Inov8 Trailtalon Max 120 Mile Review: White Mountains (NH) Tested!

Editor’s Observe: We welcome Nick to the RTR staff. Nick focuses on very lengthy runs within the White Mountains of New Hampshire, RTR dwelling territory, the place the paths are extraordinarily rugged, rocky and rooty, the climate equally powerful  and which we expect is an final check of athlete and kit.

Introduction

Nick: The Trailtalon Max is a good addition to the inov8 Trailtalon lineup. That is the primary providing I’ve tried from Inov8 and I can actually say I’m IMPRESSED! The Trailtalon Max enters the lineup as your go-to for greater miles on technical terrain and in addition flatter single monitor. 

I’ve put about 120 miles on them within the rugged White Mountains of New Hampshire up to now and have beloved each step. Let’s get into why!

Execs:

Nick: Pure footshape and widened toe field accommodate your match completely from begin to swelling.

Nick: The Boomerang Footbed offers eternal cushion and rebound, I actually discover this to be one of many stars of the present, so to talk. 

Nick: Nitrogen-infused supercritical Flyspeed Professional midsole has stored my legs recent from mile 3 to 30 and even additional!

Nick: Sturdiness, at 120 miles I see no degradation within the Flyspeed Professional foam or the Boomerang fFootbed. I see no challenge routinely getting 500 plus GOOD miles out of those sneakers. 

Nick: The Graphene-Grip traction has offered secure and safe footing for me in every thing the White Mountains of New Hampshire should throw at it.

Nick: Padded tongue is among the many finest I’ve tried.

Cons:

Nick: Solely two shade choices!

Nick: Graphene-Grip not one of the best on moist slimy slab.. Alathough I’m not certain something is.

Nick: Weight is a bit excessive, however Talon makes up for consolation!

Most comparable shoe 

Altra Timp 5

Stats

Approx. Weight: 9.65 oz / 274g US9 

  Pattern Weights: 

     males’s 9.9  oz / 281g US 9.5

Whole stack 37mm heel / 31mm forefoot

 (contains 6mm outsole lugs, 1mm base rubber & 6mm footbed) 

Midsole Stack Top:  18mm heel /  24mm forefoot 

Platform Width:  85mm heel /  63mm midfoot  /115 mm forefoot 

First Impressions, Match and Higher

Nick: The Inov8 Trailtalon Max is available in each a large match and an ordinary match model. 

I went with the usual match, and it has confirmed to be loads vast for my toes which can be used to the broader platform Altra offers. This felt like slipping on a very good glove as soon as laced up. 

The padded tongue and higher wrap the foot higher than virtually any sneakers I’ve ever worn. Some sneakers I’ve a tough time dialing within the lace tightness to provide a safe match however not being overly tight. This shoe strikes the proper stability of giving me a safe match for any technical terrain with out having to even give it some thought. 

Nick: The colour method was a bit brilliant for me to begin out, however shortly light to a subdued slime inexperienced with a lightweight layer of mud or grime often protecting them now. Simply how they need to be. 

Nick: The “pure footshape” that Inov8 follows with this final gave me simply sufficient room to not be anxious about taking these into huge mileage days the place foot swelling after 20 hours of mountaineering is kind of frequent. These actually present a large toe field whereas not compromising on the safe match of the remainder of the shoe, a stability I’ve seen others fall far shorter on. 

Midsole & Platform

Nick: That is the place the magic occurs!! The supercritical nitrogen-infused Flyspeed Professional midsole actually involves life with every step. It offers a naturally propulsive journey with glorious rebound that doesn’t fade deep right into a hike or race. 

I used to be blown away how recent my toes felt after a 20 mile outing within the Pemigewassett Wilderness. The Flyspeed Professional midsole foam is actually on the softer aspect, however is agency sufficient to not degrade the longer you go. I’ve by no means had a foam preserve my toes this recent on the rooty, rocky, and uneven terrain I get to name dwelling within the White Mountains of New Hampshire. 

Inov8’s well-known Boomerang TPU beads insoles included!

The stack top of those being center of the street, leaves me with a secure journey over uneven and infrequently tripping-prone terrain. 

These will probably be my go-to for an upcoming 700 mile via hike connecting the White Mountain Direttissima, the Cohos Path, and the Lengthy Path which may have each sort of terrain to actually put these to the check. I’ve little doubt they are going to be superior, as I’ve had associates recover from 1000 miles out of Inov8 trailrunners earlier than! 

Outsole

Nick: This was my huge query mark when first taking them out for a spin. I’ve grown accustomed to the superb grip Altra and La Sportiva sneakers supply on the tough terrain I can usually run into. From moist slab, knee deep mud, rocky and rooty single monitor, and steep granite faces these have carried out nothing however encourage confidence. 

The 6mm lugs present nice traction on softer terrain and dust, whereas the Graphene-Grip outsole has stored me glued to every thing else. 

The one spill I took whereas carrying these was stepping over a slimy moss lined rock on a misty morning.. I’m not certain something would have carried out me good stepping on that one!

