While Inov-8 is still relatively unknown here in the States, they are making great strides on this side of the pond with unique trail running shoes and other footwear. The Inov-8 Roclite 312 GTX caught my eye at the Gore-Tex booth while at Outdoor Retailer and now I’ve had the privilege of giving them the run-down on my local trails. the Roclite 312 GTX the beat-down and am enjoying them overall.

About the Inov-8 Roclite 312 GTX Trail Runners

Lightweight, long-distance runners for rough conditions built with Gore-Tex for inclement weather, the Roclite 312′s are efficient and stylish players in the trail running market. Inov-8 builds their shoes with a bevy of proprietary fit and functional features that enhance the overall performance.

Feature highlights:

• Gore-Tex liner
• META Flex to mimic natural forefoot motion
• META Shank for forefoot protection
• Fascia Band to reduce fatigue
• Extra cushion for long distances
• Endurance last for comfortable fit
• Unisex fit
• MSRP: $135

Inov-8 Roclite 312 GTX Review

When the 312′s first arrived, my wife commented, “Did you get some football cleats?” I just laughed, but I must admit, she was right–the black color-scheme with meaty treads did make them look somewhat football cleat-ish. Thankfully, a walk around the tile wasn’t met with disdain since these lugged kicks have soft, sticky rubber instead of turf-digging spikes.

What first caught my eye about these shoes was the styling. They don’t look much like other trail runners on the market. The full mesh uppers, a lightweight exo-skeleton for support, chunky treads and piping around the toebox really set these shoes apart. They were smart looking on the shelf and are smart looking on the trail (good thing too… I hear mountain lions stay away from sharp-dressers on the trail).

One of the first things that I noticed about wearing the Roclite 312′s was the natural stride and flex. I really like how the entire system works in concert to provide a smooth and consistent feel throughout the step. While some shoes suffer from a hinged feeling, these feel nothing of the sort.

The large, widely-spaced treads are great for maintaining traction on rough and wet trails. You can actually feel the treads as they bite into the dirt. The only caveat to this is in loose conditions where the toe-off push wasn’t always as solid as I’d like. This may likely be due to the squared-off nose.

As far as support goes, these shoes are pretty minimal. I was able to slip in a pair of Sole footbeds to support my pancake-flat feet, but the lateral support is pretty light. That, combined with the narrow heel profile, did exhibit some foot rolling tendencies, which aren’t typically common in trail shoes. That said, if you are confident and sure-footed, you may not have issues, but the technical terrain I’ve been tackling did present some occasional challenges.

As far as Gore-Tex shoes go, these are by far the most breathable I’ve worn. The full mesh uppers really lend themselves to allowing your feet to breathe. While I still wouldn’t recommend them in dry, warm climates, I was comfortable in temperatures around 60 and above. I intentionally stood in a running stream for 30 seconds and not a drop of water entered the shoe.

Good Roclite

• Very lightweight
• Solid overall traction
• Smooth and comfortable stride
• Great for minimalists who don’t need all the clunky support of other shoes
• Ample cushioning
• Excellent foot protection and trail feel
• Waterproof, yet still very breathable for a GTX shoe (still comfortable above 60-degrees)
• Love the casual-esque styling accents

Bad Roclite

• Stability (compared to traditional trail running shoes) is lacking–especially with narrow heel
• Toe-off traction could be better
• Very high volume (bad for me… OK for high-volume feet)
• Toebox captured dirt between mesh layers
• Grippy rubber outsole feels really slow on pavement
• Snow traction is acceptable, but not as good as treads would suggest

Bottom Line: Inov-8 Roclite 312 GTX

Unique styling and good function really makes the Roclite 312 an appealing choice for the sure-footed trail runner looking for a lightweight, bad-weather trainer.

Buy Now: Visit Zappos.com to Buy the Inov-8 Roclite 312 GTX

Smith Optics: Pivlock V90 and V90 Max Sunglasses

An all-new minimalist shield design from Smith offers a super-lightweight design with solid wraparound protection. The V90 and V90 Max differ only in the size of the lens, otherwise all other features and interchangeable lens designs are the same. Trying them on, they are extremely lightweight and comfortable–I can’t wait to try them on the trail as I imagine I’ll forget I’ve got them on. The lens design not only eliminated frame interference in your line-of-sight, but it also reduces material usage. Throughout the entire Smith line, you can expect solid optics, polarization options and Eco-friendly materials with the Evolve lineup.

