Inov-8 celebrates 10th anniversary
I can remember when I first heard about Inov-8 off-road running shoes. I was editor of Weekend Living on the Herald and I actually spoke to the owner of Inov-8 Wayne Edie. He was so passionate about his new style of off-road trainers and I gave him a fair amount of publicity in the magazine. It’s now the 10th anniversary of this great brand and I own around a 10 pairs of Inov-8 shoes! I have worn out several pairs over the last decade. I also favour Inov-8 running rucksacks and have one that is falling apart from over-use. These days, Wayne has handed over much of the contact work to a press and marketing team. His company is a massive global brand. Perhaps one day he’ll give me an interview?!
Where did Inov-8 begin?
First Inov-8 Mudroc 290
The inov-8 journey started in 2003 with one vision: To create natural, lightweight footwear with powerful grip that could handle the most demanding off-road trails. I remember my first pair of Inov-8s where the Mudroc 290s. I fell in love with these shoes because they fitted my narrow feet so well and gave me amazing traction on off-road trails. They even clinched me a podium spot in an off-road running race while all others around me slipped around on the mud in “normal” trainers.
Inov-8 in 2013
Today, you’ll see so many people wearing Inov-8 trainers (as well as a host of other branded off-road trainers that have been created in Inov-8’s wake). These days, Inov-8 sells a huge range of off-road and on-road trainers as well as an apparel and pack range and has expanded with considerable success into new sports such as CrossFit.
Latest news from Inov-8
· On the 10th anniversary, Inov-8 have launched their first ever apparel range. International mountain runners have been busy testing the athletic-fitting jackets, base layers, t-shirts, tights and shorts on the UK and Europe’s most extreme summits and ridges. One of the star turns in the range is the Race Elite Thermoshell, which is reversible and boasts two insulation options
· First weightlifting shoe, called the Fastlift has also been brought out. The shoe is the lightest of its kind (335g for men and 315g for women) and allows functional fitness athletes to smash both lifting and multi-discipline workouts
· Also new for autumn/winter 2013 is updated versions of the classic X-talon 212s and 190s (the numbers represent the weights of shoes).
In addition Inov-8 works with a wide range of athletes and events that embody the Inov-8 ethos of Extreme Athletic Performance.
Search Inov-8 in my blog and you’ll find some shoe reviews. I am currently testing a pair of Inov-8 Road Extreme 158s. I will be blogging about these soon.