Innovate Bare-X 150 Review

It is so comfy... is it a slipper or is it a shoe

There is a ton that I love about the Inov-8 Bare-X 150, with only one little downside. The positives- Lightweight, roomy toe box, zero-drop, no tie lacing, look awesome, very durable, incredible comfortable. The downside...very little traction. All in all one of my favorite shoes yet.

Lightweight

The Inov-8 Bare-X weighs in at only 150g (hence the 150 in the name). I believe this makes the Inove-8 Bare-X 150 the lightest shoe produced by the Innovate company, and much lighter most other conventional, and minimalist running shoes.  

Zero Drop

The Bare series from Inov-8 all feature a zero-drop differential. this means that the heel is not raised higher than the forefoot, better accommodating a forefoot/midfoot landing while running. If you are new to zero-drop shoes, these shoes will likely require an adjustment period, but you are not getting any younger so their is no time like the present to adjust to a zero-drop shoe.

Upper

The single piece upper is perhaps my favorite feature of the Inov-8 Bare-X. The Inov-8 Bare-X are made to slide on like slippers, and are snug enough to not let your foot move around in the shoe with or without a gentle pull on the incredibly simple lacing system. so shoes simply slip on and off with ease, and there is no tying required. These are my go to shoes not just for running, but when I need to slip on a pair of shoes to take out the trash, or run to the store, or check the mail....Slip on...Slip off again. They are comfortable enough I have also been known to where them as my house slippers.

Outsole

I was skeptical when I was first considering the Inov-8 Bare-X because of the lack of rubber on the outsole. I thought "an EVA outsole will never hold up to the trails I run." I was wrong. Thus far I have put in 400 miles with these shoes, 95% of which are on the trails of Marin County where I have made my home.

The outsole is lacking in traction which is no problem at all if used as intended....on paved surfaces, on trail these shoes will work, but an steep or muddy terrain you will want to tred lightly.

Toe Box

Innov-8 did well by making all their Bare series shoes with a nice wide, foot accommodating toe box. Other great shoes by Inov-8 such as the popular F-Lite series are not overly narrow, but I do appreciate the extra room afforded by the Bare-X.

Where to get the best deal on Innovate Shoes

I bought my Inov-8s at TheClymb.com. this sight offers great deals on all sorts of outdoor gear including innovates. By ordering from TheClymb.com was able to purchase the Innovate Bare-X for $55. that is more that 50% off of the retail price of $120. Not to mention, if you sign up through this link, I will get $15 credit toward my next purchase.

https://www.theclymb.com/invite-from/leviwebb

Merrell Trail Glove Review

The Shoe to replace the Vibram Five Fingers

As a minimalist runner I must admit I have been awaiting the Merrell Trail Glove release for quite some time. Not being one to buy shoes without trying them on first, I went to REI the only retailer I could find that I was sure would be carrying the Trail Glove. Apparently size 10 is very popular in the bay area. I was there the day after the release and REI was sold out of size ten. So I tried on the 9 1/2 and the 10 1/2, after about 20 laps around the store and a 15 minutes in the buyers dilemma as to whether or not I should just settle for the 10 1/2, I eventually opted to return home and order size ten directly from Merrell.com. This was a postponed my excitement for another week as I anxiously awaited the arrival of my shiny new Merrell Trail Gloves. This was ultimately the right decision, when I tried on the size ten they fit like a glove, pun intended.

I immediately began to compare the trail glove to the minimalist shoe checklist to ensure I had made the best decision.

1. No raised heel
2. Wide Toe Box
3. Thin Flexible out sole
4. No unnecessary support features
5. Lightweight
6. Stylish
7. Affordable

No Raised Heel

The Merrell Trail Glove performs excellently in this area. It is truly a Zero-drop shoe. This means that the heal to toe differential is 0mm, as opposed to the traditional 12 mm offered by most traditional running shoes. this is number one because I feel this is the most important quality to look for in a minimalist shoe. Grade A+

Wide Toe box

I don't have an unusually wide foot, so this toe box was very generously sized. this is important as a wide toe box will allow the toes to naturally splay upon striking the ground. The toe box was easily as wide as my old school traditional running shoes, and much wider than most racing flats I have encountered on the market. Grade A+

Thin Flexible sole

According to Merrell the sole is made from 4 mm Vibram material. With the exception a 1mm forefoot plate to more evenly distribute weight, there is really nothing else separating the foot from the ground. In my opinion this is exactly the right amout of protection. Now that I have had the oportunity to try them out on some trails, the trail glove makes it easy to travel over sharp rocks and sticks and acorns and poop, protecting the foot without actually altering running stride. Grade A+

