Inov8 - Mudtalon Zero

They still/again have zero drop trail runners? Trailfly zero, mudtalon zero. Trailfly speed is 4mm drop. So I'm not sure if you're looking in the right place?

Topo mtn racer has better grip. Inov8 has better grip also; Trailfly for hard trails and Mudfly for wet/mud.

The new Inov8 shoes all have anatomical toe boxes ( at least as wide as Topo), and their Trailfly (4mm lug), Traltalon (6mm), and Mudtalon (8mm) are all getting zero-drop versions released in the next couple of months. They will have a 12mm stack height though.

The new Inov8 shoes all have anatomical toe boxes ( at least as wide as Topo), and their Trailfly (4mm lug), Traltalon (6mm), and Mudtalon (8mm) are all getting zero-drop versions released in the next couple of months. They will have a 12mm stack height though.

Inov-8's new lineup has wide options for every shoe. The one's I've used have been super durable shoes. I like the zero, but some of their thicker shoes with drop might align with your preferences better. Offensively ugly, but really good shoes. For sizing, always go by the bigger foot. Perfect would be to find a friend with opposite problem and split pairs, but that's pretty unlikely..

I don't know about Nordas myself, but about Inov-8. They quite recently brought back a zero-drop model, and they have wides available. I also get heel slippage with Altra 9+ wides, Trailfly zero has nice and snug heel. Trailfly Zero is basically same width in the toebox area, but shaped differently. Altras rub my big toe, Inov-8 squishes my little toe. For the same shoe size Altra is a bit longer and more voluminous, it could be half-a-size difference.

Inov8 mud talons or trail talons. I have the old mud talons, good ground feel and crazy grip, not the most comfortable longer distance. Otherwise VJ Maxx. In group tests the La Sportiva Mutants often come out in top of anything grip based. Haven't tried them myself but that rubber has an excellent reputation.

I much prefer the new Mudtalon to these - have had both. The X-talon a pure soft ground shoe I think though. Wouldn't like to be caught on wet slabby rock. You can get a range of fits in the newer shoe too - precision, standard and wide which helps.

Gravel is a tricky surface, I agree. It probably depends on the the percentage of a certain terrain in a run that I choose the shoes. Generally, for steep grass I like Mudtalons with 8mm lugs, for snow the Genesis and for barely runnable rocks Bushidos. But then again, there is always a trade-off, since a run is usually composed of different surfaces. As an allrounder in alpine environment, I often go for Dynafit, Prodigio or Ribelle Run. YMMY. (And yes: I might have too many shoes).

I bought a pair if the new mud talons (having had x talon and several pairs of old mudclaw 300s) Worn once and sold them on. Seemed cheap, grio wasn't great and the quality felt far lower. (Upper glued to a block of foam). Seems like they've decided going more main stream is more lucrative🤷‍♂️

I maintain that it was a crime to replace the Mudclaw and Xtalon with that shoe. They replaced their fell shoes with a trail shoe that's good in mud. They're just shit at contouring and too fragile to bash through heather etc.

The more cusdhioned Inov-8 mudtalons did me for 80km last week. The La Sportiva mutants are decent too. Actually too cushioned for pure fell racing, but not bad over longer distances.

I’d have to check but the ones I saw definitely had far more stack. As for the mudtalons, the issue has never been the drop but the total lack of precision and durability compared to the mudclaws and xtalons they were supposed to be replacing. It’s rearranging the deck chairs in the titanic.

The obvious one is that they’ve replaced their fell shoes with a trail shoe that’s good in mud. It’s super sloppy on foot, no precision, high stack and delicate so it falls apart when you bash through heather or bracken. The roclite 275 has been replaced by the trailtalon. Again, it’s much higher stack and a baggy fit. It’s just not the same shoe. I’m not the only one - I’d say at least twice a month the topic of inov8 being in the bin comes up on the club run. Far fewer seen in races these days and those that are seen are often old mudclaws or xtalons. I’d rather race in walshes than mudtalons. I’m similar on being a long time repeat customer of theirs.. I’ve probably worn 8-10 pairs each of 212s and mudclaws down to slick. I can’t see myself buying another shoe of theirs unless something drastically changes. If they are forged in the fells (as they like to emphasise), they currently reside in Regents Park.

