Item: Inov-8 TrailFly Speed
Rating: 4.2
Author: Kelly Greene

ProView – Inov-8 TrailFly Speed Review

February 7, 2025January 28, 2025Inov-8, ProView Gear Reviews, Running Kelly Greene

I tested the TrailFly Speed on several shorter (3 to 7 mile) runs and hikes near Boulder, Colorado. After some recent injuries my physical therapist recommended toe yoga and wider toe box shoes. I’ve had a hard time finding options that aren’t too wide throughout the rest of the foot because my feet are very long and narrow. I was excited to give these trail runners a try and was pleasantly surprised that even though they have the wide toe box, I can still snug them up around my instep and heel and the fabric of the upper doesn’t wrinkle or buckle when I do.

Inov-8 TrailFly Speed

Product Name: Inov-8 TrailFly Speed

Product Description: Who said trail running should be slow? Unleash your inner animal and fly over the ground in the TRAILFLY SPEED: trail racing shoes for hard and rocky ground. Built on a brand-new, anatomical shape, the TRAILFLY SPEED hugs the natural contours of your foot. The shoe fits snugly at the heel, giving you that locked-in feel, and then widens to allow your toes to splay. This gives a comfortable, secure and responsive feel as you race over technical trail.

Offer price: MSRP: $160.00

Quality

(5)
Features

(4)
Durability

(5)
Fit

(5)
Eco-Friendly

(2)

Summary

A nice wide toe box option for trail runners looking for adequate cushion on hard and rocky terrain.

Overall

4.2

Pros

Comfortable
Good Tread
Wide Toe Box

Cons

Laces are thin and not the easiest to tighten

Features

In addition to the fit, these shoes offer just the right amount of cushion for rocky and rooty trails with what Inov8 calls their POWERFLOW PRO foam. I’d put them in the goldilocks category of not being too cushioned/minimalist, but also not like a barefoot/minimalist shoe which many wider toe box companies like to combine. Inov8 also touts their BOOMERANG FOOTBED for high energy return while running, which to me just felt like solid, comfortable cushioning.

The soles, with their graphene rubber grip, gave me good traction on everything but ice and snow – on a particularly snowy mission the treads did get a little bit clogged with the fresh snow, but this isn’t something that I’ve experienced any better from other options out there. In addition, while the soles look and feel beefy, the shoes are still surprisingly lightweight at 270 grams.

Friendliness to the Earth

Inov8 doesn’t specifically call out anything related to sustainability in these shoes specifically, but does have a spot on their website that shows their improving sustainability goals for their company including a focus on recycling end-of-life shoes and measuring their carbon footprint.

Room for Improvement

The only frustration I have with these shoes, that is not exclusive to Inov8, is the thin shoe laces. When I have to snug shoes on my narrow feet, the skinnier laces don’t distribute pressure as well and can cause some tight feeling spots that take some extra adjustment.

The Final Word

When looking for trail running shoes, fit is my top priority because I have long and narrow feet and often have a hard time finding shoes long enough that still hug them in the way I want them to. Inov8 has created a great, wide-toe box option that fit well and are grippy, lightweight and provide just the right amount of cushion.

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Inov-8, Running, running shoes, trailrunning

About the Gear Tester

Outdoor Prolink Pro

Kelly Greene

Ski Patroller, Corporate Wellness

Originally from the mountains of Maine, Kelly has been a ski patroller since she was 16 years old. Her love of the outdoors drove her to a degree in Outdoor Recreation Business Administration followed by an M.A. in Exercise Physiology from Columbia University. Since graduating Kelly moved to Colorado and still patrols, manages a fitness & cycling program for a large climbing gym and works full-time in corporate wellness. When she isn’t helping improve the fitness of others or teaching the next generation of patrollers, you can usually find her on or near rocks – jumping off of them on her skis, avoiding them while guiding friends through whitewater, biking over them, or climbing to the tops of them. Connect with her on Instagram @Kelly_ventures.