inov-8 has launched the ROCFLY™ G 390, the world’s first-ever hiking boot with a Graphene-enhanced foam, which it says will “supercharge feet.” The brand has moved quickly to meet the needs of the growing trends in long-distance hiking, multiday trail walking and thru-hiking, with a lightweight, breathable boot that delivers endless cushioning and bounce. Discovered in 2004 by scientists from The University of Manchester, Graphene is the strongest – yet also the thinnest – material in the world. By infusing it into their G-FLY™ foam, inov-8 is promising a revolutionary underfoot experience that allows hikers to feel fresher for longer. Amongst its many testers has been inov-8 ambassador James Forrest, who recently used the ROCFLY™ G 390 boots to set a new record time for a solo and self-supported hike of Great Britain’s National Three Peaks. The 37-year-old scaled the highest mountains in Scotland (Ben Nevis), England (Scafell Pike) and Wales (Snowdon) – plus all the miles in between them – on a 500-mile adventure that took him just 16 days, 15 hours and 39 minutes. inov-8 first used Graphene in 2018 when launching GRAPHENE-GRIP™ rubber on the outsoles of its hiking, running and fitness shoes. Sales of its footwear featuring the tough-gripping wonder-rubber have surged globally over the last three years. Earlier this year the brand first launched G-FLY™ Graphene foam – which delivers 25% greater energy return – when debuting it on the award-winning TRAILFLY™ ULTRA G 300 MAX trail running shoe. inov-8 founder Wayne Edy, whose UK Lake District based company remain the only one in the world able to use Graphene in sports and hiking footwear, said: “We continue to carve our own trails, daring to be different from the rest and leading the way with innovation. The ROCFLY™ G 390 is our latest example of that, delivering world-first technologies in a boot that will help hikers feel fresher for longer and supercharge their feet for endless adventure.” G-FLY™ foam is not the only patent-pending technology used by inov-8 on the ROCFLY™ G 390, with GRAPHENE-GRIP™ and ADAPTER-FLEX™ also included. The latter is a cleverly positioned 10mm underfoot groove that allows the feet to adapt, react and mould to uneven terrain with agility. Wayne added: “I’m immensely proud of the huge team effort behind this new boot. We’ve worked incredibly hard with The University of Manchester and leading footwear industry veteran Doug Sheridan in developing new innovations – something we plan to supercharge even further in 2022 and beyond.” The ROCFLY™ G 390, weighs 390g and has a 6mm drop (heel to toe differential), is available now. RRP £175. Learn more at www.inov-8.com/ rocfly-g-390-lightweight-hiking-boot 9 Supercharge your feet in the ‘off’ season As races start to dwindle for winter, if you’ve ever fancied climbing a mountain or want to go for a great hike in one of our many areas of natural beauty around the world, now is the time to scratch that itch and do it. FOOTWEAR : INOV-8 James, who holds multiple other long-distance hiking records, said: “The foam is amazingly springy and cushioned, almost propelling you forward with good rebound and energy return. The rubber is ultra grippy and the upper gives out-of-the-box comfort. Being non-waterproof, they dry really quickly and breathe well too – my preferred approach.”
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