keep it from popping off on big climbs, very agile, good feel on rocks and downed tree crossings. My favorite trail racing shoe to date.
Recommended for rocky/downhill/minimalist racing
MissRunnsalot
Member since
Ran the Elkhorn 50 in 'em, so glad I chose em. Good rock protection however they are super light! Did get em sucked off in a bog, but that happened to many i'm sure. they were light and fast, no tearing of the uppers, very satisfied!! Went up a 1/2 size on my new order to keep toe blisters down (I like em really big) it worked like a champ. Pairs well with the superfeet orthodic. My last pair lasted me 1500 miles or so, the upper wore out faster than the lower part, heel fit is good and tight at the top to keep it from popping off on big climbs, very agile, good feel on rocks and downed tree crossings. My favorite trail racing shoe to date.
Should do the job...
Stony Lane
Member since
I bought this shoe for USPSA competition (action shooting). I need good traction on all surfaces while running with a pistol. I have somewhat wide feet and read that this model has a little more forefoot room. It fits well.
I'm still breaking them in and haven't used then in competition yet. I would probably prefer a little more support, but they will work.
Almost as good as it gets.
Dan Scotina
Member since
Inov8 has updated their popular Roclite 295 model for 2011. Gone are the dull gray and blue uppers and endurance rubber soles. This year's shoe has a sharper black and lime green upper with the Inov-8 logo boldly displayed. Not that fashion matters among trail runners. It's function that counts and the 295 performs very well under a variety of terrain and surface conditions with it's new sticky rubber soles.
Let's start from the ground up.
The minimal heel-to-toe drop and low arch structure of the shoe keeps you low to the ground and less likley to roll an ankle. Although the sole is now made with sticky rubber it keeps the traditional Roclite lugs that work well on hard-pack, mud and other surfaces. The sole grips well on muddy trails and over wet rock and roots but it will wear faster than the harder endurance rubber of other Roclite models. The softer sticky rubber is also more flexible than the endurance sole and gives the runner a better feel for the trail. This soft, flexible sole does come with a price besides less durability. It does not provide enough protection on technical trails from sharp rocks and gnarly roots. You will feel them through the sole which can become a problem after hours on the trail.
The mesh upper has a tighter weave than previous models but it still drains well and should be more resistant to wear and tear than a looser mesh. There isn't much structure to the upper which contributes to the shoe's light weight. But less structure means less support. To help control lateral movement, Inov8 has developed the Met Cradle. It's an upper webbing system positioned to cradle the forefoot and provide a secure foot hold. It works to some degree but there is certainly more foot movement in the 295 when compared to the heavier, more structured upper of the Roclite 319. The toe box is generous in height and width and gives your piggies plenty of room.
In my opinion, the Roclite 295 is another winning shoe from Inov8.
Great all-arounder
David from Maine
Member since
I have been running trails for around 30 years, racing for the last 20 years. I have been through all manner of 'trail running' shoes from road running shoes to the original Addidas Trail Response and Nike Terra Humara to the original Montrail Hardrocks, many pairs of La Sportiva's, etc...
I have raced several mountain races in Inov-8 Talon 212's which works well for racing ascents and descents of shorter length but are too flimsy for many-hour runs over rugged, technical terrain.
The Roclites are, hands-down, the best all-around trail/mountain running shoes I have owned.
While they are not minimalist, they are very light by anyone's standards and what little tradeoff there is in terms of weight is well worth the added protection from sharp/jagged rocks, roots, unexpected stumps, etc... They are certainly sufficiently light to hammer along at a blistering pace on technical or cruise-type singletrack, up steep slopes of any surface type, etc...
The grip is phenomenal. I just spent a week running in Acadia National Park - 2-3 hours per day on some very technical, very mountainous terrain, on some wet/mossy slabs, over wet roots, etc... There were places where I was almost sure that the grip would finally fail - but it didn't.
The fit runs true-to-size for folks who like to run in thicker-than average socks such as Smartwool.
The only criticism I would offer is that the profile of the tread (almost cleat-like) is just a tad too high so that toward the end of a long run over very technical terrain (when one's tiring quads might not be lifting as efficiently), it becomes easy to catch the sticky bottom on lips of rocks, jutting roots, etc... Not a deal-breaker but just something to remember.
These are a great training and/or racing shoe for trails of all sorts from short to long distances. It may not be the absolute best at any one sub-category of trail/mountain running but in my experience it has to be up there in the top-3 across all categories.
Have fun.
Not minimal
Caleb Efta
Member since
I was really hoping to love these shoes, but in the end they are merely adequate.
They are not minimal. I consider minimal shoes to have <9mm drop and under 9 ounces. These shoes are 10.5 ounces, but have a 9mm drop.
I was hoping that since they were invo8's, they would still be nimble and responsive. They aren't. They are clunky, solid, and burly. I imagine they would work well for 100 milers, but for anything less I would pick something else.
They are built well, and have a roomier toebox than other inov8 models. I imagine they will hold up well.
I did like how well these protected my feet on the super techy trails. The rubber toe cap and the rock plate really do their jobs.
Pros: great grip, good materials, comfy fit, toe guard
Cons: heavy, bulky, unresponsive
and another awesome inov8
jor5536099
Member since
think these may be the favorites for all around. Sticky as can be and the shoe cradles the foot like nothing else I've tried. 9mm drop is right for me for a do all shoe. Have the 12MM drop GTX ones and a 6mm drop X-Talon I love but for rocky trails and hiking this one has the best of both cushion and support/protection. Only wish they made it in lighter colors for the summer when its hot but don't think it will be too much an issue
Really Grip
tmroper3451160
Member since
Ive taken these out a few times now, in both dry and muddy conditions. I felt the reduced support (compared to my Solomons) afterward in my feet and ankles, but know thats to be expected, and worth the period of adjustment. These things are so much lighter, yet grip so much more. I noticed it most going downhill, suddenly not having to worry much at all about slipping and sliding.
A downside, though, of the grippy sole pattern is it does get caked with mud, adding to the weight, lessening the traction, and making for some cleanup time.
Overall, coming from the rather clunkier Solomons, these are exactly what I was looking for.
the shoe
Cory T Johnson
Member since
The past five years I have run in the Inov-8 Rocklite315 they were the shoe, I believe my new shoe model of choice may be the 295? Still testing. Training in the snow and ice are nothing for this shoe. However, we will give it the full break in test in the up coming months that lie ahead.
Very comfortable
Rob Youngren
Member since
Before I discovered the Inov8 X-Talon 212 this was my favorite line of trail shoes (RocLite). The "comfort last" means there is more room in this shoe than the other Inov8 models. This can be good and bad thing depending on the shape/size of your foot. With my relatively small feet I had to tie the laces very tight to keep my foot from moving around (especially when the shoes got soaking wet); I mean the eyelets on the shoe were literally coming all together! However, I'd still recommend this shoe, very comfortable and the sticky rubber outsole, extreme flexibility and deep lugs mean for very awesome traction in just about all conditions and terrains.
Rob Youngren
Wasatch Speed Goat Mountain Racing Team
Inov8 ROCLITE 295
jer4747559
Member since
Has to be one of the best running shoes I've owned. Super light with great traction on sand dunes, trails, and pavement.
