The inov-8 X-Talon 190 - 2014 update

     The inov-8 X-Talon 190 is an award winning shoe, and this update has only improved it. There are plenty of reviews out there, so why keep reading?

My take is hopefully a more practical one, putting the shoe through its ‘paces’ in the real world.

     So, let’s get to it. The inov-8 X-Talon 190 is designed to be light and fast, and at less than 190g for my size 7 it achieves that brief. Please read what Mr inov-8 says about the technical side on his site if you need more familiarization with the shoe.

     Pulling it out of the box, I was blown away by the colour. It is not a shy shoe. The hi-vis orange is intense. Do I like it? Yes, Yes I do. In the wild, orange means danger, to any trail racing competitors this orange should spark a warning of what’s coming. 

The inov-8 X-Talon 190 - 2014 update

     Size wise, they only go down to a 7, so I had to take it. My 6.5 UK is just not available – my one whinge! I was aware that they are the narrow last, so I would have opted for that extra half size for my slightly wider feet. If you’ve been following my Facebook thread, you’ll see how I blew apart the inov-8 trailroc 235s. One of the updates on the X-Talon was an increase to the plastic protection along both sides of the shoe. It runs a lot longer than in the previous generation and I am confident that it will hold my feet and prevent premature tearing of the mesh.

     An old school sizing trick is to take out the inner bed of a shoe and measure up, so here’s how it compares to my inov-8 f-lite 252s. You can see how the green f-lites are significantly shorter by both size (6.5UK) and length (the natural last) compared to the grey X-Talon on the inov-8 performance last. It is a long and narrow shoe compared to my other inov-8s. The inov-8 mesh is very breathable and has a lot of give, so the X-Talon 190 hugs your foot like a second skin. 

The natural 252 last is wider

The X-Talon 190 last is long and narrow

     They don’t feel tight or restricting. The f-lites on inov-8s natural last are more relaxed and allow my feet to spread more easily.

2mm lugs on the f-lite 252s

     So, how do they perform? I could write about the incredible grip and traction that they give and how I can run like the wind with them on and it would be true. All that you have read stacks up. What I wanted to know was what the sole like was? How big would those cleats be? 

     Again my f-lite 252s are the yard stick. As you can see, the f-lite grip is 1-2mm deep. This gives you more than enough traction on most trails, except when you get to the wet clay/mud/slippery rock. When the going gets rough and muddy, I call for the updated X-Talon 190. The 10mm lugs provide enormous potential for traction. With good running form, they really do tear into the mud and allow you to go almost anywhere.

10mm (1cm) lugs on the X-Talon 190

     So what does anywhere mean? I have worn these at the clay based Silvan Reservoir (a short film clip of my running the trails) and on the many varied surfaces in the Dandenong Ranges, both less than 20 minutes from my doorstep. My last run was a 21km training run with the Dandenong Trail Runners and it’s from this run that my review was formed. The following pictures show the surfaces we covered and how I rate the updated X-Talon 190s effectiveness.

X-Talon 190 heaven - choose your own destiny

Tread with caution - you'll soon learn your
running form on firm ground - not a happy place for talons

Muddy Clay = Happy talons
& animal like traction on climbs

Loose rock + X-Talon 190 = superb grip
& confidence on descents

     At the end of the run my feet came up well. The talons drain very well so there was no wet and soggy feet to contend with. I’d managed to avoid the real rocky stuff and the bitumen as much as I could, so in terms of padding and protection I was still walking comfortably. This carried over to the next day.

     So, to conclude the inov-8 X-Talon 190 is an excellent shoe. With good running form the precision fit and light weight does let you fly through the trails like a bird of prey, hunting down slower competitors. On softer, wetter, muddy tails the big lugs have serious bite and let you climb anything that’s in your way. You can also storm down the other side, knowing that the Talons will grip and release the surface with every stride. As my peers have written, I must caution on choosing your trails wisely when running with the X-Talon 190. They are quite unforgiving on firm trails and roads. 

     With this in mind, enjoy your new x-talon 190s. Just don’t go catching any fish!

Cheers once more, Lachie