They’ve shifted from a fell shoe to a trail shoe that’s good in mud. They are too high stack and baggy to have the precision you want in a fell racing shoe, plus they aren’t nearly as durable. They fall apart after really quite limited heather bashing.

It’s a trail show that’s good in mud. They start baggy out of the box and get baggier somehow. Contouring in them is horrific!

They made a strategic decision to make shit shoes and send them for production without testing them. When the mudtalons fell apart after one run, they blamed a bad batch. Well one year on and it seems clear that every batch for every new model is a bad batch. Ultimately, they have shifted from a fell running brand to a trail one that’s chasing trends while still trying to bank on their previous fell, grippy credentials that got them to where they were. They don’t even make a fell shoe any more. It’s resulted in a completely disjointed product line and marketing strategy where they are selling shoes aimed at the fell which are too baggy and high stack to be much use. Similarly they are running a get dirty marketing campaign while releasing white t shirts and shorts!! It all went downhill rapidly when the ASDA guys came in.

The mudtalon simply isn't a fell shoe sadly - the speeds are better than the non-speeds, but they're still just a trail shoe that's good in mud. The iRocks are a spectacular shoe. Marginally better than the X talon generally and much better on wet rock, but you'll pay for them and the lugs wear faster. They are also narrow, which I imagine like me is what you want, but lots of people find them too narrow. These days I have gone from wearing xtalons and mudclaws for everything to iRocks for short races and VJ XTRMs for longer stuff - up to an including Old County Tops. Will probably wear for the Bob too. When not racing its La Sportiva Mutants and Roclites to try and save on the outsole wear on the VJs.

Yes! I use these in Switzerland in winter and they provide grip even if you're in mud up to your ankle. The only downside is that they absolutely suck if you need to run a short stretch of paved road. 

okay, one brand no one has mentioned - Inov8. The mudclaw and mudtalon are great, althought rubber on the X-Talon Ultra wasnt great for wet obstacles or rocks in my experience. but if you want the best grip on the planet, buy some VJ Ultra / iRock / MAXx shoes. they are epic.

Same here, brilliant grip even better than the Mudclaws but uppers became unstuck after a couple of runs

Mudclaws were great had them for years but have now been replaced by the Mudtalon which have a decent grip. However, for me they are very unstable on the ankles and I am regularly going over on them. Heard lots of people recommending the VJ sport irocks and xtrms planning to change to them in the future

Been using Mudtalons for a while now they have great grip in the mud but as mentioned. The stability around the ankles is terrible keep rolling the ankle initially I thought it was just me as I had suffered nerve damage around the ankle and foot on one side but it has happened with both ankles so sort of good to know others are having problems. Finlay Wild uses the VJ Sports irock so might give a them a try next

Inov8 mudtalons. Been using these over the winter in the muddy North Wales hills and they've been amazing.

I like my tomirs, but the lugs aren't spaced out and deep enough for mud at this time of year out on the hills. You'll be sliding all over the place. If your primary use case is mud and soft ground, I'd recommend inov8 mudtalons. Designed literally for what you're looking for.

I had similar first impressions, but you do get used to them. I'd say give them a few more runs. I've put about 200 miles on mine this winter and no rolled ankles. My only gripe is having a bit more cushion to handle more compact ground or sections where I'll be on the road.

I'm not a fan of the new Mudtalons. They're not a suitable replacement for the X-talons or mudclaws. Switching to some VJ irocks.

Hi. I cut a couple of mm off the lugs on the heel area to lower the drop, as I'm used to zero drop. Cutting the lugs made the shoes much more stable. They don't roll at all for me now.

I think this thread shows no consensus or answer. I posted the same question a few days ago too. Inov8 Mudtalons are NOT the answer - they bleed your legs dry on any hard surface and you get no return on them. Grip is excellent though, but I’ve learned to only run in them on 95%+ muddy/rocky terrain for <10km. I don’t have an answer yet, but searching for one too.

