Discussion: Inov 8 x-talon 212

I just recently bought my first inov 8 shoes - x-talon 212 - to have new lighter unstudded alternative to my 260 gram studded O shoes (and replace old 211g icebugs). At home my scale told x-talons weight 250g. Size 42, the one supposed to weight 212g. That 40g difference to the advertized is quite a lot. These aren't really any lighter than my studded shoes and can't see them as a replacement to my old much lighter O shoes. For example I can't se me running sprints with these heavy tracktors. Has anyone else put x-talons on scale? Are my shoes defective or is Inov-8 doing false advertising?

From misc

Interesting, I felt that the x-talons were light and lost weight as I lose bits off them (whereas my regular runners gain weight as they break down and absorb moisture).

I've got a new pair like yours to go and weigh and an ancient pair which may be the slimmer build.

I'll be right back after I get home... although I can only measure to nearest 5g.

The weight of inov 8 shoes (and all shoes) is based on a certain size (I think size 9 for inov 8). As you go up or down in size the shoe will obviously get heavier or lighter than the advertised weight. Every size can not be the advertised weight if they are using the same materials...

@D-MAN, as I stated my size happens to be the size weights are based on (US9 = UK8 = EURO 42).

Absolute accuracy of my scale may not be that good, but weight of all my other shoes are very close to the advertised figures. So my figures should not be that far from correct and at least correct enough for making comparisons between shoe models.

It must be Brexit related.

Here's what I got---Inov-8's or Icebugs, different sizes and degree of use. All sizes in EUR and scale just measures in 5 gram increments

Icebug Acceleritas RBX, Size 43, wt=215 grams brand new
X-Talon 212, size 42.5, wt=240 grams brand new, but old style
x-talon 200, size 43, wt= 260 grams Lightly used
Icebug Zeal OLX, size 42.5, wt.= 290 grams moderate use
Icebug Spirit 4 OLX size 42.5, wt. = 295grams very heavy use
Oroc 280 size 41.5, wt.= 290 grams light to moderate use
F-lite 195 size 43, wt.= 235 grams light use
Oroc 340 size 42.5, wt. = 360 grams moderate use

X-Talon 212, size 44, wt=260g brand new, looks like same style as Jagge
X-Talon 212, size 42, wt=240g, 4 yo, the old black and orange/yellow ones

Maybe they don't include laces and insoles in the weight....

My X-Talon 212s from 2010 were 232g and 239g for US Men's 10.5. They were narrow for me, so I used them without the sockliners, reducing the weight to 208g and 216g. Inov-8 later added a wider "standard fit" (I think) version of the 212 without changing the name for that presumably heavier version. Maybe you have the wider version?

I know a lot of people like the 212, but as someone with wide feet, I thought it was awful. It was also too thin. I could feel the lumps from the lugs under my feet. Maybe that part would have been better I could have used the insoles.

Yes, talking to the inov-8 branded shop at OFrance, in the current range the blue/orange ones are the wider fit and the classic shape is another colour. The older black and orange/yellow ones were the original narrow fit.

This was an interesting exercise!

All my shoes are size 7.5, so they should be a few grams below the official values, but since I have used them for a while they might have picked up some dirt?

x-talon 190, bright orange model, 202 g
x-talon 200, 225 g
x-talon 212, old/original model, 204 g
oroc 280, 273 g
roclite 243, red heel, 193 g
roclite 243, black heel, 207 g
baregrip 200, 206 g

From these measurements it seem like the original 212 is pretty accurate, along with the studded oroc 280, but the "lightweight" x-talon models (190/200) are both on the heavy side, along with the baregrip 200. The big surprise is the two pairs of roclite 243 which are both significantly underweight!

I've used the red heel roclite 243 for a year or two and they have always felt very light, now I know why. :-)