Inov8 Evoskin Review

June 14th, 2010 • Related • Filed Under
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Last week Inov8 came to see us with a preview of the new Inov8 Evoskin in blue and grey. Although Evoskins aren’t available until Spring/Summer 2011, they’re already causing a stir in the barefoot running community as a rival to Vibram Five Fingers which have enjoyed exclusive coverage of the barefoot shoe market for many years.

So having tried Inov8 Evoskin shoes for ourselves, what did we think? Read our Inov8 Evoskin review to find out:

Inov8 Evoskins Review

Having been presented with a pair of Inov8 Evoskin shoes, I was pleased to find that they slipped on very easily. My toes slid into the holes and I could comfortably wiggle them once they were in. If anything the silicon material moulded around my foot, forming a very snug fit. The foot straps are removable as well, but I chose to keep mine on.

Walking around the warehouse and running up the stairs felt incredibly natural. I’d never attempt this in bare feet due to the sharp metal gratings and splinters in the wooden floor boards. But in the Evoskins my feet were perfectly safe. But, I could still feel that there was metal or wood beneath my feet. The Inov8 Evoskins were also suprisingly grippy.

When I took them off to examine the soles, the silicon material hadn’t sustained a single mark. So not only are they comfy, light and snug fitting, they’re tough too while offering detailed feeling underfoot.

As an independant retailer, FitnessFootwear.com shouldn’t openly compare Inov8 Evoskin to Vibram Five Fingers -but we will!

For me, the Evoskins really did fit like a glove and didn’t restrict the movement of my toes. There was a tighter feeling, but I could comfortably wiggle my piggies. Plus, the silicon material really hugged my foot all round for a very natural fit.

Vibram Five Fingers look cool. There’s no question about that. However, the Evoskins fit better and you also get a better feeling underfoot. They’re also very easy to clean by simply rinsing them under a tap. And they fold up very easily to fit into small pockets!

Both shoes provide the same level of protection and grip. Although I’d put my money on the Vibram sole for stepping on seriously sharp objects.

I’m confident that both will be popular for different reasons. Evokskin has a better fit and feel while Five Fingers have that ‘cool factor’ and thicker pad protection.

Inov8 Evoskin also retails for £45 while Vibram Five Fingers retail from £90 and upwards.

For more info on the new Inov8 Evoskin range, check out: http://www.fitnessfootwear.com/c-418-inov8-evoskin.aspx

Popularity: unranked [?]

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There Are 10 Responses So Far. »

  1. Comment by Bryon Powell on 14 June 2010:

    While you may not have noticed given the short length of the test, do you suspect that the Evoskins will collect pools of sweat. Silicon doesn’t breathe so well…

  2. Comment by Bobby Gill on 14 June 2010:

    Could you please comment on the breathability of the Evoskins? I would not imagine the silicon material would be very porous and this could lead to substantial sweating and moisture buildup, especially when running. Thanks!

  3. Comment by Jeremy Kuo on 15 June 2010:

    Thanks for posting your initial impressions!

    As you can imagine, that fleeting tweet from Inov-8 sparked quite an interest!

    1. Is the outsole made of 1-piece silicon with the uppers or a thicker rubber compound?
    2. Is the upper silicon micro-perforated for breathability?

  4. Comment by Kyle on 15 June 2010:

    Hey if you guys ever need a test subject to wear the Evoskin around and collect responses then I’m in. You wouldn’t even have to pay me I’d do it for free money wise the only request I would ask is that I could keep a pair of the Evoskins for myself. I honestly cannot wait for the Evoskin to come out. I have several Vibram Fivefinger pairs and love them but want an even more barefoot feel and I think you guys have the answer. If you ever need to contact me about being a mainland test subject in everyday life, you have my email.

    P.S. I live in the U.S.

  5. Comment by admin on 16 June 2010:

    Whilst these shoes are still in development phase, we believe a number of modifications may take place, such as the breathability of the material. It was certainly something we gave our feedback on when wearing them, so fingers crossed!

  6. Comment by admin on 16 June 2010:

    hey Kyle, if you are interested in testing for us – take a look at this link
    http://www.fitnessfootwear.com/t-product-testers.aspx

    its a new service we have just launched, however – at this stage we cannot supply the evoskins, but im sure we could put your name down

  7. Pingback by More minimalist shoes on the horizon: Inov-8 Evoskin, GoLite and more… | Barefoot Brandon on 25 June 2010:

    [...] Five Fingers and from the image, you can see why! If interested, check out Birthday Shoes and Fitness Footwear for reviews and product [...]

  8. Pingback by Vibram Five Fingers – The Review | What a Palaver on 27 June 2010:

    [...] for wearing them but they aren’t anywhere near as ugly as the inov8 Eco shoes reviewed here by Adam at Fitness Footwear. If I’m tempted by beauty or at least the allure of a normal looking shoe I’d be [...]

  9. Comment by Sarah on 27 August 2010:

    Would you be able to recommend these for wild swimming / snorkelling in coastal areas? I currently use reef shoes but they are rather heavy and cumbersome for swimming in, and my Fivefingers get too soggy!

  10. Comment by admin on 31 August 2010:

    We think they’d be perfect for watersports. They’re suprisingly grippy!

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