Customer Reviews inov-8 Road-X™ 233

I was looking for a new shoe to replace my Nike Frees for running and inov-8 F-Lite 230's that I m using for CrossFit. The F-Lites are great for CF and shorter runs, but I like a shoe a little more substantial for longer running workouts and when I just go running. The Road Xs are the perfect amount of cushioning I was looking for: slightly more than the F-Lite 230's (noticeable under the mid and forefoot) but not too much. These feel very similar to my beloved Nike free 3.0s in terms of cushioning, but they're still firm enough to use for most CrossFit workouts. The fit is spot on. The heel and mid foot are snug, and there is just enough room in the toe box without feeling like your toes are completely lost. I would love more color choices in these models. Not that I hate the red/white, but colors similar to the F-Lites would be great! I would definitely recommend these shoes to people who haven't tried inov-8s yet as a stepping stone to the F-Lites. Great shoe! Thanks inov-8!

I love these shoes, they are incredibly comfortable but really light as well. I'm not used to such a a thin design, which is why I gave them 4 out of 5 stars for comfort.

Comfortable, lightweight, minimalist shoe. A bit wider than the 230 or 195, I use it for 5K racing.

Promised wouldn't go far. Ended doing 5.5 miles. Should have stopped. Can't wear new shoes without getting at least one blister. Other than that great shoe. Did a little jogging but mostly walking. Shoe is a little narrow, but my other pair, Bare-Grip 200 stretched after some use. I imagine this one will do the same. I just wish they made it in more colors.

I was looking for a lightweight shoe with low/no heel drop. The shoe is very stylish and very light/flexible. The mostly mesh upper is thin and stretchy. I really wanted to like to these. However, whatever last they build these on has a pronounced inward curve at the toe. I found that my pinkie and 4th toes were squished inward and there was a noticeable gap between my big toe and the inside edge of the shoe. I returned them obviously. If the toe box was straight and maybe just a bit wider, I'd have kept 'em.

I am going to be honest. I hated this shoe after 4 runs (I have been running for 3+ years). The back of the shoe by the ankle on one foot started rubbing against the back of my ankle giving me a blister. After I ran a few more times with this shoe my feet started to feel numb. I am also not a big fan of the unisex sizing-I think on me that is why they did not work very well, my feet are not built like a man's. The only time they felt perfect is at the end when they were all stretched out and about ready to go in the garbage bin. I did a Warrior Dash and I was never so happy to throw a pair of running shoes into the dirty shoe pile. I would never buy this brand again.

I alternate short runs and speed work using a low to zero drop shoe, with a traditional shoe for longer distances. My zero drops had worn out an needed to be replaced. I'd seen Inov-8 before and decided to try them when I noticed that my previous brand seemed to have some quality issues with their latest models. I bought my regular size, US 10.5 and at first they looked long but that's because they have a narrow appearance that draws attention to the length. After wearing them, my opinion is that they aren't particularly narrow in practice, nor are they long. If anything they're a tad shorter than a regular size. The toe box his very roomy which I appreciate. My toes spread out a little bit from wearing lots of sandals on the weekend I guess. The heel snugs up nicely and holds my foot comfortably in position. I've taken them for several runs of 2-3 miles on the road, at speed, training and race paces and after some initial tightness in my calves because I hadn't been training with a zero drop shoe for awhile, I'm really enjoying them. For me, they have a very modest drop (6mm) for running with a more natural style, while still providing some cushioning and protection from the road surface, hazards and mileage.

I have been running with minimalist shoes on trails and had stuck to slightly more cushioned shoes for road running (6ft /175lb) until I realized that my legs were tiring out more on the road and tightening up from the more rigid structure of the road shoe. I tried the Innov 233 (run with Salomon, Speedcross or Innov-8 f-lite 235 otherwise) and loved them from the moment I put them on my feet. They fit like a glove and hold up great even at long distance. I recently ran the marathon of an Ironman in these shoes - no tightening up of muscles, tendons, no hot spots or blisters ... Happy feet all the way to the final sprint across the line 5hrs later. Key is to strengthen the feet and legs first to make the transition to minimalist to not get hurt but once you are there this is the shoe to take you further. Enjoy and have fun on the road.

