Inov-8 Bare-XF 210 Shoe,Black/Grey,11.5 M US Men/13 M US Women
2Inov-8 Bare-XF 210 Shoe,Black/Grey,11.5 M US Men/13 M US Women
- Airmesh upper
- ZERO-DROP 0mm heel-to-toe differential with zero midsole
- TPU Lacing Suppor with Rope-Tec
Due to the differential and midsole in this shoe the foot remains as close to the ground as possible. This is a shoe designed for a whole host of activities; weightlifting, running, climbing, gym work and many more.There is a sticky rubber sole and low heel that provides a strong base, perfect for carrying heavy loads, and the one piece TPU lacing support provides all-round durability.The exclusive sticky rubber compound which has been specially developed using climbing rubber technology. This r
List Price: $ 120.00
Price: $ 96.76
D. Douville “3dpipeline.net”
Great for outdoor/rough floor Martial Arts applications, Kung fu, tai chi, MMA and other styles,
During formal Wing Chun classes, we train on hardwood so I go barefoot. However, all of my advanced training is outdoors and that’s where foot protection is required. My Sifu (teacher) has been pushing me to buy Inov-8s for over a year. He raved about them. He said my running shoes were destroying my footwork and stability. I had a motorcycle accident last year which crushed my left ankle, and the deep tread on my New Balance running shoes were making things worse during martial arts training. So I finally bit the bullet and grabbed a pair off of Amazon.
These INOV-8 shoes have entirely changed my approach to training. I can comfortably do a full two hours of warm ups, baghua palm changes and circle walking, wing chun forms and fast-paced turning drills and footwork, then finish it off with tai chi for a cooldown. Because they weigh virtually nothing, I don’t think about them. Instead, since I can feel the ground really well in the 3mm sole, and the traditional over-zealous running shoe support is no longer impeding my sensitivity, I can focus on correct balance and posture. The soles are thin enough to feel the ground (though if you need a thicker sole for your training for some reason, I think there’s a 6mm model), yet thick enough to protect my feet on rough wood, tile, pavement and cement.
Where these shoes won’t work well is on indoor hardwood. The sole is targeting the running community, so it is very sticky. The tread is light, which is a plus, but make no doubt that these things offer traction for your feet. But for martial arts application with a lot of twisting and rotation, this can actually have the opposite effect on ankles and knees. If INOV-8 could make a martial arts shoe with a sole that took into account a lot of twisting and rotation (heel and ball), which most martial arts involve, and slightly reduced the stickiness, indoor application would be much improved (but I realize these shoes weren’t originally designed with this application in mind, they are a runner’s shoe).
Anyway, I’m thinking of buying several pair and stocking up on them. My teacher has gone through 2 pairs in 2 years, so they tend to last as well. And on the plus side – the sole will break in and wear down a bit so they are more comfortable on hardwood indoors if that is your training preference as a martial artist.
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|JMoney17
Great Minimalist Shoe,
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