Article by Matt Kolat
Inov-8 Roadfly Max (£120)
Introduction
Last year I had the utmost pleasure in testing the Inov-8 RoadFly (RTR Review) There were so many reasons why I loved RoadFly but if I was to list my top three they would be the following. First of all it was extremely budget friendly at £100/$130 you could call it a steal. Secondly it was a no-frills ride, which in the age of never ending gimmicks and extremely expensive running tech was a breath of fresh air - running shoes should be a vehicle for running - at least to some of us. It’s a simple sport and it’s good to have the tools to keep it this way or at least an option to do so, the RoadFly certainly is that.
My third favourite quality of the RoadClaw was how fast, nimble and simultaneously stable they were and thus a product appealing to a great variety of runners.
I was not allowed to share it at the time but our friends at Inov8 shared with me that there may be a flanker model coming out in 2025 and here it is - the Inov8 RoadFlyMax! Will it live to the hype it’s older sibling managed to create? Let’s find out - please join me in yet another Road Trail Run review!
Pros:
Budget friendly
No-frills neutral ride
Feel very fast and light
Top of the line grip
Expected high longevity
Great on treadmill despite the added cush
Cons:
No flashy tech / traditional ride (might be a positive for some!)
Firm cushioning, especially in the forefoot (again might be a positive for some!)
Slightly less stable than the original
Most comparable shoes
Inov8 RoadFly
Nike Pegasus
Stats
Spec weight: 9.71oz / 275g men's US9
Sample Weights:
men’s 10.97oz / 311 g 12US/11UK/45.5EU
Full Stack Height: 33mm heel / 27mm forefoot
Platform Width (sample received was the wide version): 88mm heel / 64mm midfoot / 120mm forefoot
First Impressions, Fit and Upper
As you can probably tell from the introduction I was quite excited about the Max! I’ve asked Inov8 to send me the wider version and it fits me very well. That said the way the widths work in this shoe is that it is only wider in the forefoot not the midfoot.
The upper is made from a traditional mesh upper which I found very comfortable. The laces are flat and stay put as does the gusseted tongue.
The heel counter is very flexible and only adds a tad structure providing just a little bit of support. The massive pull tab makes putting the RoadFlyMax on a breeze.
In terms of sizing I would consider it a perfect true to size shoe, go with your usual size.
Midsole & Platform
The midsole of the shoe I would describe as relatively firm and rigid especially in the forefoot. While a lot of runners these days are looking for mountains of soft cushioning I quite enjoyed the firmness. The back of the midsole is considerably softer which gives the shoe a very neutral character, especially for heel strikers.
The midsole is made of supercritical, nitrogen infused FlySpeedPro foam. But being completely honest, gun to head, I was convinced that I am running on an EVA platform. That was most likely due to the firmness and the relatively low stack.
The Boomerang beaded TPU insert softens the cushioning a little and is quite substantial. When removed it leaves plenty of room to be replaced by personalised insoles, adding a touch of stability.
As you surely noticed in the stats presented at the top of the review, the shoe is very broad in the forefoot however narrows quite a bit in the midfoot. This again makes it a truly neutral shoe if you are an overpronator it is probably not for you. If you are however a forefoot striker and have a neutral gait it’s all good news.
Outsole
If I was to name the best outsoles on the market in terms of grip and longevity I would probably classify Inov8 as one of the top two (the other being PumaGrip). Seriously, the stuff just sticks like glue. In fact the RoadFly Max is a road shoe by definition but because of the grip and the 2mm lugs it can be easily approached as a mixed terrain shoe and would easily work on packed trail or grass. In terms of longevity, I predict them to last well above average as there is virtually little to none wear as I am writing this review. Worth mentioning that I am a heel striker and weigh 80 kg / 12.6st / 176 lbs.
Ride, Conclusions and Recommendations
Let’s just start with the obvious - I did really like the ride on the Inov8 RoadFlyMax. It’s a no frills neutral shoe, I would however like to make a clear distinction that unlike its predecessor (the RoadFly) it is not a stable neutral shoe. By no means it's a wobbly ride but because the heel counter is completely flexible and the rear of the midsole is slightly softer than the front it creates a very neutral ride. Especially for someone like me who runs consecutive kilometers at 4:30 or slower and is a heel striker.
Another element of the shoe that slightly troubled me is its weight. By no means it is a heavy shoe, at sub 11oz in my banana feet, size 12US it’s by no means heavy. That said I’ve recently tested the Diadora Atomo Star which at a very similar weight has 40mm of super cush under foot.
That’s all the dislikes I have about this shoe and a nice segue to what I liked about the shoe. And that’s the weight as well or at least the impression of the weight. The shoe feels very light on the run and picking it up is effortless. I’ve tested the RoadFlyMax on the treadmill and on pavements and in either of the scenarios workouts involving picking up the pace felt wonderful, good job Inov8.
Another quality worth mentioning is the price of the shoe is its price - £120, it is not available in the US yet but I would guess it should be priced at around the $150 mark which in today’s day and age is a great price (please don’t hold me too it - I am guessing what the US pricing will be). On the run the shoe feels very neutral however not unstable, it rolls forward very quickly but almost suggests a forefoot / midfoot landing due to the low, 6mm drop. In terms of its destination I would position this shoe as a 10k to half marathon distance, perhaps a full marathon if you are a very efficient runner who does not require a great deal of cushioning.
All in all I really enjoyed the RoadFlyMax
My Score: 9.4 / 10
Ride 9/10 (50%): Fit 10/10 (30%): Value 10/10 (15%): Style 8/10 (5%):
😊😊😊😊
3 Comparisons
Inov-8 RoadFly (RTR Review)
One of my top shoes of 2024. Absolute boss of a lightweight neutral shoe at a steal of a price. If you would like something lighter, more stable and giving lots of ground feel this might be a great option for you over the Max. Max has more cushioning, is more suitable for longer distances however as mentioned concedes a little fun factor and the stability.
Nike Pegasus 41 (RTR Review)
When I was running in the RoadFly Max I was thinking what other shoe reminds me - a slightly less cushioned Pegasus! If you worry that the RoadFlyMax is not cushioned enough for you but the neutral character of the shoe sounds like something up your alley the Pegasus 41 might be worth a try. The Peg has also slightly more pop in the forefoot and a tad more structure due to a semi-rigid heel counter.
Diadora Atomo Star (RTR Review)
I might get in trouble with Sam, the RoadTrailRun editor for comparing these two shoes as they are quite different, but here goes! The reason why Atomo Star came to my mind is twofold, first of all it is a shoe I’ve reviewed recently and second of all it weighs almost exactly the same as the Inov8. Importantly it has 7mm more cushioning in the heel. So if the Inov8 RoadClawMax sounds almost scary in its austerity and firmness the Diadora Atomo Star might be worth considering. Worth noting that for the price of one pair of Atomo Star you will get two pairs Inov8 RoadClaw Max and enough loose change to buy a half-decent bottle of wine.
Tester Profiles
Maciej 'Matt' Kolat- 39 years old, hailing from Poland but pounding Scottish pavements and trails on the run and hiking since 2007. Mainly runs shorter distances on pavement 5-10 km and reserves longer runs and hikes for beautiful Scottish Glens. Matt’s opinion sometimes may differ from other RTR testers as he is the slowest of the bunch (5k at 25:38). Matt also uses running as a way to stay healthy having shed 105 lbs so far (and counting).
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