Trip, Conclusions and Suggestions

Nick: The journey is a naturally responsive and secure expertise. With a energetic foam composition within the midsole and the TPU Boomerang Footbed insert, my toes really feel nice even after lengthy lengthy days in among the nation’s most brutal terrain. Rock safety underfoot and across the toe field is actually satisfactory, leaving nothing extra to be desired. I can not overstate how properly this shoe wraps the form of my foot , having been in Altra Timps for a few years this was a nice shock. The lace lockdown is one of the best I’ve tried on path trainers, eliminating my must cease noon to loosen the laces as my toes swelled. 

Nick: General this shoe has A LOT to like for me. It’s secure, protecting, bouncy, responsive, grippy, and safe. My one thought could be possibly a Vibram Megagrip outsole for moist slab versus the Graphene-Grip which does nice in all however the wettest and slipperiest slabs. That is in all probability due partly to the 6mm lugs on the outsole which offer excellent grip in all however the wettest slimy rocks. Possibly a bit extra of a energetic foam wouldn’t damage, however I actually admire the stability the Flyspeed Professional gives.

Nick’s Rating: 9.1 /10

Trip- 9.0- responsive journey with a secure platform and never too rockered make for an ideal match all day lengthy

Match- 9.5- The lacing system and padded tongue work with the higher to envelope your foot in complete consolation and safety. Safe match leaves my toes protected even when charging downhills and your toes could be cramming ahead in most different sneakers. 

Worth: 9.5- At $170 these are actually not the most affordable choices, however not a giant step up from typical path working shoe costs (particularly for what you get). I feel this is a wonderful worth with premium foam supplies used within the midsole and footbed you’d often solely discover on sneakers properly over the $200 value level!

Fashion: 8- Want to see greater than two shade choices, however neither are huge misses for my part. It’s a sharp trying path runner, particularly when you splash some mud and grime on them!

Traction: 9.0- The 6mm lugs present excellent grip on softer surfaces and even the worst mud the Whites should throw at them. Glorious grip on the arduous granite slabs New Hampshire is understood for due to the Graphene-Grip compound used on the outsole. General, I feel the outsole balances every thing extraordinarily properly and may deal with absolutely anything I’ll throw at it. 

Rock Safety- 10- The layer of froth underfoot has at all times left my toes feeling nice after mountaineering on rocky and uneven terrain. I’ve not had any points feeling rocks underfoot, however on the identical time floor really feel is just not completely eradicated on this shoe. The bolstered toe field offers nice safety from stubbing your toes on cussed rocks and roots.

Comparisons

Nick: I’ve completely worn Altra Lone Peaks and Altra Timps for the final 7 plus years. I’ll  be higher fitted to comparisons when I’ve tried extra of a variety of path trainers. I’ve at all times hated how useless the EVA foam feels in the usual Altra sneakers, having at all times felt like I would like one thing extra. The Trailtalon Max has a roomy match within the toe field like each Altra fashions listed above, however with a safer midfoot and lacing system. 

The true separator is  the energetic and responsive journey from the nitrogen-infused midsole foam in comparison with the not so energetic EVA used within the Lone Peaks and Timps. 

Altra Timp 5 (RTR Overview)

NIck: The Timp 5 has been my go to path shoe for 1000’s of miles now. It performs superbly on the technical terrain right here. The vast toe field of the Timp additionally shines within the Trailtalon Max, however with the Trailtalon Max having a greater, for my part, match throughout the remainder of the foot. 

My greatest criticism is the EVA foam used within the Timp 5 leaves my toes feeling battered and beat down after huge epic days within the mountains, whereas the Flyspeed Professional midsole mixed with the Boomerang TPU footbed leaves my toes feeling recent mile after mile. This will probably be a HUGE improve for multiday pursuits the place my toes would slowly degrade every day in any path runners utilizing normal EVA foam within the midsole.

Index to all RTR opinions: HERE

Thanks for studying our overview!

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Inov8 TrailTalon Max

Tester Profiles

Nick is from the Boston space and moved to Lincoln, NH to pursue his love of lengthy distance endurance tasks and path working. He works at Burgeon Outside in Lincoln the place all their attire is made proper in home (Sam and Dominique from RTR first met Nick on the Burgeon retailer and we did a video collectively right here). He’s run the Lincoln 100 Miler twice previously yr, regardless of having beforehand by no means run greater than a 5k (18:41) street race. With 1000’s of miles logged on the rugged White Mountains path networks, it shocked him to have just lately discovered a love for street working. His present regiment contains about 60-70 miles per week on the street and 20 miles within the mountains. Keep tuned for an epic practically 700 mile endurance undertaking within the fall! 

Samples have been offered at no cost for overview functions. No compensation was offered by manufacturers for writing this text. RoadTrail Run does have affiliate partnerships and will earn fee on merchandise bought through procuring hyperlinks on this article. These partnerships don’t affect our editorial content material. The opinions herein are totally the authors’.