I'm a bigger guy (over 200lbs), have wide flatter feet than most and occasionally pronate and crossfit a lot. Normally I where the F-Lite 195 or 230's and love those shoes. I was a little reluctant to order theses shoes in fear that they would feel clunky (like motion control shoes), but I would go to say that I like these more so than that other inov8 shoes that I have. There's more grip, and overall just feel better. Not to say the other inov8's are bad in anyway. Perfect for those workouts with running and dead lifting (because of the flat sole). Love them. They do tend to run a half size big.

I love these shoes! I'm addicted to Inov-8 shoes now. I started with the Women's 238 until they wore down, but these are just as good. The only down side is that you really have no tread. So you cannot really take these off road and they do wear down pretty quickly. I wear my standard 1½ sizes above street shoes.

Fantastic shoe. The only thing I feel it lacks is a better grip on the bottom for cross fit training. I feel my feet slide quite a bit no matter the surface.

I finally found a shoe that works well for most of my Crossfit words. Fits nice and tight around the ankles.

Love these shoes - upgraded to them from the F-Lite 230 and just feel like a good run in them. The plantar band technology makes all the difference to me.

I was looking forward to trying these shoes because of this new trend for minimalist shoes. I have to say am very happy with my purchase. This shoes are the best I've tried among the minimalist category. They are light, comfortable, flexible with a natural motion. You run low to the ground and they give you enough feedback from it. Toebox is wide enough for foot to splay; I also use the F Lite 195 from Inov 8 and the X Road 233 toebox is wider. In summary, I highly recommend this shoe for those who wants to try a minimalist shoe without going to the extreme of running barefoot.

I bought these shoes for Crossfit, mostly due to the fact that they're quite flat. I have the New Balance Minimus Trail shoes, but found them a little too minimalist for running, at least for me. The Road-X shoes have enough of a rise in the heel to provide a little support, but are still great for the lifting and other exercises that are a huge part of Crossfit. I love them!

These are excellent running shoes for crossfitters looking to start to log some more miles. They offer more support than the F-Lite 230 and are well constructed for road running. I highly recommend them.

Good minimalist shoe. I use it for running and crossfit. There are a couple of worries though. The mesh upper stretches and the shoe gets looser over time. Lack of tread makes these shoes very slick on wet/smooth surfaces.

I ordered these shoes just before we went to Disney World and my first time wearing them was to walk in the Park the entire day. They were comfortable and lightweight but had good support and my feet never hurt. Could not be more pleased with these shoes. I have since exercised in them and they have good support for a low profile shoe. I also have the f-lite 230's which have less sole and not as comfortable if you run on pavement as the Road-X 233. Great for Crossfit/crosstraining too. I buy a half size up for swelling on runs and this shoe has plenty of room in the toe box. Great shoe and would buy again. Highly recommend. Color is not as loud on the feet as may appear in picture.

Ran with these from Yorktown to Manhattan on New Years Eve, 40 miles. All pavement, North county and South County trail. Shoes held up great. I really enjoy the feel and style of the inov8 shoes.

Love this shoe for CrossFit. Offers far more support than the popular Inov8 F-Lite series because the Road-X series incorporates the 'dynamic fascia band' underfoot (which slightly stiffens the shoe). The base of the Road-X series is also wider than the F-Lite series, and Road-X has 6mm drop (as compared to 3mm drop in F-Lite). This is still a very minimal shoe in comparison to the mainstream. I am a 9 in Nike running shoes and also a 9 (UK8) in these and my orthotics fit! Probably the most comfortable shoes I've ever put on my feet! Yeah Zappos!

This is my 3rd pair. The shoe is great for my forefoot strike. A half size down leaves me feeling sure footed and my transition is smooth. These shoes last about 6 months, about 20 miles/week and 200lbs.

This is an excellent minimalist running shoe in general and especially as a transition to a really low profile shoe like the Road X 155 or F Lite 195. Just enough padding to feel like something is there yet definitely less than 98% of shoes on the market. Durable, comfortable as well. I have three pairs of Inov-8s and have worn them in every condition with none of them losing effectiveness or even showing signs of wear. This is a solid brand of shoes. I have a wide foot and the 233 is a good fit. Size was right on what my other shoes are, in all brands.

I use other shoes for running, but the Inov-8 Road-X are excellent as a casual summer athletic shoe. Light, unique, cool, and excellent comfort. A+++.

Great shoes, very lightweight and no problems with blisters even though I did not run them in. The front is shaped a bit strange (bend inward) though, which means I had 1cm space on the big toe but hardly any furthest out.

Shoes look amazing. I get comments on them all the time. Super light and responsive. The toe of the shoe is unlike any shoe. The only negative is that they just feel big.