From the moment this shoe came out of its box my brain kicks into ‘critic’ mode and I start analysing immediately. What can I say? First impressions are that they look amazing. The colour is stylish with a funky sole that attracts attention. They have a great feel to them, a woven top which suggests great breathability. They’re not clumpy at all, they are, as the name suggests, lightweight, I even weighed them, yes, I really did. They’re soft and flexible and, actually, I can’t wait to put them to the test. Cue, gym session at my local @ TheBetterBodyGroupSevenoaks What better test than a simulation hybrid @Hyrox workout, after all, if they’re good enough for 10x CrossFit athlete Scott Panchik then they must be pretty good. Let’s see… I take them in with me. My gym shoes are my gym shoes, I don’t wear them outside. Here goes... My foot slides in super easily, with laces tied my foot feels well supported, they’re comfortable and I can wiggle my toes easily so lots of room there. They’re a good fit around the heel and I’ve great support in the midsole. I do a little test-walk, you know like you do when you try new shoes on in a shop. I do a few turns and walks up and down, the gym has suddenly become my catwalk. There’s something about new trainers that just makes you more determined to have a great workout. So, what do I think? I instantly notice how the sole makes good contact with the rubber gym floor and I’m immediately reassured that I can put complete trust into this shoe. With what I’m about to do, if this shoe doesn’t grip, I’m faceplanting the floor. My workout consisted of: n 1km run. These felt 100% fine for the short distance that I did. n 1km Ski-erg. You need a good stance here and I could instantly feel my toes splay out for balance, I’m glad there is enough room in the toe box. n 1km Row. No problem here whatsoever except that I can’t stop looking at how pretty they are. n 25m Prowler. Loaded with 75kg this was going to be the main test. If grip failed me, I’d be flat on my face in a split second. The surface I’m on now is a soft gym turf, designed for sleds and prowlers to glide over. I can report I did NOT fall flat on my face. Phew. n 25m Sled Pull. A steadfast stance is required here to be able to hold a rope to pull the weighted sled towards me. With a strong grip, my feet firmly on the ground, I pull the rope and the weighted sled. The contact with the ground is locked and I successfully return the sled to its starting position without landing on my rear. n 100m 10kg Weighted walking Lunges. I take long, confident strides forwards, as I come back up from the lunge I’m pushing up from the front heel. I can feel a good connection with the surface, but it also feels adequately cushioned. I finish the 100m (I may have paused once or twice!) and my feet feel fine, if only they helped the burn in my quadriceps too! n 3 x 15 Wall Balls. Taking a nice wide stance for these deep squats and high wall throws, I feel well balanced and stable. n I finish with another 1km run. Cool down, stretch and that’s me done. I honestly think I put these shoes through their paces well. The top 5 characteristics that I think stand out the most for me are: n Secure grip n Comfortable n Supportive n Breathable. n Roomy - but not so much that my foot is moving about. 9 Head over to inov-8.com for more information OMRM HQ test: inov-8 F-Lite 260 v2 I was super keen to test this shoe. I mean, look at it, it’s a thing of beauty. I absolutely love how these shoes look, the detailing is stunning. They’re classy, cool and functional! Who says you can’t have it all? FOOTWEAR : INOV-8 Drop 8mm Footbed 6mm POWER FOOTBED Lug Depth 3mm Midsole POWERFLOW Midsole Stack 14mm / 6mm Product Weight 260g/ 9.17oz
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