No unnecessary support features

Upon trying on the Merrel Trail Glove for the first time I did notice that they hug the arch of my foot. this concerned me at first, however, the material hugging the arch is quite flexible providing protection from debris more so than unnecessary arch support. The upper is cut well below the ankle allowing the ankle full range of motion with no interference. Grade A

Lightweight

The men's Merrell Trail Glove weighs in at about 6.2 ounces. this is about half the weight of my last pair of traditional trainers, but about twice the weight of my Huaraches. I have seen many shoes that are much more lightweight, however, while examining the shoe, I couldn't devise any ways of making the shoe lighter, while maintaining full functionality. Grade B+

Stylish

Very, I have only had these shoe for a week and the complements keep coming in. I did of course buy the Amazon colored Trail Glove directly from the Merrell website, (a color not available at REI.) Grade A

Affordable

At 110 dollars the Merrell Trail Glove is the second most expensive pair of shoes I have ever purchased. I must admit the price mad me quite hesitant, however, I have never not gotten my money worth out of a running shoe. I hope as more truely minimalist shoes become available the price will come down to a more reasonable price, still at $110 they are only $20 more than Vibram FiveFingers, and come in $50 less than Terra Plana Evo, and in my opinion the Merrell Trail Glove is a much better shoe than either of those brands. Grade B-

First Impressions

Upon receiving my Merrell Trail Gloves in the mail I canceled my 25 mile tempo run and opted for a hilly muddy 12 mile trail run, ( I never like to try to go to far in my first run in new shoes lest I end up 15 miles out and hobbling home covered in blisters.) Instantly these shoes where amazing, they truly had a barefoot feel. One thing that I instantly noticed is the traction. The traction of the Merrell trail glove is far better than any other minimalist shoe I have ever worn. Along with the shoe not sliding around on the muddy trails, even when wet, my foot didn't slide around in the shoe, a common problem with my huaraches.

These shoes are designed to be worn with no socks. This fact combined with all synthetic materials makes a shoe that does not hold water. In other words, no heavy shoes from running through a puddle.

Drawbacks

The only drawback that I have found is that somewhere in the inside of the upper lining of the my left shoe there was a seam that rubbed on my big toe. I didn't notice this until about mile 6, but by mile 10 it was very evident that something was amiss. When I finally removed my shoe, the rubbing had worn through the skin leaving a small hole on the top of my foot.

My poor big toe after first twelve mile run

This is an easy fix with a little tape, of some scissors to give the offender a trim, however, I am in the class that believe you should not have to fix brand new $110 dollar shoes.

Durability

So far I only have 100 miles on these shoes, and so far they are holding together excellently, but before I declare these shoes durable they will need to see at least another 400 miles. I will try to follow up when they reach that point.

Conclusion

All in all this is the best shoe I have ever worn. It has all the features needed to make it a great minimalist shoe. But this greatness comes at a price, $110 if you want to put a price tag on it. The only problem is the rubbing on my left toe, I took care of this easily, but hopefully this is something that Merrell will take care of before releasing the Merrell Trail Glove 2.0. Hopefully this is the only thing the change on the Merrel Trail Glove 2.0, unless they can find a magical more light weight material.

Have you tried the Merrell Trail Glove? What did you think? Leave your comments below.

Have you reviewed another minimalist shoe and want it featured on runnaturally.org? Email me and be published.

Low Cost Minimalist Running Shoes: A Van's Review

Everything I look for in a minimalist shoe is just beneath my feet

Two years ago I bought a my first pair of Vans. I paid six dollars for them at a thrift store in Berkeley. At the time I had never even considered Vans as a viable choice for a running shoe. As a crew leader for the northwest youth corps I was to spend a few months camping and I was looking for a comfortable slip on slip off shoe to wear when not wearing OSHA required 7 inch leather work boots. The shoes survived 3 months in the back country with barely any blemishes. In those three months I fell in love, so I have been wearing my Van's pretty much everyday since then. Tonight, for the first time I decided to were my Van's during my speed workout with the Tamalpa Club. Two words, Amazing. Okay, so just one word. I was blown away by how comfortable it is to run in my Van's. Then during my second mile repeat I began to analyze them, and it turns out that my six dollar Van's have all the key features that one should look for in a Minimalist shoe.

No Raised Heel

The toe to heel differential is Zero, it doesn't get any better than that.

Thin flexible sole

The sole is only millimeters thick. I may not be able to pick up toothpicks with my toes while wearing these shoes, but I can certainly feel changes in the terrain beneath my feet. Granted, I have had my Van's for two years, and I bought them used, so they are quite broken in, but I have no doubt that a new pair is nearly as thin and flexible.

Wide toe-box

There is plenty of room up there, vans are obviously designed for comfort.

