Inov-8 Roadfly Review
The Inov-8 Roadfly is a versatile road running shoe designed for everyday training. Its broad, rounded toe box and responsive, connected ride are intended to give runners’ feet room to function inside the shoes while encouraging natural foot movement.
The human foot contains 26 bones, 33 joints, and over 100 ligaments and tendons, all working to stabilize, cushion, and propel you forward. Running shoes with excessive cushioning and stiff, curved, rocker-shaped midsoles are designed to replace the foot’s natural mechanics rather than allow it to function within the shoe. By letting your feet work naturally, your feet become stronger, your posture improves, and the stresses of running are distributed more evenly across your body, reducing the risk of overloading a single joint.
When trail running over uneven terrain or even on less smooth bridleways, your feet need to bend and adapt to the ground’s contours. This flexibility allows you to maintain forward progress while reducing the risk of twisting an ankle or knee. Inov-8 designs its trail running shoes to enable natural foot function and conform to uneven terrain, which minimizes resistance between the foot and the shoe. This same philosophy applies to their road running shoes, such as the Roadfly, allowing your feet to function and strengthen naturally, helping you run faster on roads, trails, fells, or cross-country courses.
The Inov-8 Roadfly is essentially a road-specific version of the Inov-8 Trailfly. The upper is made from a lighter, more breathable engineered mesh, as it doesn’t need to endure the abrasions common on trails. The heel cup is soft and flexible, with a touch of rigidity at the base. Padding around the heel cup and cuff provides a comfortable feel without being excessive. The soft upper makes the Roadfly feel like slippers when you slip your feet in, thanks to its broad, rounded toe box. The tongue is well-padded, made from breathable material, gusseted to keep debris out, and equipped with a lace tab to prevent slipping during runs. Additional lace holes allow for various lacing techniques to improve fit.
Once laced up, the Roadfly’s upper wraps snugly around the foot, ensuring no slippage, even when running downhill. It comes in two widths: standard, which is still roomy, and wide. I opted for the wide fit, as I have narrow feet but prefer extra room for natural movement. The snug fit extends to the midfoot, after which the shoe opens into a spacious toe box. My feet remained secure even on steep downhill sections, and the flexible midsole and outsole helped prevent heel slippage on ascents.
The stack height is 27mm at the heel and 21mm at the forefoot, providing a 6mm drop. The midsole uses Inov-8’s Power Flow Pro foam, the same as in the Trailfly, offering a responsive ride with a touch of bounce. The outsole, made of blown rubber, is flexible and provides excellent traction on wet or dry tarmac.
The insole features Inov-8’s Boomerang technology, a 6mm-thick nitrogen-infused material. This design keeps dirt, water, and grit out while maintaining its structure for long-term durability, offering extra bounce and cushioning without compressing prematurely. The 6mm heel-to-forefoot drop makes the Roadfly suitable for heel or midfoot strikers. As a midfoot striker, I occasionally noticed the heel during slower runs, but it never felt excessive. This is similar to my experience with the Trailfly, which has been enjoyable for both long, slow runs and faster-paced efforts.
The Roadfly feels light, flexible, and natural. Its soft, supple upper provides exceptional comfort, making it my go-to pair for casual errands, like school runs or quick trips to the store. The underfoot cushioning is comfortable yet not overly soft, offering a responsive feel that allows the feet to spread naturally in the forefoot. Unlike many road shoes with marshmallow-like midsoles, the Roadfly’s cushioning doesn’t mask ground contact, enabling natural foot function.
Inov-8 shoes fit similarly in length to Hoka, La Sportiva, Karhu, and New Balance. If you use Brooks, Saucony, 361, Altra, or Topo, you may need to size up by half a UK size for a comparable fit.
Running in shoes with a more ground-connected feel, like the Roadfly, makes me more aware of my pace and effort. Softly cushioned shoes with rockered midsoles often give a false sense of speed, whereas the Roadfly’s responsive midsole encourages a more natural running sensation. On recovery runs, I find myself moving faster than expected compared to softer shoes. The Inov-8 Roadfly is a highly versatile road running shoe. It’s suitable for easy recovery runs and long distances, yet responsive enough for tempo runs, hill reps, and intervals. The midsole provides excellent energy return, while the broad toe box and flexible midsole enhance foot function, contributing to propulsion.
As a neutral road running shoe, the Roadfly mirrors Inov-8’s off-road models, helping runners strengthen their feet and improve performance on any surface. For those not accustomed to Inov-8 trail shoes, the Roadfly offers a more natural ride, promoting better posture and foot strength while being versatile enough for all road-running needs.
Other Considerations
Topo Phantom 3: These also have a broad rounded toe box. The heel to forefoot drop is 5mm. The cushioning is firmer, and the Phantom isn’t as flexible through the midfoot. So, it doesn’t offer quite the same natural ride. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/topo-athletic-phantom-3-review/
Altra Escalante 4: A zero drop shoe with a broad rounded toe box. A similar level of flexibility through the midfoot. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/altra-escalante-4-review/
Altra Experience Flow: A broad rounded toe box, 4mm heel to forefoot. These are stiffer with a subtle rocker designed to help promote a more midfoot landing and help the runner get used to lower drop more natural shoes. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/altra-experience-flow-review/
New Balance 880v14: More of a conventional shoe but, one that isn’t excessively cushioned and has some feel for the ground. Available in three width men’s and two width women’s. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/new-balance-880v14-review/
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