Inov8 - Trailtalon Max Ultra Running Shoes

I was looking for a new shoe for my first Ultra, the Topo where just to narrow for my feet. I my regular size and a whole size extra. I am used to inov8s, so there's that. Vista's have a spacious toebox, but are just too snug around the base of the fifth metatarsal, thus really constricting the midfoot, with a narrow sole underneath. Loved the build quality though, went for a pair of Inov8 Trailtalon Max instead.

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 The roclite 275 has been replaced by the trailtalon.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.

The problem is that the precision fit isn't precise - a massive step back given their intended use. All they had to do is to take the new rubber they have and slap it on the old xtalons and mudclaws, rather than fuck around with a formula that had worked excellently for almost 2 decades.

If you don't have a very wide heel/midfoot you could also try the Inov8 Trailfly or Trailton wide models. Foot shaped, wide at the front and with a durable graphene sole. Both available in zero drop versions. I went from the Lone Peaks to these models and couldn't be happier, they better hold the midfoot in place on oneven trails if you don't have a beefy midfoot.

Will second Inov-8. They changed their toe box to be more rounded and offer wider fits. You can also get most models in a ‘speed’ version which is lighter and sits lower. Not everyone is a fan but the new shape suits me better. I have the model with the large but not huge lugs (the trail talon?) and can’t complain at all.

Really enjoying the new INOV8 Trailtalons at the moment. Haven’t done a ton of distance yet but feel pretty good on and off road

I've previously had Roclite 290s, and wanted another pair but they have been discontinued, I emailed them and they said the closest thing they did now was the TrailTalon - this has a much thicker sole and more drop, (and are twice the price I paid for my Roclites) but I bought them and I'm pretty happy with them, my only real complaint is the heel part of the shoe isn't tall enough, so it feels like I may lose a shoe in a bog (but haven't yet!) I've done just over 100 miles in them, so can't comment on durability yet...

I use the VJ xtrm 2 for hill running in Scotland, handles mud and rock really well, and it's been more durable than my trail talons

Inov8 trailtalons are fantastic

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

This is a good suggestion, although I think the latest Speedgoats are now a clear step below the Mafate Speed 4, which are better in every way. They also both come in a wide option. For a more technical shoe with better lugs, look at Inov8 - the TrailFly is good for longer, faster paths, and the TrailTalon for deeper, muddier or more difficult terrain. They come in Max, Speed and Zero Drop options, and they have an anatomical toe box shape like Topo.

Not tried mud talons but loving my new trail talons, the 6mm lugs really helping in the shitty clay mud of the Surrey and South Downs hills. Particularly loving the anatomical toe box as I have wide feet. My only slight reservation vs my usual Brooks is I find the heel cup slightly low that makes the lock in feel less secure than it could be but careful lacing seems to make it ok - I guess acid test is that I haven’t yet lost a shoe in the mud as has happened in the past with other shoes.

Hi. They do make the same shoe (+2mm drop) with more cushion. The standard mudtalon. Also, Trailtalon if you are running on wet rock and mud.

My other two finalists were Norda 001 and Inov8 Trailtalon. I ordered all three shoes, and ran a few circles around my house. My initial favorite was the Topos. The Nordas I wasn't sold on the upper, and was nervous about the ankle rub reviews. The Trailtalons, to me, didn't feel like as wide of a toebox as advertised, and the outer sole felt very narrow. Then I had a professional gait analysis and I brought all three shoes for her to watch me run in. I put on the Topos first, she watched me run, and she said "that's the shoe for you - we don't even need to try the other two." I had a list of requirements, and studying up on about 17 brands and \~50 models of trail shoes, I couldn't find one pair that checked all my boxes. I filled four pages in my journal on my studies, and scrubbed [runrepeat.com](http://runrepeat.com) until I decided that what I wanted didn't exist. So I settled on giving up the rock plate. FWIW, I did also buy a pair of Topo Traverse - which adds a rock plate and has a lower stack than the MTN Racer - but I haven't ran in them yet. Plan to use them on a mountain hiking trip in a couple weeks. Also, Topo changed up the shape of the heel cup from the MTN Racer 3 to 4. I haven't tried the 4s yet, but with a new pair of 3s on the shelf, I'm good for the 2025 fall season.

It really depends on the terrain and your personal preference. My favorite for longer hikes (15+ miles) is the inov-8 Trailtalon. It has a rock plate for rough terrain; huge lugs for mud/loose soil; light and agile.

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.

Inov-8 Trailtalon line, I had a few varieties of different thicknesses (235, 270, etc) The lineup from around 2020 was great, awesome tread and grip, drained great, and perfect fit for my feet. Tight heel, roomy toebox The 235s I'd race in up to marathon distance or so, anything longer (or hard pack/concrete mix ) I'd wear the thicker versions. Probably getting 600 miles to a pair before retiring, I loved them, bought what I could online before they kept upgrading

I've got a pair or two of the old Trailtalons in the box, but am sad to see them changing their product lineup

I'm a huge fan of Inov-8, they're created from the bogs of UK I'm in the US so it's hard to find them in store, I order online. Trailtalons are my go to, I've had great grip and they handle wet and drain fast

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 was about to suggest this as I have just got a pair and they have great lugs but good on the road. I am not sure how long the lugs will last but time will tell.

I just got the new trailfly and love them. However, I still have a stash of the older trail talon, which fit me well (even though they don't have that foot shape toe box) and were in major sales in anticipation of the new models. They describe the new models quite nicely here https://www.inov8.com/eu/blog/post/explaining-the-new-2024-inov8-shoe-shape-and-fits

I’ve gotten great longevity out of Inov8 trail runners. 800-ish Appalachian Trail miles on a pair.

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.

Inov8 with graphene has very good grip. Nike trail have no grip at all

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.

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

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..

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.

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.

Second actually trying them on, especially using the sloped stool so you can feel if your toes hit the front of your shoe. I love my inov-8s, my favorite of all my running shoes.

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.

La Sportiva. I've owned Altra (terrible) and Inov8s. Sportivas are so comfortable, tough, and they are actually available with decent lug depths.

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).