I was wondering if anyone has experience of both Inov8's Terrocs and Roclites. I am after a pair of very light hillwalking shoes. I have a pair of F-lite 320PKs, which I absolutly love. I have even used them on a long rock/scree walk in the Sierra Nevada (above 3000m). I have found the limits of my shoes on the hill, so I wondered if the Terrocs or Roclites would suit me. Purely for hillwalking, no real running. Ground would be the usual UK mix of wet/dry rock/scree/grass/mud with a bit of dry high level Spanish walking too.
I've thought seriously of the Roclite 318GTX and 312GTX, as I like the idea of goretex (all my boots are goretex lined), but would they be a better solution for me than a 315 or even the Terrocs? Looking at the Inov8 website, I think the Roclites cover a wider variety of terrain, especially the wet terrain. The sole looks slightly more aggressive too. But the colours...... I would prefer the shoe to be all black, but I seem to have no luck persuading the man from Inov8 that this would be a winner, hence I am looking to see if the plainer Terrocs would be okay.
Any comments regarding fit compared to my 320PKs would also be welcome.
As a relatively early adopter of Inov-8s for walking (when the range only comprised 4 models!) I started with Terroc 330s about 3 years ago. I found them very good for walking on mountain terrain, good grip on all types of surface, and fast draining/drying. Then I hit problems in two circumstances - first backpacking, with quite a heavy pack, when the route hit hardpack farm tracks and forest roads, secondly on a long day walk (the first Bowland Challenge) when we covered 28 miles but a large part of the latter stages were on tarmac. On both occasions I felt the lack of cushioning and the soles of my feet began to 'burn' (not blister though).
Around that time Inov-8 introduced the Roclite 315s which promised better cushioning (and not quite so good drainage) so I bought a pair. The toe-box is not quite so wide but they still fit my foot shape well. In my opinion the cushioning is better, and I don't have a problem with their draining and drying performance, so they've become my preference - I've walked, backpacked and trail-run in them, in the UK and Pyrenees. The Terrocs still serve me for mountain biking....
My original Roclites were siver/blue and after about 100 miles the sole began to peel away. I returned then to Inov-8 who supplied a new pair with the re-designed sole, and these are serving me well, well into their second year now and still in good condition. To my initial dismay the replacements were in the current orange colour scheme and I'm not really one for bright colours but tbh they've grown on me and now I like them a lot - they do tone down a bit once you use them!
As to goretex liners, I'm happy without them in trail shoes. I have tried goretex trail shoes but I reckon if you want a chance of keeping dry feet then you really need at least a mid-cut boot (if only the gtx didn't leak on them anyway!!), so why bother with it in a shoe? Accept wet feet and fast drying - with good socks (thin Smartwool are my preference) it isn't an issue, at least not in summer.
I'm on my 3rd pair of Terroc 330s and have been very pleased with them. The only two areas for improvement I wished for was a bit more underfoot cushioning and for the mesh on the upper to last longer.
I've just bought a pair of Roclite 295 shoes (see here) which have a very similar toe box size/shape to the Terrocs (but bizarrely I need a half size bigger in the 295 compared to the Terroc...) but more underfoot cushioning and a different mesh. They are grey with blue trim -- I dislike garish colours too and these are fine! The 295s are recommended by Inov-8 for trail walking and similar usage, over the Terrocs it seems.
I've not been outdoors in the Roclite 295s yet -- tomorrow will be their baptism. From indoors usage, including Terroc on one foot and 295 on the other, the extra cushioning is noticeable and they are just as comfortable. I'd certainly recommend you give them a try on in a shop, along with the Terrocs.
Goretex: in shoes I believe these are a total waste of time. If water comes into the shoe (eg down your leg or over the top), your feet will be waterlogged as it cannot escape. When the liner fails, as it seems to fairly quickly in shoes, you are in the same boat. If you really can't stand wet feet then waterproof socks are a better bet (but having tried Sealskinz I just found them cold and clammy, and they leaked eventually also). The Inov-8 "pump action" really does work in keeping your feet just damp most of the time in wet conditions.
