Inov-8 Terraultra G260 - Updated
Stoat Rating: 9/10
(-1 for squishy insole and a lack of protection from the cutaway outsole)
Weight: 266g in UK 8.5
Sizing: Runs large - you may want to size down half a size if you are on the boarderline
I originally posed some 'out of the box' thoughts on the G260 laster year, but decided not to keep them as the upper felt too roomy and overly stiff and clunky. They were also heavier than the 'advertised' weight. This summer, somewhat under the radar, Inov-8 has revised the design of the upper, which is now much closer to the non graphene version of the shoe and this transforms the shoe in my opinion - improving the fit, comfort and weight of the shoe significantly. This is now my goto shoe for the majority of my trail runs.
Overall the shoes fit long -somewhere between 1/4 and 1/2 sizes bigger and if you were on the fence with sizing, or you went up in size to get more width or toe room in other Inov-8's then you might not need to in these. That said, it somehow feels like this additional length is 'by design' given the intended long distance use. Most of the extra room seems to be in the toebox and although overall longer, I stuck with my normal shoe size as the heel and midfoot were so well locked in.
I found the toe room to be wide but not excessive and the last doesn't seem as 'banana shaped' as some of their other shoes which often leave me with acres of room on the inside for my big toe, but cramping my little toes together. I were to liken the fit to any of the shoes in my quiver then it would be closest to the Nike Terra Kiger 4's, but with a bit more height in the toebox (which is welcome) and a bit more support in the upper.
I haven't used the shoes long enough to gauge upper life, but it is worth noting that the OG version used the kevlar overlays claiming that they were there to make a bomproof upper that would last as long as the graphene sole. The new version has a much more conventional upper, so will this (and midsole) limit the lifetime of the shoe to the point where there is no benefit to the graphene sole?
The shoe overall feels very flexible both longditudanly and torsionally and I think that this enhances the ground feel.
Inov-8 continues to use the 6mm sponge insole which absorbs water and squelches horribly. I have posted about this already and is not the end of the world - just replace them - but it does add to the cost of the package. I'd love to know why Inov-8 uses them - particularly when most of their shoes are targeted at wet conditions.
The outsole on the G260 has a decent tread which will cope with a bit of mud, but has enough surace area to run well on harder surfaces as well. It is certainly a bit better in soft conditions than your average trail shoe, but don't try them in full on fell conditions. The outsole has small areas of exposed midsole which would seem to be there primarily for flexibility, which it seems to achieve, but this does come at the expense of a chance of some rocks poking through if they catch the wrong spot.
'50% Stronger, 50% More Elastic and 50% Harder wearing' say Inov-8. I don't have the wherewithal to confirm or deny this, however they seem to make no claims about the grip! I'm a bit of a synic when it comes to marketing claims, but I have found the grip to be similar to the non graphene version so if the sole lasts longer for the same grip then I guess that this is an improvement. I'll post back on the lifetime of the shoe when I have past the 500km mark.
The thing that I can't really understand though is that it is rarely the outsole that stops me using a shoe most often it is the upper that goes first, or the midsole becomes too packed out for long distance runs, so if the outsole is not the 'weak link' then I can't see how the lifetime of the shoe will be improved?
The outsole? I don't see how it will improve the lifetime of the shoe and given that the non graphene version of the shoe is almost identical I might be inclined to save a few £'s in the future and stick to their traditional componds, but I'll see how it pans out over time.
Overall for me, these are a winner and seem to have taken up the number one spot for long and short distance trail runs, giving way to proper fell shoes only in really muddy conditions.
Weight: 266g in UK 8.5
Sizing: Runs large - you may want to size down half a size if you are on the boarderline
I originally posed some 'out of the box' thoughts on the G260 laster year, but decided not to keep them as the upper felt too roomy and overly stiff and clunky. They were also heavier than the 'advertised' weight. This summer, somewhat under the radar, Inov-8 has revised the design of the upper, which is now much closer to the non graphene version of the shoe and this transforms the shoe in my opinion - improving the fit, comfort and weight of the shoe significantly. This is now my goto shoe for the majority of my trail runs.