The V90 and V90 Max will be available soon with an MSRP of $119 for a single lens and $139 for 3 lenses.

New Balance: 876 and 100 Trail Running Shoes

As one of the staples of the trail running market, New Balance will offer two updated styles: The 876 (replacing the current 875) comes out in Jan/Feb 2010 and the race flat 100 comes out in Oct 2009.

The New Balance 876 features an all-new design from top-to-bottom featuring a debris-free tongue design, Absorb cushioning, N-lock heel and an entirely new, lower-profile tread pattern. As you can see in the 2nd picture, the tread pattern has been drastically changed for the better (top is new 876 and bottom is current 875). Tipping the scales around 20 oz./pair, the new 876 looks to be a solid everyday trainer for warm weather. MSRP will be $99.95.

The New Balance 100 is a race flat with a few really cool innovations. While it’s not as low-profile as some race flats, it appears to provide just enough cushioning and support for longer races (hence the 100 name for 100-mile endurance races). It does feature a Rockstop Plate and is built to wear with or without socks–all in a svelte 7.7 oz (each) package. MSRP will be $74.95.

Lowe Alpine: Zepton and Nanon Backpacks

Minimalist, yet bomber… that’s the mantra of the new Lowe Alpine Zepton and Nanon top-loading mininalist backpacks. Sporting the ultralight, yet bomber Dyneema Fabric, these packs weigh next-to-nothing. As with most packs in the line, they also feature Adaptive Fit waistbelts but the back panel is a unique honeycomb material for breathibility. The Nanon comes in a 50-60L size and weighs about 1 lb. with more pockets and a quick-access side zipper. ! The smaller Zepton comes in a womens-specific 50L and unisex 50L size. MSRP for the Nanon will be $220 and Zepton will be $180 with Spring 2010 availability.

Asolo: Predator  and Dominator Trail Running shoes

The entire trail running lineup from Asolo underwent a complete re-design for the Spring 2010 release. Expect a much more competitive product with both the Asolo Predator and Asolo Dominator trail runners giving the more established trail running brands a run for their money. The new Propulsion Plus design is very similar to the Salomon XT Wings (an excellent trail shoe) in that it’s built with a single-piece EVA midsole that’s then supported in the heel by a TPU cage and finished off with an EVA heel cushion before the rubbery goodness is applied. The new design looks much better than the previous designs. MSRP looks to be $120 for both shoes.

Arc’teryx: Aerios Hydration Packs

While Arc’teryx has made an excellent name in outerwear and backpacks, hydration packs are a new offering. Coming Spring 2010, the Aerios hydration pack lineup will launch consisting of 7, 10 and 14 Liter designs. The 7 L and 10 L designs look to be the most promising for highly-aerobic adventures like mountain biking or long-distance trail running. As with all Arc’teryx products, the key is the laminating process with sleek lines and smooth transitions between seams and fabrics. The semi-rigid back panel is a unique, porous design for breathability and stability under use.

The waistbelts are removable or re-positionable for a variety of activities and the interior sports a variety of stash pockets for pumps, tools, keys, phones, etc. It doesn’t come with a bladder–that way you can select your favorite one. Expect the Aerios hydration packs to arrive in Spring 2010 with $89-$119 price-points.

Inov-8: Roclite 312 GTX and 305 Trail Runners

These shoes caught my eye while at the Gore booth. There was the women’s version of the Innovate Roclite 312, front-and-center. The shoe stood out from the crowd with its minamilist design that actually looked performant, not just minimalistic. The 312 and 305 are essentially the same shoe… differing only in that the 312 features a full Gore-Tex liner for waterproof/breathable performance. The sole technology built into these shoes is really interesting as they try to mimic and augment the natural movement of the foot. With the patent-pending Fascia Board and other supportive features, running efficiency is maximized. Product weights are both in the 11 oz. range each. I’m looking forward to testing these shoes come Fall trail running season. Both the Roclite 312 and 305 are available now at $135 and $100 pricepoints, respectively.

Overall a very productive first day at Outdoor Retailer. Look for more updates on Thursday.

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