Submitted by chriskilmer on Tue, 01/11/2011 - 17:00.
5
I ran technical trails in the X-Talon 190s this fall until the snows arrived. Now, if the dirt roads are dry, I run in the F-Lite 195s. If the roads get snow, I run in the X-Talon 190s. Like the F-Lite 195s, the shoes are very flexible. However, the lugs on the 190s provide a bit more cushion than the F-Lite 195s which can be good or bad depending on your preference. I prefer the extra cushion on technical trails. Now, the extra cushion has to be taken in context. They have extra cushion compared to the F-Lite 195s. Compared to normal trail shoes, you can feel everything. The grip on these things is amazing. I don't even have traction problems on loose, unpacked snow. I know some folks feel these are too narrow. I'm a width D and love how they feel. They feel more like a sock than a glove. Toe splay doesn't feel hampered to me.
Submitted by davidhenry114 on Wed, 01/12/2011 - 18:28.
5
Nearly the same as the F-Lite 195. The X-Talon 190 shares the same upper and heel-toe drop (3mm) as the 195 but just sports a more aggressive off road sole. I would disagree with Damien about the durability of the upper as they are designed to be as lightweight and minimal as possible...Inov-8 has a X-Talon 212 (22 grams heavier than the 190) that I haven't tried because it's drop is 6mm, but it's upper is substantially beefier. I guess what I'm trying to say is that when looking at the overall Inov-8 line up it seems they specifically geared this shoe for racing and made some sacrifices in the process to achieve a shoe that is nearly as light as a Vibram Five Finger, but has a super aggressive tread on it with enough rock protection to run fast on steep, muddy trails. Don't overlook this one if you are into trail racing...for running or walking around town or for a short day hike, I think they wouldn't perform too well, but then again they weren't designed for that.
As with the F-Lite 195, the soles of this shoe are flexible, the cushioning is minimal, and the 3mm elevated heel isn't too bad. They are virtually the same design as the 195, but with a different tread pattern. The X-Talon lugged-sole provides excellent grip on a wide variety of terrain, including wet or loose soil conditions. The sticky rubber, while grippy on rock, will also wear fairly quickly, especially considering the cleat-like lugs. They are light-weight and very breathable. These shoes have a lot of potential, however I feel that most of the potential is lost due to the narrow toebox. Yes, the mesh uppers are flexible and accommodating for wider feet, but my toes still feel cramped. Considering the rugged conditions that these shoes are designed for, the uppers could use more durability.
I ran technical trails in the
I ran technical trails in the X-Talon 190s this fall until the snows arrived. Now, if the dirt roads are dry, I run in the F-Lite 195s. If the roads get snow, I run in the X-Talon 190s. Like the F-Lite 195s, the shoes are very flexible. However, the lugs on the 190s provide a bit more cushion than the F-Lite 195s which can be good or bad depending on your preference. I prefer the extra cushion on technical trails. Now, the extra cushion has to be taken in context. They have extra cushion compared to the F-Lite 195s. Compared to normal trail shoes, you can feel everything. The grip on these things is amazing. I don't even have traction problems on loose, unpacked snow. I know some folks feel these are too narrow. I'm a width D and love how they feel. They feel more like a sock than a glove. Toe splay doesn't feel hampered to me.
Best trail shoe for muddy/soft conditions
Nearly the same as the F-Lite 195. The X-Talon 190 shares the same upper and heel-toe drop (3mm) as the 195 but just sports a more aggressive off road sole. I would disagree with Damien about the durability of the upper as they are designed to be as lightweight and minimal as possible...Inov-8 has a X-Talon 212 (22 grams heavier than the 190) that I haven't tried because it's drop is 6mm, but it's upper is substantially beefier. I guess what I'm trying to say is that when looking at the overall Inov-8 line up it seems they specifically geared this shoe for racing and made some sacrifices in the process to achieve a shoe that is nearly as light as a Vibram Five Finger, but has a super aggressive tread on it with enough rock protection to run fast on steep, muddy trails. Don't overlook this one if you are into trail racing...for running or walking around town or for a short day hike, I think they wouldn't perform too well, but then again they weren't designed for that.
As with the F-Lite 195, the
As with the F-Lite 195, the soles of this shoe are flexible, the cushioning is minimal, and the 3mm elevated heel isn't too bad. They are virtually the same design as the 195, but with a different tread pattern. The X-Talon lugged-sole provides excellent grip on a wide variety of terrain, including wet or loose soil conditions. The sticky rubber, while grippy on rock, will also wear fairly quickly, especially considering the cleat-like lugs. They are light-weight and very breathable. These shoes have a lot of potential, however I feel that most of the potential is lost due to the narrow toebox. Yes, the mesh uppers are flexible and accommodating for wider feet, but my toes still feel cramped. Considering the rugged conditions that these shoes are designed for, the uppers could use more durability.
Damien Tougas
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