Hiya, (this is my 1st Reddit comment ever, and I'm talking running shoes, what's wrong with me!). Been a very good client of Inov8's for years (Mudtalons, Traiflys 270 1 and 2, Roclites 290, 275 1 and 2, 280 Ultra...), I'm also concerned. My favourite overall for my terrain (Irish hills and mountains) is the Roclite 275, I've bought the Trailtalons (standard), and find them terrible, heavy, tall, unstable. I was thinking giving a chance to the Trailtalon Speed, but have you tried it? How do they compare to the Roclites? Thanks!

I'm in two minds. Most people commenting have not even tried out any of their new shoes and just go by "I heard that they're now shit" My experience: Used to be a big fan of the Roclite 275, a little long and could've done with more toe box, but otherwise superb. Same for the Mudclaw, Xtalon 200 and Xtalon 260. The new TrailTalon feels a little clumsy, and a bit of heel rub. The Mudtalon was too high stack, not comfy and I had to stop using them.gril was great but rubbish otherwise.

Appreciate the feedback, allready read it yesterday morning 😁. From the newer Inov-8 line up I only have the Mudtalon and I can relate to the heel lockdown you mentioned. The ankle collar is shallow, the heel cup height looks adequate but it feels like it's barely touching my heel, so secure lockdown in the heel is an issue. The shoe is totaly runable, it's just something to keep in mind if you are heading for some technical terrain. Otherwise I was surprised by the fit of the shoe, which felt a bit shallow in volume and a bit rigid in the forefoot, but with some breaking in it's realy comfortable, with good lockdown in the midfoot and no slipping in the forefoot. Regarding the Trailfly Max, it looks like a potential replacement for the Zegama 2 I'm curently using for more runnable terrain. My only problem with the Zegamas is the toebox is really shallow, I'm always feeliing a bit of numbness if the socks are not super thin. For me the Zegamas didn't feel too soft and mushy like some described it, the balance between cushion and ground feel is something I appreciate, which seems to be the case in the Trailfly Max as you described.

I have been told by my podiatrist that my feet are hypermobile and I run and hike (lots) in zero drop trail runners only (inov-8 and Altra). Never had boots for any of my adult-life serious long distance hiking. I agree that your PT should give you specific strengthening exercises for your particular issues but I see no advantage wearing boots … just heavy and hot and very slow drying. Every blue moon I roll an ankle but that’s because of tough terrain, not boots, and I’ve never injured my ankles in the process.

I started noticing this a couple years ago and planned accordingly. For me I have huge feet and it's hard to find good shoes. For those in my situation and like a low drop and low rise, look into Inov-8. I've only bought these shoes since early '23 and I hope they never change.

I’ve been wearing Inov-8s for 15+ years for trail and fell running and even moved to them for XC races when achilles injuries meant I could no longer wear spikes. Always done the job for me, reasonable value and regularly available with chunky discounts online.

Inov-8 has a bunch of models in a wide size now. Even the older models I use have a lot of room for my toes. Durability is fine I think, compared to what I read about Altras.

I'd say yes (not having used the latest models personally though). I find mine very comfortable.

I just ran a 50 miler in Altras and my feet were amazing throughout. But I have trained in them and Inov-8s for over a decade

Don’t know of any places that offer that kind of support but you could try inov8. They’re outsoles are supposed to be tough. The ones I’ve used fell apart before the sole showed any wear. They’re sizing isn’t very consistent though so worth trying in a shop if you can find them.

Only Inov-8 and VJ are going to be mega-grippy in the Adirondacks, followed by footwear with Vibram, then everything else. That said, I'll still throw on a pair of Sauconys for the Great Range and just keep the footwork quick and light. At least the ADK granite isn't as slippery as Vermont schist!

VJ or Inov8 both are wider and VJ has the best rubber on the market

You should give the Inov8 shoes a try. I remember the older Merrell Moab shoes to last pretty long for most people, though no idea on the quality of their current shoes. How much do you weigh?

Have you found an alternative with similar feel but better grip and more robust outsole? I like my 13s for grassy Scottish trails, but they do not feel secure on wet rocks and the outsole wears out too quickly. Inov8s are too narrow for me..

Love the inov8 fit and grip - hate the lack of energy return. Feel like I've got bricks on my feet after 50 miles! Looking for an alternative, gonna be trying the Topo MTN racer for my next winter shoe

I ran Lofoten for a few months in autumn/winter and i'm from the UK and Inov8 are probably the best call here for ground conditions, both very similar.

