This budget-friendly road runner from inov8 bucks the big-stack trend in favor of a more direct ride.
If you’re a fan of the recent trend for running shoes with massive-stacked, pillowy midsoles and carbon plates, this review is probably not for you. Because inov8’s return to the road treads a more traditional, more minimal path.
The Roadfly is inov8’s first road shoe in a while and it’s a throwback to simpler running shoes, with less midsole, no carbon plate and a more direct ride. This shoe shoots for just-enough cushion but keeps you connected to the road underfoot. Think lively but direct.
So is it a successful return to the tarmac? I’ve logged the miles to find out how inov8’s new road runner stacks up.
Men’s Fitness verdict
if you’re in the market for a versatile shoe that can handle a range of paces and distances and you’ve been longing for a more traditional, natural ride, this could be an excellent shoe for you.- Stable and responsive
- Comfortable and roomy with a disappearing fit
- Good value
- Too firm for some
- Could use more punch for faster sessions
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inov8 Roadfly: what’s new?
inov8 is better known for its off-road credentials, with shoes like the Trailfly and Ultrafly popular among regular trail and ultra runners. The Roadfly attempts to translate that trail DNA to the pavement. By inov8’s own admission, it took a trail shoe and “stripped out the technology you don’t need”.
The midsole stack is comparatively low with a conservative 27mm in the heel and 21mm under the forefoot for a 6mm drop – the same offset as you’ll find in the inov8 Trailfly. It comes in at 9.5oz or 268g in a UK men’s 8.5 wide fit. That’s at the lighter end of things but perhaps a shade heavy for the stack.
It features a firmer-tuned, more responsive EVA-based Powerflow Pro foam along with a TPU insole to add a bit of cushion on landing and boost the energy return.
Up top, the uppers are cut from a single piece of quite thick, engineered mesh that’s nicely flexible for slipper-like comfort. The gusseted tongues are plush, there are medium padded heel collars and some support from a flexible internal heel counter.
Meanwhile, the outsole features a full covering of durability-boosting inov8 rubber with 2mm lugs for grip on wet roads and mild off-road, too. Plus, there’s a MetaFlex groove cut into the outsole to provide some extra flex and add to the natural ride.
Price-wise, the inov8 Roadfly launched at a very competitive £100 or $130. That’s down at the cheaper end for daily trainers, alongside excellent value shoes like the Puma Velocity Nitro 3, a HOKA Rincon or the Adidas Adizero SL.
inov8 Roadfly fit
The inov8 Roadfly comes in a standard and wide fit. The latter is designed to offer wider-foot runners a roomier toe box and a wider platform in the heel for more comfort.
In testing I ran in a UK 8.5, which is my regular shoe size in inov8 running shoes. I went for the wide fit and I found it wonderfully roomy. I love the Altra-style sweeping anatomical fit and the oodles of room to splay and wiggle your toes. If you like roomier shoes, the inov8 Roadfly really ticks that box.
I also got good heel and midfoot lockdown, with no slipping or hot spots and I’d recommend going true to size in the inov8 Roadfly.
inov8 Roadfly performance
In testing, I covered close to 50km in the inov8 Roadfly at a mix of paces from slow and easy to 5km pace. It offers great step-in comfort with an accommodating and unfussy fit right from the first lace-up.
On the move, you instantly notice the more traditional feel. Particularly coming from hulking great shoes like the Brooks Glycerin Max to this. The small stack is on the firmer side but still soaks up the road well, with good cushioning for what is considerably less foam underfoot – some of that softness coming from the TPU footbed.
This is definitely a shoe that encourages – and benefits from – a faster foot turnover. It’s a nimble, agile and responsive shoe that works best when you’re moving with lighter-footed agility. I found it had good versatility across a range of paces but it gave back more when I moved with good form. On runs where I felt fatigued, heavy or a bit lazy, I sometimes wanted more cushioned protection.
The longest run I clocked was 10 miles and runners used to more minimal shoes will find enough comfort here to go longer. However, I think a lot of runners will want more underfoot for runs over 90 minutes.
For faster sessions, you may also want more energy from livelier midsole/plate combos. This isn’t a shoe to trouble the super trainers like the Saucony Endorphin Speed 4 or the HOKA Mach X2, for example.
However, I do enjoy the more natural ride. And unlike new bigger, bouncier shoes, you run this shoe; it doesn’t run you. So if you like reliable landings and toe-offs that you control, this is worth a look.
The grip was also great in the wet and the durability so far looks solid. Two things we’ve come to enjoy from inov8’s trail shoes.
inov8 Roadfly verdict
In a world of mega-soft, super springy, big-stack plated monster shoes, the inov8 Roadfly is definitely a throwback. And it certainly won’t suit all runners.
However, if you’re in the market for a versatile shoe that can handle a range of paces and distances and you’ve been longing for a more traditional, natural ride, this could be an excellent shoe for you.
The Roadfly keeps you connected to the road underfoot and delivers a snappy, responsive, reliable ride that benefits from a fast foot turnover. It’s a winning combination of wonderful roomy fit, just enough road-softening cushion and bucket loads of responsiveness, all at a really competitive price.
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