Inov-8's Roclite 318 GTX
What is it:
Inov-8 Roclite 318 GTX
Have you tried the rest....now try the best! This would be my sales pitch.
I have found these shoes to be my ultimate choice of footwear for hill waking having made the transition late in summer of 2008. Although I did not wear them through the winter I have so enjoyed returning to them.
I have been hill walking for many, many years yet, even with lightweight 3 season boots, I have never felt as confident in what I am doing and where I am placing my foot as I do when wearing my Roclite 318s. (4 season boots are yet another story!!!).
Loose scree, wet grass, muddy peat bogs, dry/wet rock, boulder fields and gullies - all covered.
I know exactly where my foot is in the shoe, how it is reacting and, most importantly, the contact I have on the terrain across which I am moving.
Inov-8's Roclite 318 have transformed, for me, what had become a day's endurance into a day's enjoyment.
The Debrisoc 40 was an addition to the footwear and while the whole item is to be recommended, the sock part itself has been an inspired piece of R & D. The mesh upper, the padded sole and heel is the perfect underwear for the shoes. Guess what - no blisters. Amazing. They out perform all other socks which I have. I need no other footwear. (Actually I have worn them as socks with other footwear just because they are so comfortable, the gaiter part just sits there enjoying a day off).
Trust me there is niche in the hill walking market for promotion of not only these shoes but hopefully the boots, which I am looking forward to test driving in Glen Affric in two weeks' time.
There is, undoubtedly, serious terrain on the Scottish hills and I would not promote any product which I considered to be unsuitable for such undertaking. But there is still room for pleasure. The technical development of this product is beyond me but I don't need to know how electricty is produced ..... only that it is there when I need it.
It has been a long and expensive road which I have travelled in the quest for the ultimate footwear. I believe I have found it and can now stop searching and start enjoying whilst also exploring other accessories available in the Inov-8 product range.
May I also add, that I am not professional in any of the target discplines for this product therefore have no allegiance to the company, personnel, or products through any sponsorship contracts or promotional deals. This is a purely personal review from a non-scientific and non-journalistic background. I hope it may be of use as feedback.
Tricia, Run4It Customer
Technical stuff:
- Weight: 215 grams
- GORE-TEX® membrane to keep the foot dry whist extremely breathable
- Meta-flex groove (anatomically aligned in front of the metatarsal heads) provides a natural forefoot flex.
- Met-cradle design holds the forefoot behind the metatarsal heads ensuring the foot is held in the shoe
- Meta-shank is a five finger structure aligning with the metatarsals providing greater flexibility whist retaining impact protection
- ‘Sticky rubber’ compound (climbing rubber technology) on the sole is used to optimise grip in wet conditions
Colour:
Navy/Amber
Price: WAS £90.00 NOW ONLY £80.00