No unnecessary support features

None

Lightweight

Okay, they could be lighter, but they are no heavier than a traditional running shoe. I didn't weigh them, but I estimate about 11 ounces. The pair that I am reviewing is made from waterproofed leather. Not the lightest material, but it has withstood the test of time. That brings me to my next point, the thing i look for in any shoe, or any apparel I buy... durability.

Durability

These are typically my everyday shoes. this means that I have work them hiking, hooping, playing flag football, dancing and pretty much any other activity you can imagine me doing in my everyday life, but not until tonight did I wear them purely as a running shoe. This means in purely running miles these shoes only have 7 miles on them. However, I should remind you that these shoes have lasted at least two years of everyday wear and tear, including three months in the back country. We must also keep in mind that I bought the shoes used. The shoes are no longer Sunday shoes but by all in all they have held up very well. Having newly discovered their awesomeness as a low cost minimalist shoe, I will continue to run in them (at least until my Merell trail gloves arrive in the mail) and I will keep you updated as to how the feel after two or three hundred miles.

Final feeling on Van's as a minimalist running shoe... they are great. they probably won't be my primary pair but they make an amazing back up pair, and are perfect for anybody that is just beginning barefoot or minimalist running, or those looking for a low cost minimalist shoe.

I have a sneaky suspicion that converse all-stars are also great minimalist shoes, and I also know that there are lots of them out there, so if any of you have tried Converse all-stars as a running shoe, I would love to post your review on RunNaturally.org.

Run Happy, Levi

Merrell Trail Glove Release Sets Standard for Shoe Makers

With its February 1st 2011 release of its Merrell Trail Glove, Merrell has become the first major shoe brand to release a zero drop running shoe that looks like a running shoe. I applaud merrell for their bravery in actually following through with a true Zero-Drop barefoot running shoe, and I reward them by buying a pair today. I have been anticipating these shoe for months I am so excited they are finally here. Also check out the barefoot training section Merrell has added to their site. Barefoot Connection.

Read an in depth review of the Merrell Trail Glove from Jason Robillard Author of The Barefoot Running Book. Read the Full Review

Update: Our Merrel Trail Glove Review is now ready.

Why I Choose no Shoes

I first started running when I was in high school. I decided to join the track team because I had a crush on a girl that ran track. What can I say, girls that run track are hot. I only ran my senior year before getting recruited at the college level. All through out college I was plagued every season with injury after injury. Plantar fasciitis, stress fractures, tendinitis, my joints creaked and popped with every step. In those days I never considered form. I thought injury was just a natural part of running, and I was running 70 to 90 miles per week. Despite injury I managed to perform well enough to make it on the national team 4 times and eventually become All-American my senior year. It wasn't until after college that I began to discover the cause of my injuries. It was 2001 while I was attempting to run through a sever case of plantar fasciitis while training for my first full marathon. In college I always just went to the trainer and he would say "Well, ice it and stay off it for a while." This always managed to deal with the immediate problem, but it never confronted the cause.

With no trainer to turn to, and myself studying to become a personal trainer, I did the research on my own. come to find out I, like 75% of shod runners was a heel striker, (a common flaw in shod running populations.) Come to find out, landing on your heels with each stride creates an enormous impact with each stride, (estimated about 3x body weight.) The answer then is to decrease the impact. to decrease the impact I needed to change to a forefoot stride. The process I used to do this is simply running barefoot.

I don't know why I had never considered this before, after all this is how humans ran for about 6 million years. Come to find out, nearly all shod runners that transition to barefoot, not just myself, will naturally transition to a forefoot stride, because when barefoot it is uncomfortable to run on your heels.

Barefoot runners have also noticed it is uncomfortable to run on your heels. Shoe companies have noticed this also and have attempted to fix this by padding the heel. this did make it more comfortable, but it is not the appropriate solution. If it is uncomfortable to run on your heels, don't run on your heels. After I discovered this it just seemed like common sense. If it hurts every time you punch yourself in the face, is it better to put on a boxing glove, or simply to not punch yourself in the face. Perhaps not the best analogy, but I think you get the point.

Transitioning to barefoot was not easy. I started out just a mile at a time, and after each run my calves were sore like I had never used them before, (really I hadn't.) It took months to condition my calves to barefoot running, in the mean time I put in most my miles shod, but focusing on the fore foot strike.

After allowing my body to learn to run barefoot, I then transitioned into minimalist shoes. Running barefoot is an excellent training technique to find natural running form, but running barefoot does admittedly become uncomfortable after a certain number of miles dependent on the terrain. For this reason, I now do most of my running in minimalist running shoes, but on occasion will still run barefoot to ensure I am not altering my natural running form.