Innov 8 Roclite 390 GTX - First Look
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Price:
£100
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Weight: 800g (size 43,
pair)
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Features
Ultralightweight boot with suede, fabric mesh uppers,
featuriing Meta-Cradle webbing, waterproof Gore-Tex liner,
Meta-shank and Meta-cradle, Endurance last and the
Fascia-band'. Endurance rubber outsole, protective padded
ankle area and toe rand. Available in men's and women's
versions.
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What's It For?
Read the little letters on the heel of the roclite 390 and it says
'para extreme' because the boot was initially aimed at paragliders,
but don't let that put you off. The boot is essentiallly a mid-height
version of inov8's acclaimed lightweight trail shoes and at a genuine
800 grammes for a size 43 is claimed to be the lightest Gore-Tex boot
on the market.
We reckon it's an option for existing lightweight converts who
want the sort of weight-saving and excellent grip inov8's shoes
offer, but with waterproofing for damp, winter conditions, but will
also appeal to boot users who are looking for something lighter but
are wary of lightweight shoes.
The Techy Bits
The new boot's dripping with innov8's technical gubbinses and
innovations, but we won't bore you with a comprehensive listing. In
short the company believes in trying to incopororate the natural
biomechanics of the foot into its designs so the foot works as
closely as possible mechanically, to the way it would were it bare.
The 390 uses inov8s roomier Endurance last for day-long comfort
rather than the tighter Performance last. The Metaflex groove means
the boot should flex in the right place, a five-fingered shank aligns
with individual metatarsals for greater flexibility and the webbing
on the upper of the boot is positioned to cradle the forefoot
securely.
There's also a something called Fascia-band, which briefly
replicates the way the foot stiffens as you push off when running and
your heel leaves the ground, so when you're running or walking,
particularly uphill, the idea is that the sole unit becomes an
efficient, stable rigid lever for increased efficiency.
On top of that you get a Gore-Tex liner for waterproofing plus a
tough mesh over the fabric of the upper plus a padded, ankle area for
protection against rocks and antagonistic rabbits.
How It Works
We've only just got hold of the 390 roclites, but initial
impressions are good. First they're impressively light for a Gore-Tex
lined boot, or any boot for that matter at 800 grammes for a pair in
size 43, that's a good 130 grammes lighter than, say, a Salomon Elios
Mid GTX. They also feel tougher than you might expect at that weight.
The ankle reinforcement and toe rand should give decent protection on
rocky terrain in particular, but the mesh on the fabric section also
feels seriously tough.
They feel very secure on the foot thanks to a snug fit and the
webbing reinforced uppers holding things nicely where they should be.
No heel lift for us and a reasonably cushioned feel underfoot. The
ride will be familiar to anyone who's used inov8's shoes, but
obviously with a little more restriction around the ankles, which is
the pay-off for increased protection and weather proofing.
We were a bit skeptical about the 'Fascia-band' feature before
using the boots, but you really can feel the sole unit stiffen as you
get up onto your toes, it's particularly noticeable when climbing
steep ground or running, though we wouldn't really suggest these for
that purpose, running that is.
Grip from the aggressive outsole seems good all round, though
mostly so far they've only see dry and rocky terrain.
As far as the Gore-Tex liner goes, we'd expect waterproofiing and
reasonable breathability, though there's also an unlined 370 version
of the boot for anyone unconvinced by Gore-Tex.
Could this be inov8 for the people? On first acquaintance the
roclite 390 GTX seems to offer most of the pluses of the company's
shoes, but with added trail and weather protection that might well
appeal to those who prefer boots but are dabbling with light weight
kit.
The obvious question is whether they'll cope with the rough and
tumble of mountain walking use and we're looking forward to finding
out and reporting back. At £100 these aren't a cheap option, but
we've found lightweight footwear adds real zip to your walking and
reduces fatigue and increases nimbleness over the course of a day in
the hills.
Know more or want to?
If you'd like to add your own experiences of this
product check out our user review system and post your opinions to
the world. If you have questions you can mail
us direct, ask
Richard Gear or try a posting to our
gear
forum.
Parky Again