If you want grip on rock I cannot recommend the Decathlon TR2 and MT3 enough. Uppers will last you 1400km-2000km, i've had 6 pairs so i know. Inov8 do some great trainers but i've had 2 pairs both fall apart in less than 400km on the same trails i run with the Decathlons and i've worked with some athletes on FKT and races and their trainers fell apart quicker than we would have liked too.

Yeah I’ve used both Altra and Inov8 on long distance hikes and Inov8s are far more durable. Altras will give you 500 miles *maybe*. My current pair of Inov8s have 700 miles on them and they’re still going. They also have the best sole material I’ve found for slippery mud and rocks.

Never needed support shoes when running trails. Road I use Gel-Kayanos or GT1000s. Off road I run in Inov8, model depends on terrain. I've had some Salomons but they went AWOL.

Too narrow for me. Gave me bunions

Always always always Inov-8 shoes. Still love my Nathan running vest for hydration for longer trail runs.

I just ordered Inov8, they have anatomic shaped toebox options and wide options, and also zero drop models. I love zero drop and I've been wearing it exclusively for year and a half, but for racing trail I think I might benefit from some drop. I think my calves might also love 6mm drop, but we'll see. Anyway, there are some great YT reviews for new Trailfly and Trailtalon, check it out. Also, I had a pair of Inov8 years ago and they were indestructible, which I cannot say for Altras. LP7 is better made than other pairs I own, though... Torin and Outroad uppers are so poorly made.. I still loveand wear them, but such a shame.

I used to do a race where there were waist deep river crossings. I used a pair of inov8 trainers which drained well, they also had insoles with holes in them that helped. Probably more importantly I used to cover feet in vaseline which helped protect the skin from becoming prematurely "soak softened"

Been in inov8s for decades. Great trail shoe. Full on off roaders are the mudclaw or xtalon. Then there's the intermediate ones. Give them a go.

Inov8 Absolutely love their shoes. One of my pairs is 5 years old and is in desperate need of repair but somehow still get me round semi mudi trails.

Find a reputable gear store with lots of choice, get your shoes fitted and walk around the store, wear the socks you intend to hike in and make sure your feet are warm before you start. If you can borrow a pack off the shelf with some weight in it (if you don’t have your own) walk around the store and up/down steps if you can. Buy the ones that fit best at the price you can afford. If you have weak ankles boots might be better but training walks in shoes can make your ankles stronger. Better grip is more important that being waterproof. I bought a pair of Inov8 shoes off the back of many recomendations, they were the worst shoes ever (for me). I stick with what works for me - Merrell Moab.

Inov-8 are a blast. I have now a pair of Terraultra. Best shoe ever with my VJ Maxx. Incredible sole, and perfect for thin foot.

You need to try them on. I tried Merrell, La Sportiva and inov8 when I bought some trail shoes recently. I thought I'd like the inov8 but the La Sportiva fitted better because they are available in half sizes. I have 2 pairs of scarpa boots and would endorse those too. go outdoors is good if you're near one.

I’ve had this with all my trail shoes. Altras, inov8 and Salomon. They’ve all split around the sides all within a year of owning.

I’ve been really impressed with the peregrines. Used them a fair bit over the lake and some steep rocky downhills and they’ve been fab. Far better than my previous pair of inov8s which I think had involvement from Torville and/or Dean in the design

Inov8 have become my favourites

Altras or topos....stable, but not sure they are "affordable". Agreed with others, no such thing as ankle support, but stability for sure. I had a pair of Saucony that felt great, but were ankle sprainers beyond a doubt. Running in Topos and Inov-8s now.

I had a pair of Inov8s which were the best, again from around this time period. And then they changed everything but kept the names the same, my next pair tore my feet up - you can't win!

LP 6,7,8 have been fantastic for me. Dipped my toes in Topo’s but they did not work for me. Inov8 also worked well for me - not as wide as Altra but I found the volume to be quite roomy.

Man, I've beat the hell out of my peregrines and never seen this Inov-8 fits me well as a not wide shoe, but depending on where you are, may not be able to try them on in any stores

I swear by inov8 trainers since I bought some last year for hiking the highlands. Very lightweight, decently wide fitting and super comfortable, waterproof too (obviously to a certain extent).