I can’t lie; I was first attracted to these shoes of the way they looked. I saw the flashy red, silver and black colour scheme and thought, “these would look real cool with the Team Running Free colours.” Fortunately, Roclite 285’s have a lot more going for them than their slick looks.
At 285 grams (10 oz), the lightness blew me away. I immediately had visions of using them as racing trail shoes, particularly Vulture Bait or Run for the Toad. Circumstances (previously documented Achilles rupture) prevented me from doing those races in 2008, but I am keen to make use of the Roclite 285’s at various races in 2009.
Due to the aforementioned injury, I was not able to run in them until late winter. But it was well worth the wait. I was very impressed at the excellent grip in all types of terrain, this and its light weight allowed me to fly over snow and sandy surfaces like I’ve never been able to before.
I admit, I was a bit hesitant to run in shoes that didn’t fall into the traditional support/control category but they felt perfectly fine. I still felt the supported, and I certainly didn’t miss the extra weight of my other support/control shoes. In fact, I think the Roclite 285’s kicked off a new wave in my personal shoe selection, where my preference has shifted to using lighter, less restrictive shoes in my day-to-day training.
The Roclite 285’s are serious performance shoes that are built for speed, and just feel right. The comfortable, natural feel is thanks to Inov8’s philosophy of allowing their footwear to allow the foot the freedom to move and function as nature intended, without interference from the structure of the shoe. They work to protect the foot from the harsh external environment experienced by the off road runner but maintain the feeling and function of bare foot running. Just give them a try and you too will discover the same feeling that makes these shoes unique in the marketplace.
Note: Do get the Inov8’s a size (or 2) larger than your normal size as the fit is snug. Even with this accommodation, athletes with wide feet may not enjoy these shoes.
Here are the specific features of the Roclite 285:
Unisex – Built on a last based of an average runner’s foot giving a good fit for both male and female
TPU Lacing Support – Lacing attached polymer upper supports, cradles the foot more evenly.
Performance Last – Precise fitting last ensures minimal internal movement when contouring, ascending and descending.
Sticky Rubber Compound – Specially developed using climbing rubber technology. This rubber optimizes grip in wet conditions, however the trade off is it wears down quicker.
Two Arrow Midsole – Minimal level of cushioning for racing.
Fascia Band – A replication of the plantar fascia ligament to increase propulsion efficiency and reduce fatigue.
Met Cradle – The upper webbing support in our footwear is anatomically positioned to cradle the fore foot behind the metatarsal heads and provide a secure foot hold.
Meta Shank – New 5 finger meta-shank aligns with each individual metatarsal for greater flexibility when contouring while retaining underfoot impact protection. A softer compound is used on performance product while a firmer compound is used on the endurance product.
Meta Flex – All our footwear incorporates a meta-flex groove which is anatomically aligned in front of the metatarsal heads to provide a natural fore foot flex.
Ideal/Recommended Terrain
Loose rock, dry grass, wet rock, dry rock, mixed terrain, mud, wet grass
Ideal/Recommended Activity
Mountain running, trail running, mixed road and trail, adventure racing, cross-country, climbing approach.
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