Can't argue with all that's said above. But rather than what's best for the job it might come down to which fits best. If find the lasts of both models completely different.
So the toebox is narrower in the Roclite than the Terroc? Hmm. I was sort of hoping it would be the other way around, as I had to get an 11 in the Terrocs to fit my wide foot, but this has meant that my foot very slightly moves around in the shoe and that has rubbed the inside heel section. I like the idea of the extra cushioning in the Roclites though, and may seek some out to try on.
I believe the last/toe box etc on the Roclite 295 is *not* the same as on the other Roclite models (though I'm open to correction). The 295 is new this year.
I dont like wet feet when it is cold. Goretex shoes are useless because the wet comes over the top. Sealskin socks are wonderful until you wash them and then they leak. I have found trekmate amphibian goretex socks to last longer. I now use them in winter and just get wet feet in warm weather.
The terrocs definitely have a wider fit than the roclites. I use roclites with thin socks and terrocs in a half size bigger for winter, if I am using more sock layers.For example liner sock, vapour barrier poly bag, 2 more socks, gortex socks. terrocs, if that is not enough, minigaiters with a homemade foam lining.
I hadn't paid attention to the underfoot cusioning rating. I (being a hefty sort of chap) will want as much cushioning as I can get, so I will concentrate on the different Roclite models available. All use the endurance (higher volume) lasts, which will suit my foot more.
295 - 3 * for cusioning, grey/blue, endurance rubber sole
305 - 4 * for cushioning, grey/blue, endurance rubber sole
315 - 3 * for cusioning, orange/grey, endurance rubber sole
318 - 4 * for cusioning, navy blue/grey/orange, sticky rubber sole, gore-tex
320 - 4 * for cusioning, silver/grey/yellow, endurance rubber sole
I can't say I like any of the colour options. I'd taken the 318/315 to be the same shoe with just a gore-tex addition, but it has a different sole compound and different cushioning.
I'm all but convinced by the feeling against Gore-tex for shoes. Given if it was cold and wet I would go for boots, I guess Gore-Tex is unnecessary and may be too hot in summer, especially in Spain, where I do a lot of walking.
Next stage I suppose is to try some on, which is not easy as most places do not stock a fraction of the different models (I guess they couldn't!).
Paul, I am a hefty sort of chap too, and have no problems at all with my 315s. They are definitely my shoe of choice for the vast majority of my walking now. I do have the gtx shoes, the blue with yellow trim ones, (I forget the number offhand) and find them to be quite warm to walk in. Also, as many have pointed out, once the water comes in over the top, you'll have wet feet anyway! On the other hand, once you are mentally 'ok' with wet feet, any kind of water crossing up to about knee high ceases to be a problem. The 315s really do seem to pump out water, and your feet will feel dry again in no time.
The blue/yellow trim ones are extrememly grippy, but the downside of that is that being a softer compound they wear out faster.
I have swapped e-mails with Graham Jordison at Inov8. The good news is that the Roclite 320s are going to be available with a more muted colour scheme. Details are short, but trim detail will be in blue and they will lose the silver colour. Looks like I have found my model!
Of other interest, the 390 boot is possibly going to be available in all black, so the Henry Fords amongst us should bombard Inov8 with requests for it, if you like the idea of the Roclite 390 boot of course.
A little update on Roclites and Terrocs in general (from e-mail direct from Inov8 in response to my questions). Concentrating on the non-goretex models:
The Roclite 295 uses the same last as the Terroc 330 and Flyrocs. It is the widest of the Roclite range.
The 305 and 320 use the same last as the F-lite 320PK and so are the next widest. The 305 is expected to come up slightly wider as it uses different constuction.
The 315 a is narrower last. Too narrow for me it seems (though the Orange/Grey is so gastly I might not have bought it anyway).
No pictures of the new 320/305 colours, but promised pictures next month. I'll share if given permission.
Still looks like the 305 or 320 for me, depending on new colours, as I have the 320PKs and they fit me like a glove (if they had the roclite sole, I would buy a pair now, as they are a nice sensible colour - black).