 |
| The OG version of the G260 with stiff kevlar overlays |
 |
| The newer 2019 version of the G260 |
Weight
Generally, according to my (uncalibrated) scales, Inov-8 is spot on with weights in my size (UK8.5). The OG version of the G260 I measured at 288g, nearly 30g heavier than the published weight, but the newer shoe is coming in at 266g - much closer to advertised and making it a light shoe - particularly given the intended use. |
| Trailroc 250 - 246g in a UK8.5 |
 |
| OG Terraultra 260 - 288g in a UK8.5 |
Fit and Upper
This is an area where the revised 2019 version has seen some changes. The original version had a stiff uncompromising upper that felt volumous and didn't seem to wrap around the foot the way Inov-8s normally do. The revised version changes all this. The shoe still fits wide in the toes and slightly longer than some of my other Inov-8's of the same size, but it wraps snugly around the midfoot and heel giving a 10/10 locked down feeling.Overall the shoes fit long -somewhere between 1/4 and 1/2 sizes bigger and if you were on the fence with sizing, or you went up in size to get more width or toe room in other Inov-8's then you might not need to in these. That said, it somehow feels like this additional length is 'by design' given the intended long distance use. Most of the extra room seems to be in the toebox and although overall longer, I stuck with my normal shoe size as the heel and midfoot were so well locked in.
I found the toe room to be wide but not excessive and the last doesn't seem as 'banana shaped' as some of their other shoes which often leave me with acres of room on the inside for my big toe, but cramping my little toes together. I were to liken the fit to any of the shoes in my quiver then it would be closest to the Nike Terra Kiger 4's, but with a bit more height in the toebox (which is welcome) and a bit more support in the upper.
I haven't used the shoes long enough to gauge upper life, but it is worth noting that the OG version used the kevlar overlays claiming that they were there to make a bomproof upper that would last as long as the graphene sole. The new version has a much more conventional upper, so will this (and midsole) limit the lifetime of the shoe to the point where there is no benefit to the graphene sole?
Midsole
Most of Inov-8's recent shoes have a fairly firm midsole, and then a thicker than normal insole to create a softness for the foot. This shoe is no different and provides a nice level of comfort that makes a great compromise between groundfeel and stability for the softer conditions and isolation from harder surfaces. The midsole has no rockplate so you can get a bit of rock poke through, but out of the box and at my weight there is plenty of protection - I might consider a stonegaurd for a long rocky ultra though. In case you didn't notice, they are zero drop and feel like it. The combination of zero drop, relatively low stack / firm midsole means that if you are the kind of runner that loves a Hoka or a heavy heel striker then I suspect you may find them too minimal for longer distances.The shoe overall feels very flexible both longditudanly and torsionally and I think that this enhances the ground feel.
Inov-8 continues to use the 6mm sponge insole which absorbs water and squelches horribly. I have posted about this already and is not the end of the world - just replace them - but it does add to the cost of the package. I'd love to know why Inov-8 uses them - particularly when most of their shoes are targeted at wet conditions.
Outsole
The outsole on the G260 has a decent tread which will cope with a bit of mud, but has enough surace area to run well on harder surfaces as well. It is certainly a bit better in soft conditions than your average trail shoe, but don't try them in full on fell conditions. The outsole has small areas of exposed midsole which would seem to be there primarily for flexibility, which it seems to achieve, but this does come at the expense of a chance of some rocks poking through if they catch the wrong spot.
'50% Stronger, 50% More Elastic and 50% Harder wearing' say Inov-8. I don't have the wherewithal to confirm or deny this, however they seem to make no claims about the grip! I'm a bit of a synic when it comes to marketing claims, but I have found the grip to be similar to the non graphene version so if the sole lasts longer for the same grip then I guess that this is an improvement. I'll post back on the lifetime of the shoe when I have past the 500km mark.
The thing that I can't really understand though is that it is rarely the outsole that stops me using a shoe most often it is the upper that goes first, or the midsole becomes too packed out for long distance runs, so if the outsole is not the 'weak link' then I can't see how the lifetime of the shoe will be improved?
Conclusion
Now that I have run in these I think that Inov-8 has designed a really great shoe for long distance running. If you have ever wanted an Altra Superior but wished it had a bit more protection and tighter heel hold, or a Nike Terra Kiger but found the toebox too shallow and the sole a bit unstable then this could be the shoe for you. Plenty of room for the toes, solid midfoot and heel hold and a firm responsive midsole look like a great mix to me. They are zero drop, which I think is a bold move for a long distance shoe (personally I find ~4mmdrop to be my sweetspot), but I'd rather that than 8mm or more.The outsole? I don't see how it will improve the lifetime of the shoe and given that the non graphene version of the shoe is almost identical I might be inclined to save a few £'s in the future and stick to their traditional componds, but I'll see how it pans out over time.
Overall for me, these are a winner and seem to have taken up the number one spot for long and short distance trail runs, giving way to proper fell shoes only in really muddy conditions.
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