Trail runner Sarah Barber reviews the INOV8 Trailfly having tested the shoes on trails near her home in Boise, Idaho. The footwear was provided by ATRA corporate member INOV8 at no charge for the test and review.
Winter snow and spring rains are long gone in my little corner of the world—in fact, we’re closing in on the summer solstice already! Dry weather in the northwest means hardpacked trails and easier access to the rocky terrain of higher elevations, both of which demand a specific tool for tackling longer off-road runs. The sneakers that felt right on my feet for short jaunts in April’s mud now feel soft and irrelevant in the desert-like dust of southern Idaho. My Honda might wear all-season treads, but I need trail shoes to suit the conditions.
INOV8 answers the call
Now into their third decade of churning out footwear designed for every bit of earth you might encounter, I’ve trusted the engineers at INOV8 with my feet ever since my first foray in the Trailfly G270 V2, a truly magnificent zero-drop shoe. But now that I’m on soil that’s the consistency of concrete sidewalks, I want a little bit more substance between me and the dirt. The latest update of the Trailfly has answered my call with near-flawless performance on high-mileage days in the hills.
For starters, the 2024 Trailfly is about as comfy as any shoe can be, thanks to its anatomically correct shape and meshy upper. I seem to have escaped a midlife footspread, so my narrow appendages are happy and secure in the standard fit, but INOV8 also offers a wide fit for anyone wanting less squeeze through the arch. I especially appreciate the plush tongue, as knotted shoelaces sometimes produce dorsal hot spots after twenty thousand or so steps—that’s not the case here. With just enough padding and superior ventilation, the Trailfly is ready for all-day adventures.
INVO8 on the forefront of tech
Despite INOV8’s description of the Trailfly as their “ultimate cushioned shoe,” they’ve kept their trademarked Boomerang footbed as part of the package, allowing for energy return with every foot strike. The sensation is a firmness that reminds me of my glutes twenty years ago. Personally, I love the stiff ride that’s becoming harder to find in a market overrun (pun intended) with super shoes and sky-high stack heights. You can call me old-school, but INOV8’s tech is clearly on the forefront of the industry.
Featuring a thicker wedge of new-and-improved Powerflow Pro foam in the midsole, the Trailfly offers extra cush sitting atop the META-SHANK rock plate without adding extra weight. Seriously—we’re talking about a difference of 10 grams over INOV8’s Trailfly Speed, which is billed as more of a racing shoe. In case you wondered, that’s about the weight of a graphite pencil.
INOV8 grip and durability
And since I mention graphite, who remembers what graphene is? Anyone? Bueller?? It’s a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice that’s about 200 times stronger than steel and five times lighter than aluminum. So what? Well, the Trailfly’s rubber sole is infused with—you guessed it—graphene, making it ridiculously durable and grippy in all conditions!
Couple that with multi-directional 4mm lugs, and you’ve got a sole designed to propel the runner forward while still maintaining traction even on unstable surfaces like pea gravel and rock-strewn river beds.
The Trailfly kept me upright and collected on a technical ridgeline that normally has my arms flailing and my stride failing. Thanks to the reinforced toe guard, my occasional missteps were pain-free. In fact, the only pain I felt was the good kind—the kind that comes the day after running downhill at faster-than-prudent speeds. Eccentric muscle contractions get me every time, but it was worth it: the INOV8 Trailfly is made to fly.
INOV8 Trailfly specs
Weight: 280g
Heel-toe drop: 6mm
Stack height: 18mm at heel, 12mm at midfoot – represents ‘midsole-only stack.’ Total stack heights (including outsole, midsole and footbed) are 29mm in the heel and 23mm in the forefoot.
MSRP: $150
Women’s INOV8 Trailfly; Men’s INOV8 Trailfly.
Editor’s Note: Read more articles and reviews from Sarah Barber here.
