Andy gives his initial thoughts on the Inov-8 Road Claw 275
1. They are a trail shoe masquerading as a road shoe. They have an aggressive tread compared to most road shoes.
2. They are built heavy duty, but that adds weight.
3. While the toe box is generous in width, the midfoot is tight. Not the best on asphalt, but great on light trails.
4. Too responsive for technical trails and sharp rocks, but perfect for light and gravel and hard pack.
5. The shoe is heavy duty so it is hot. Not a summer road shoe, but will be great for cool to cold weather.
6. Great for wet and slushy roads. It has the grip and an extra large kick guard at the front.
7. The sole material, while stiff, seems super strong.
I really like the shoe a lot. But it's not a jack-of-all-trades. This is a shoe that you put in your bag of tricks to pull out in certain scenarios. Rain and sleet, rails-to-trails, light trail running with some rough patches. Not for speed work, slick muddy trails, or really technical stuff