by Lee on September 1, 2011
There are certain shoes that I always look forward to slipping on before I head out for a run and I may have discovered my all-time favorite…the inov8 Road-X Lite 155s. I did have my early doubts though… I had always wanted to try a pair of inov8s due to their philosophy, minimal uppers, low profile, and rave reviews, but they always ran a little too narrow for my foot. My good friend Patton convinced my to give these a try and told me I would love them…actually he told Isis and she got these for my birthday. (She’s awesome like that)
As soon as I grabbed these guys out of the box I was shocked how light they were! The 155s come in under 6oz. for a US Men’s Size 10. I slipped on the shoes and held my breath trying to make my foot as narrow as possible. Let me tell you…the toe box is roomy! One of the roomiest “minimal” shoes I have ever tried. The total feel of these shoes is amazing. Although minimal, they still provide ample cushioning. These shoes are extremely level too…coming in with a 3mm drop from heel to toe. Oh yeah…couldn’t wait to take these guys out on the road.
I took them out for my first run and have never looked back. I’ve put these shoes through the ringer and haven’t found a single thing I would change…which is a pretty big statement for myself. In fact, many of my enduraLAB runners have purchased these shoes and have had the same feelings. One of the biggest concerns that I hear when someone first looks at the shoe is the extremely flat sole. I can say that I have worn these all over and haven’t had one slip. As far as distance is concerned, I wouldn’t think twice about wearing these in a marathon. That being said, I also believe my running form is where it needs to be to do this.
Overall, these have become one of my favorite shoes and I have rocked these over a lot of miles and in a ton of CrossFit WODs. If you’re looking for a lightweight, level, low-profile, and minimal shoe…look no further. Where can you get yourself a pair of these shoes? Give Patton a call over at Natural Running Store and use the code “RUNNINGCOUPLE” for 10% off and free shipping!
The Altra Instincts…aren’t they a thing of beauty? My feet think so! I don’t think I have ever been as excited for a shoe since I picked up my 1988 Air Jordans…
Yeah, these helped me get all the chicks in 4th grade.
Anyway…back to one of the most awesome running shoes in the universe and a shout out to the most radical (yeah…I’m bringing it back) running shoe store ever. I first found out about Altra from The Running Event in Austin, TX. As soon as I saw their mouth-watering Zero Drop line I had to have a pair. Plus, the foot-shaped design was going to give my toes the room they’ve been yelling about. I sat in front of the computer and anxiously waited for their release date…and then I got a call from Patton at the Natural Running Store…this is how I remember it
L – What’s up P-dog?
P – Dude, the Altras are in and they are soooo sweet!
L – Tell me you have an 11.5
P – Of course boyee…you’re going to dominate in these
L – It’s going to be epic…
Two days later the Instincts were on my doorstep. (Thanks for the free shipping Patton!)
Now I’ve ran in almost every kind of shoe…from the track spike in high school to the Chuck Taylor’s in CrossFit…being minimal in my Vibrams to running my first marathon in a pair of 2006 Air Max 360s (I don’t know what I was thinking). To this date, these are by far my favorite shoes. Let’s hit the highlights:
- No more pointy shoes! Who’s foot is shaped like that anyway? Well, besides Santa’s elves. With the foot-shaped design, my foot and toes have enough room to expand with my midfoot strike. No more blisters or missing pinky-toe nails for this guy!
- Zero drop construction…and I get a little cushioning for the hard pavement. Since I prefer the midfoot strike, I need a shoe that will allow that…and that is not one with a 14 mm drop.
- Conservative styling. While I do like a little color from time-to-time, I’m so glad Altra came out with some great looking shoes and didn’t try to get too flashy. Of course when you make a shoe like Altra does, I’d probably buy it in any color…
I’ve put several miles on these bad boys…speed sessions, long runs, and everything in between. I couldn’t be happier with these and can’t wait to see what Altra has up their sleeve. I hear there are some awesome things coming…and if you’re like me you’ll stay posted via their Twitter and Facebook pages to be the first to know.
