Inov 8 320 Shoe Review
Friday, July 11th, 2008Well I’ve given my 320s some stick now so I thought I’d let you have my thoughts.
Firstly they are a very good looking and comfy shoe with no pinch points or loose areas that can rub and cause blisters. Like other Inov 8s they also have a very roomy toebox (area around the toes) which I really like as it prevents the loss of toenails when doing long descents.
The lacing system is simple but effective and the laces themselves are good at staying tied.
The cushioning is good - perhaps a little too good for a trail shoe - but Inov 8 would argue that the 315 is there if you want less cushion.
The tread pattern is fantastic for off-road use - just nice simple blocks that stay clear in all but the worst of clag.
On the downside, they do tend to feel a bit heavy when wet and don’t appear to dry as quickly as a 315. More of a worry is their performance on wet rock where you have to be REALLY careful on certain rock types (particularly that found on Scafell!!!). The boffins at Inov 8 need to get their thinking caps on here and develop a compound that wears well but prevents the wearer looking like a pig on stilts whenever the floor’s wet.
Overall, I think they’re a great shoe capable of handling anything from long road runs to ultra distance trail runs to fell races that are predominantly track based (pure fell needs a lower profile stud such as a Walsh).
My last piece of advise would be to make sure you don’t buy a size that’s too small - I would always advocate going up a half size rather than down if ever you’re unsure.
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